Chapter 107: Getting out of the woods in this explosive situation
We are still in the same nightmare, though I'm not sure with regards what to make of it as while we're all frustrated with how long this nightmare is taking, not to mention the amount of chapters the readers have to read before we face Neptune again, we're also pleased that we finally have a chance to get our hands on that dreaded Planeptune CPewww in this nightmare and to end it, though we are rather tense that it's not going to be easy whereas dying by them won't be difficult.
Not only are we still in the same nightmare, but we are where we left off, in the forest hoping to get the codes to disarm the nuclear core even though we are certain that there'll be lots of booby traps, not to mention I expect there to be numerous enemies, including a few of Neptune's personal goons.
I only hope that we can get through this alive, though I have a feeling that it won't be the case, and I worry about what will happen to us if we die in this nightmare, not least will it make a difference between us succeeding in our missions or failing them.
That doesn't bear thinking about because I can't stand the idea of losing any of my friends, because they're all such wonderful caring bright people, who do such a good job in providing the planet with much needed hope in our fight against Neptune, not to mention prosperity, and numerous benefits to our people. It would be ever so nice to eventually defeat her one day, but it would be even nicer to do it with all of us together as a team. We have all fought so hard as a group and it would be horrible if not all of us can make it in one piece.
As a group we rush out as quickly as possible so we can find somewhere to hide, in case there are enemies there who would like to take the opportunity of shooting us down while we're at the van. Oddly enough even though I know that hiding behind trees wouldn't protect us from enemy bullets, our HUDs tell us that they will this time around and we believe what it says, the thing is that I soon realise that with me and my Lastation friends wearing black, while the Loweean allies wearing white and this being a forest, we do stick out quite a bit but we have no choice and who knows, maybe the enemy will wear purple clothes, I like to think so considering the circumstances.
As we hide it is then I can hear in the distance the sound of gun fire, which appears to be from an SVT40, a semi-automatic weapon.
"White annihilated." A voice which sounds emotionless announces.
It's odd to hear an announcement of that as it is, but to know that already one of our allies have died after just reaching this place, it's alarming stuff and she is the Loweean counterpart to me. Oh great what we're going to do now? No, the answer is we'll keep on going, we'll grieve her loss later, but there is nothing we can do now to save her, but there is much we can do to avenge it, and avenge it we'll do, we can still do this.
We each find ourselves hiding amongst the trees and it is then that we see the soldier who must have shot White, and though he has cover, we do too and we just mow down as there's too many of us and the same announcer says annihilated, to confirm us killing him. The thing is I notice him having a semi-automatic and is dressed in purple clothes, so at least we have an edge over them with regards weaponry, and for us they shouldn't be too difficult to spot.
After which I notice Uni moving up and she sees an enemy which she takes down with minimum difficulty, but suddenly:
"Uni, annihilated." The emotionless voice announces.
What Uni as well? This doesn't look good as she's a great shot not to mention a great sister to have, come on we can't be losing any more of us, not now, how ridiculous and frustrating with how we've gone all this way, trying so hard not to lose a single one of us and we manage it only now, we've lost not one but two and fairly quickly, I hope this can stop though I wouldn't be surprised if pretty soon, there'll only be one left.
"Move forward come here!" I yell to the remaining allies, as we rush through the forest.
They then regroup only for me to then tell them to move forward, being careful that there aren't any enemies or any trip wires for that matter.
I then see one of our allies who is Blanc, hiding behind a bush and so out of concern, I yell for her to be careful as I see a trip wire next to it, and I'm worried that she'll fall and get blown up.
We soon reach a path which appears to be a road for off road vehicles, and in front of us we see numerous traps, forcing me to caution my team. As we approach, I order Stealth to take point only for him to find an enemy, forcing me to point this out, us to hide, and to then try and take him out which we do rather successfully.
"Keep going guys, I've just spotted a trip wire though so be careful, keep going we will get through." I order calmly to my team.
We then move closer only for me to see a trip wire which I say as I walk after which we stay crouched and together, as even though we haven't seen many enemies up ahead, we are certain that there'll be more of them.
I soon see another trip wire in the way, though oddly enough I see a purple truck in the way and I have a gut feeling that this is where plenty of enemies are inside and so as I cross it, I keep my gun held firmly in my hands and aiming at the truck, so that I can shoot any enemies down if they are there.
Suddenly, I then see that there were enemies inside the truck and they pop out and try and attack us, we shoot back but already we've lost Noire. This isn't good at all and this just as I feared, losing all of my friends like this, and now I've lost my heavenly wife, my goddess from heaven, my beautiful wise kind goddess shot like this, I will avenge your death Noire, and though I have difficulty focusing and all I can think about is my fallen allies, I know there is nothing I can do and must carry on, I will avenge all of their deaths no matter what.
The enemies then come in closer, and it is then that we manage to retaliate as Stealth manages to shoot one of them down, followed by the next one and finally the remaining one. But sadly though or fortunately depending on how to look at it, 3 of Neptune's personal goons come in and this time it's Neptune, Nepgear and Plutia. They're all sliding down some rope and though initially it's alarming to see three of them all at once, I won't let that stop me and I'll just calmly take them all down, even if the 3 of them have AK47s with plenty of ammunition.
"Alright ladies of Planeptune, let's show Lastation and Lowee what we're made of!" Neptune yells with pride as she rallies the group.
"You're made of garbage." I yell back in response.
The thing is, they are all prone and hiding with more enemy troops, forcing us to hide and hoping that we can take them all down. Still if we can pull this off, then I'll be ever so pleased and I know that Noire, White and Uni will be proud of us. Oddly enough it is now I have a sneaky suspicion that perhaps when we've completed this mission which I'm certain will be possible, that my fallen allies could be revived, I hope so though something tells me that that might be wishful thinking.
As we continue to fight and plenty of shots are being fired at each other, though for the most part we were hiding as we didn't wish to be shot down, Blanc get shots down and the announcer mentions it, this does not look good, this does not look good at all being as how in terms of the main ones we're outnumbered now.
I can hear them yelling to try and provide covering fire as well as for them to advance cautiously towards us. Annoyingly enough we're pinned down, and I have a feeling that soon we'll be running out of ammunition, still at least we can get some from Blanc's gun but will it be enough for us to last? I don't know there's just so many of them shooting at us, and yet there's so few of us not to mention concerns of what to do when our ammunition runs out? This is exactly what Neptune wants as I may have said before, but I won't satisfy her and somehow, some way, we will get out of this.
"Why don't you give up now you're heavily outnumbered, you've got no chance against us." Neptune yells.
"She's right you know, you guys look like you're alone why not join us, we'll have so much fun together." Plutia calls out in her annoying tone, trying to flirt even though I know she is up to no good.
"Nah we're good, we've already got girlfriends, who are brighter and more attractive than you'll ever be. Besides you think you're so tough that you need this many troops against us?" I yell in response.
"If you want us come and get us." Stealth adds as well.
Oddly enough though, there are plenty of instances of them shooting at us lots of times even though we're hiding which would surely be pointless, though I can just about see that they're changing position, no doubt in an attempt to confuse us as well as seeing if they can take us down.
This would be the ideal moment to take them down as they do this, but annoyingly enough there's just too much covering fire, maybe they're taunting us, waiting for us to make a mistake. It's a real battle of attrition which I fear we'll lose as we're outnumbered and out gunned, perhaps out of our minds on a suicide mission, but even if this nightmare is granted to us, we will make the most of it and go forward as though someone breathed out.
And so with these thoughts it looks like we have no choice, but to advance as best as we can and see if I can take out a portion of the enemies, while Stealth gives me covering fire.
It is at this point that I advance and hide behind a tree, and there I see Neptune in her hideous HDD form, hiding behind a tree in front of me along with a couple of enemies. She tries and shoot at me and I shoot back at her. I guess this is to be a duel between us which is very fitting as I wish to see her dead for what she's done, and I know that she wants me dead just as much.
I hate Neptune's guts for how evil she is, how spiteful and cruel she is, how she's vilified, defeated and humiliated the goddesses I respect and love lots of times over, and how she's such a horrible nasty bully who cares little about the innocent, or the world which she neglects.
I cannot begin to imagine how she must be to the people of Planeptune who have no choice but to suffer under her tyrannous rule with no food, no water, no medicine, no sanitation, nothing but misery and despair and death. I hate what she's done in the series, and I hate what's she doing now, and yet now is my chance to defeat her in this duel for all the humiliations and defeats and vilifications of my friends, for the suffering they had to endure, and for the evil and heinous crimes committed against all of the who knows innocent lives, not to mention for the loss of four of my great noble allies in this nightmare right now.
We both shoot at each other, but it ends up being that Neptune gets shot by me. This act pleases me greatly to personally shoot Neptune in the head. I know that she'll be back for me in this nightmare perhaps sooner than I think, but to defeat her, humiliate her and give her a taste of her own medicine pleases me greatly, but I cannot, must not celebrate just yet as there is still the matter of getting out of this nightmare alive. In any case seeing Neptune get shot and hearing the announcer say that Neptune is annihilated, pleases me greatly and boosts my morale a lot.
"Hah inferior to me and my landmass as always, such a sore loser annihilated by me." I say proud of my victory especially considering where I've shot her.
I notice the enemies near her not being happy as they try to avenge her death, but they too get shot down by me pretty quickly.
Oddly enough, a small part of me would have liked to see Plutia, Nepgear and the remaining enemies flee in panic after taking out Neptune, the sight of them running away would please me, but then again the sight of them dying by me is probably even better, which is just as well as the remaining enemies who appear to only be about half a dozen of them, have tried to avenge their fallen allies.
Come to think of it, it concerns me quite a lot because even though the loss of Neptune for them has clearly affected their morale, they're still determined to take us down, and the amount of enemies there are is such that we're still outnumbered, even if there's less of them now.
All I can do is to just hide from the tree while my ally Stealth provides covering fire against them, and one by one even if it's merely the regular enemies rather than Plutia or Nepgear, they all fall down dead.
Good, now it's an even chance but even so they probably have more ammunition than us, and I still don't like to expose myself in an attempt to take them down. Still, it's important that I take down Plutia and Nepgear for what they've done, Nepgear for her turning on her allies in that horrible ending as well as killing them, not to mention supporting Neptune in her evil deeds and perhaps committed horrific acts of her own, and then there's Plutia for her foul sadistic acts to her allies, as well as for all the countless sadistic rapes and unspeakably horrendous tortures that she's done to all sorts of innocent people.
I cannot forgive her for what she has done, I don't think anyone can and it will be my absolute pleasure to take them down. Sure they will come back no doubt in this nightmare again, but I like the idea of defeating them, punishing them, owning them again and again, until I'm satisfied and it will be lot I can assure you readers.
And so as best as I could, while hiding behind the tree I fire a few shots to see if I can get one of them down.
"Nepgear, annihilated." The emotionless voice says.
Alright I got Nepgear, to think how at first we were heavily outnumbered, and now we outnumber them, it's a close call but it looks like we can do this mission after all, as all that stands in the way between our objective and ourselves is just Plutia and now like with Neptune it is a duel again and oddly enough, this reminds me of the time where I fought her in unarmed combat and I beaten both her and Neptune rather badly, and I intend to beat Plutia rather badly again.
I manage to take a peek and I notice Plutia doing the same, she tries to fire at me but I take cover and shoot back and boom:
"Plutia, annihilated." The emotionless voice announces.
"Hah not so cocky now are you, clearly you need more than that to take me down." I say with pride, pleased with my victory as I've shot her where the sun certainly does not shine.
Excellent, most excellent we've done it even if most of our team is down. We've gotten through this batch of enemies, I can't see there being any more so now it's just a matter of picking up the keys in the bunker, and getting out of there. Still, it's best to be cautious as there could still be some more enemies waiting for us.
We head cautiously to that location, being wary of enemy troops and booby traps but oddly enough there aren't any here, none at all. It's weird because although we have faced a lot of resistance, I do feel like it is the calm before the storm.
Ah, it is then I see the bunker which doesn't appear to be very big which is concrete with a grass roof, and an entrance which is booby trapped with wires at the top, the middle and the bottom.
It is then that Stealth decides to bravely go through and though he does his best, he unfortunately trips the wire and it triggers a small explosion which kills him instantly, I simply cannot bear it, to know that he died in that manner. It saddens me that I'm the only one left, I can't stand the idea that it will just be me in two more missions before I can get out of this nightmare as well as disarming the nuclear doomsday device. I only hope that there is a way of reviving my fallen allies, but even if it's just myself on my own, I know I must not give up.
But annoyingly enough, standing between my objective is the trip wires, the very ones that defeated my ally Stealth, my remaining ally. I have plenty of concerns about whether I can get through and what will happen if I die, and what will happen if the mission is failed. I cannot even comprehend what the answer to that unpleasant question will be, but I know I must do this and so I bravely walk towards the entrance, and as careful as possible I crouch down while stretching my leg out over the trip wire. This is quite precarious and I move a bit towards the bunker before I step over with the other foot.
Ah after all that I finally reach inside, this relieves me because I thought for a minute that I wouldn't be able to get through it, though the thing is I need to go through it again, though not without getting the brief case with the launch codes inside first. It's a pity that it's just me left now because I would have passed the case out first, and then if I activate the trip wire then at least the mission can be completed, but unfortunately that is not to be.
In any case I still carefully place the suitcase outside so that I can get out easier from the bunker. OK same as before, crouch down, stretch leg, move a bit, and then pull leg across again. Ah even though it is rather nerve wracking and tense, I've done it, I've got the codes, now it's just getting back to the van but with just me left, I am concerned about whether there's going to be any enemies still left out there.
I see the van that we exited from with the doors open and it looks to be within range, I guess there's nothing else but to run to it as fast as possible and so as fast as I can, I run and run with the gun and the suitcase in my hand.
I step in at last and while standing, I yell for them to go and so they do.
"Game over, primary objective completed." The announcer says.
Phew what a relief, after all of those booby traps, enemies as well as dealing with the three evil stooges, I have made it just as I've made it through all of the nightmare, in fact all of the fighting since the beginning of this fanfic.
Yet it is sad that although I've got to defeat Neptune, Nepgear and Plutia, I am the only one left, well just myself and Rom and Ram in the front of the van. I know that I've got two more missions to go but I don't see how I can do it by myself, considering how the first one took out almost all of my team. Well, unless there is some way to revive my fallen allies then I guess I'll have no choice but to fight alone, and with less ammunition than what I started with. At least I've done the first mission but I need to do the other two.
I guess all I can do is to just carry onto the next mission, but the problem is where the location for the second mission is, or even what I need to do in it. Maybe the answer might be in the case.
I look inside to see a few keys which are in different colours, but I also see some documentation consisting of instructions for my next mission. This I find odd but then again this is Neptune's nightmare, so perhaps she's wanting me to go there so I can be finished off, though I have no choice but to go there because if I don't then who knows what bad things will happen, not least that I won't be able to escape this nightmare.
Apparently Neptune intends to escape this planet by a special space ship, which is run on specialised unique fuel which is highly efficient and doesn't run out, no doubt this space ship will have all of the facilities in the world for Neptune and her goons to last forever, but why on earth would she want to blow up the planet for?
I suppose it shows the sort of person Neptune is and it worries me as to whether she has such a device being developed in our planet? Then again I just remembered that Neptune wouldn't be able to considering how in Lastation nuclear missiles can be shot down, but that is if the missiles are not laser proof which concerns me that she might in fact have such weapons that are laser proof, but alas it's hard to tell considering our inability to see what is going on in Planeptune by satellite, I do remember Noire telling me that she is trying to develop a means to destroy even a laser proof missile but I've no idea on the progress of this.
Speaking of which it does concern me that while we've been alerted to Leanbox having such devices and us destroying them, it's a bit odd with how I've heard nothing since about it, and they must have the means to make more so I can't help but wonder why have they tried to do the same thing again but with a different approach, hmmm maybe that was an experiment and they've found that doing it so close wouldn't work, and so they can only set them further away by which point perhaps Noire is able to take the missiles down from that distance, or could it really be that someone else is in control of Vert and perhaps merely wishes to toy with us, toy with us a lot before killing us.
This brings me to a sneaky feeling that I have as to whether this is just Neptune playing with the idea that she has a powerful weapon that we can't counter, and uses this fact to taunt us even though she won't actually use such a device, perhaps because she enjoys seeing us struggle against such heavy odds but for little gain, hmmm but I won't give her the satisfaction.
In any case not only does the document tell us what we got to do which is to blow up Neptune's fuel depot so that she can't escape, the document tells me the location of this place and so I tell the Loweean twins so that they can take me there, I guess all I can do is to just keep on fighting and face the problems I face, what else can I do, what else can any of us do?
I just like to think that perhaps Neptune doesn't have one, I mean the planet is big and I don't see how such a device is feasible considering the size of the planet, and how advanced the bomb would need to be. I just hope that Noire is developing other technologies to protect us from such a threat, she probably is doing her best bless her but some are in progress and it can't be easy trying to solve the world's problems that are thrown by that wretched nasty Neptune.
"Congratulations on the completion of the mission Black, we're very proud of you." Ram says as she drives the vehicle.
"Thanks but it is such a pity that I'm the only one left, how am I supposed to do this mission all by myself and without a bomb to blow up the fuel depot?" I say to them.
"That is a very good question Black, perhaps our friends in the distance can help us." Rom explains.
Friends? I wonder who could they be, still at least it's good to have allies helping in this quest though I am curious with regards to who they are?
Soon my question is answered and wouldn't I just believe it, it's all of my allies who have fallen in the last mission, and what's more they're all together in one piece not a single sign of injury, even Stealth is healthy and in one piece.
I am over the moon and all of us have such big smiles on our faces, I thought they were gone for good and it's such a relief to know that they're still here and we can still be together, working hard together, fighting hard together and spending wonderful time together having fun as well as doing our jobs which we love so much. I couldn't bear the idea of spending the rest of my existence without those people, and it pleases me to know that it won't be coming true at least for a while yet.
Aww it's such a relief and I feel like hugging them because of how thrilled I am that they are not lost, and in fact we do hug each other for a long time which we enjoy very much. It's very hard for me to think of anything else but this relief, this joy of how they're back and back really soon. But soon I realise that this will be very temporary, unless we do in fact head over to the second mission, which is to blow up the fuel depot of Neptune's.
And this thought leads me to the curiosity as to how come despite all 5 of my team mates in the last mission perishing, did all 5 of them come back here? Was it either because of the rules of the game in which there was some point system and we've won enough points to bring back my fallen team mates, like in the show I've seen resembling this, or is this Neptune's doing, a ploy so that I am forced to show gratitude to Neptune like she did in the series, where she defeats bosses so that the victims bow down to her in appreciation, and promise to serve her to pay off their debt.
The thing is I like to think it's purely to fuel her ego in her hopes that she can stop all 6 of us and prevent us from doing her missions. Whatever the case maybe while I'm pleased to see my allies back together, I have no appreciation towards Neptune even if she's responsible for this, because she's the one to put us into this nightmare in the first place, she's the one causing all the trouble, and no doubt she's the one that would use such a ploy as blackmail against us, something I despise very much.
In any case while it pleases me to see them back, it pleases me more so that while they have their SA80s in their hands, they also have a bomb needed to blow up the fuel depot, as well as a smoke grenade which I'm sure will come in handy.
It's not long at all before the 6 of us in the back shut the door and take a seat while Ram drives off to our next location of our next mission.
As the van takes us there, I know that we need to do better this time such that more of us get back to the van in one piece, so that hopefully this mission will be more humiliating for Neptune than the last, though something tells me that someone else will be there instead though no doubt I am certain it will be enemies who we'd like to see annihilated, as much as the last three stooges that I epically owned.
It's not long as we look at each other with big smiles on our faces that fills us with pride, determination and confidence before the van stops, and we open the doors though the emotionless voice hasn't yet announced that the game has commenced yet, though this is because out next location will be over a fence which I see in the distance, once we climb over the fence, the game will start, and it's a matter of blowing up the fuel depot, defeating the enemies there and then getting away by our van driven by Ram.
Though this running will take up valuable energy, we do this to get our blood pumping in our bodies, as well as to ensure that we can get in with plenty of time to spare, though climbing the ladder will take some time. And so thanks to our running, it is not long at all before we reach the ladder, and one by one we climb up the ladder and down the opposite ladder on the other side.
"Weapons live in 5…..4….3…..2…..1….Game Commences." The voiceless announcer says as we've finished climbing down.
Ok this is it, our second mission, we were successful in the last mission but will we be successful this time? We need to be cautious but quick and we must do our best to win this, and I'm confident that we'll succeed, stop the bomb, stop Neptune and finally wake up after this long nightmare. Let's do this, let's do this everyone, let's do this for Lastation, for Lowee and for our planet.