PROLOGUE :

~ Purple Regime ~

The sunset painted the sky an orange glow, as if the sun were getting ready to retire into a slumber.

A forest lies ahead, coated with thick trees. A girl could be seen walking in the distance. The girl had a white D-pad button hairpin on her lilac hair and a white chocker. Her white dress resembled that of a sailor. She wore yellow neckwear, long socks with pink stripes, and white shoes with a bag strapped to her thigh.

Nepgear.

The only remaining CPU of Gamindustri.

She's known as Lilac Heart by most.

The screeching sound of the dirt echoed through the forest with crunches of leaves and twigs. The wind felt playful as it pushed her long, lilac hair against her.

The smell of pine cones and the sounds of wood being pecked filled the forest with life.

She walked for some time until she stopped a few feet away at a certain spot hidden deep inside the forest. The grave was covered with many colorful flowers, and the tombstone looked shiny and well taken care of.

It was her and her sister's old secret spot. A spot they used to hang out when she was little.

Neptune

19XX–2012.

A loving sister and a dear friend.

Forever in our hearts.

Neptune...

That name rang in her ears.

She and her sister were forced to take a dark path.

I want you to kill me with your sword.

It's been eleven years since then but her sister's words still lingered in her mind like a freshly cut wound.

They all knew they needed to make some sacrifices to protect Gamindustri from the clutches of Arfoire.

With the Deity of Sin supposedly having long been vanished, Gamindustri has been at peace.

Or at least it lasted for some time.

Nepgear let out a breathless chuckle at the thought.

This place brought back memories of her sister, both pleasant and unpleasant.

"Hey, sis..." Nepgear kneeled in front of the grave. "It's been awhile. I'm sorry for not visiting you for a while."

She began rummaging in her bag. "To make it up for it, I bought you your favorite: pudding." She put the cup in front of the grave. She then opened hers and began eating while sharing the details of her daily life.

"—And that's pretty much all of it." After some time passed, she finished telling her stories. Silence hung in the air, with only the sound of the whirling wind. She let out a sigh as she wrapped her hands around her knees. "I wish I could say things were doing well, but... they're not."

"It seems like whatever I do isn't enough. People are not happy."

Nepgear let out a deep breath before she gazed deeply at her sister's tombstone.

"It's been lonely, you know..." she whispered as she felt all kinds of emotions stirring up inside her. "When we were together, everything made sense."

"I miss you so much, sis..." Tears began spilling from her eyes, as if a dam had been broken. She let out a loud sniff. "I wish you could be here so you can tell me that everything is going to be fine and comfort me with your gentle and caring voice."

She regrets not telling her sister that she loved her one last time and wished to hold her one last time in her warm embrace.

She used to have everything, but now it feels like she lost everything.

She noticed that the sun had already set and the sky had turned a deep shade of blue with stars. Nepgear wiped the tears from her face before taking a moment to regain her composure. "I-It's getting late... Hah... I should probably head back now. Goodbye, sis."

She then placed her hand on top of the tombstone and began slowly wiping across it the rough surface. "I'll miss you. Always."

She gently spouted before she turned and walked back.

(N) is for Neptunia!

Nepgear was back in her bedroom at the Basilicom. She was already transformed into her HDD as she stared herself in the mirror. She wore a fancy long pink dress and a white lily on her hair.

Her eyes stared deeply into her full power symbol on her eyes as her mind driffted elsewhere. Then came a gentle knock that brought her back. Then the door slowly creaked as a fairy-sized girl sitting on a floating book entered.

"Are you all prepared, Nepgear? Everyone is waiting for you." Histoire asked. She had blond hair, blue eyes, and transparent butterfly-shaped wings. Much like her, she wore a long green dress.

The so-called oracle of Planeptune's Basilicom and the closest thing she had as a family after her sister passed away. Her true form is a tomb and her task is to record the history of Gamindustri.

"Yeah, I'm all done." She turned around and nodded.

"Excellent. Shall we go then?"

The two went out and headed to the gathering. As they got closer, the voices of people chattering and music gradually got louder until they stopped in front of a massive door. Nepgear stared at the wooden door and let out a sigh before she brought her hands on the cool knobs and gently twisted them. She pushed the door open with Histiore by her side and light began engulfing them.

The room was filled with many people dressed up in fancy clothes and many tables filled with all kinds of delicious cuisine and bottles of sparkling champagne that invaded her nostrills.

She felt all eyes were on her, silently judging her. She took a deep breath and paid them no mind. She walked among the crowd before she reached the center of the room and grabbed the microphone, which caused a ringing noise to echo. Suddenly the room went silent as everyone turned to stare at her as the light focused on her.

"Hello and good evening, everyone." Nepgear stared as she looked around before she continued. "Thank you for attending the annual LAN party that is hosted here in Planeptune Basilicom this year. Today's marks the eleventh year of the unifaction of the nations and the defeat of the Deity of Sin. I, Lilac Heart, vow to honor the legacy of the fallen CPUs and also my dear sister, who all gave their lives to protect our precious Gamindustri from the Deity of Sin. Thank you for your time. Please, enjoy the food and champaine and have a good night." She concluded and sat the microphone aside and the crowd gave a polite round of applause. She went back to Histoire, who gave her a nod of approval with two fimliar figues standing next to her.

"Ah, evening, Ms. Kei. Ms. Rei.." She approached them and nodded.

"Ah, Evening." Kei simply nodded back, holding her champagne glass as she dressed up in her usual black suit. "I was wondering when you will show up. I must admit that I'm not a fan of these kinds of parties but I suppose it's an opportunity to create connections."

"Evening, Lady Nepgear. My, you look lovely tonight." Rei. who was dressed up in a blue dress, offered a kind smile.

"Thank you. You're flattering me, haha." Nepgear chuckled. "Anyway, sorry for the wait. I had some... other business I had to attend to first."

"I'm sure." The white-haired girl took a sip of her champagne. Histoire then excused herself, leaving the three alone.

"Would you like some champange, my lady?" A waiter came with a tray of a champagne bottle and glasses.

"Oh, yes please." She politely accepted the bottle and watched him pour the bottle into hers. He then moved to refill Kei's drink, then Rei.'s but she covered her hand on the top of the glass.

She turned her attention to Kei. "So... any new news regarding ASIC Remnats?"

"Straight to business, huh? I like that." Kei smirked.

"Oh, I'll excuse myself. I'll be with Histoire if you need me."

Nepgear nodded as she watched Rei. make her leave.

"So, regarding ASIC..." Kei started as she swirled her glass. "They have been a throne on our side since the beginning and well... They have been more active than usual and their numbers are exponentially growing as of recent. However, we believe we might discover one of their hidden bases they set up. I will fill you in on the details later."

Nepgear nodded and took a sip of her drink. "Uh huh. Sounds like it's going to be a busy night alright. So, did the other two oracles attend?"

"Mina excused herself for not attending. As for the other one..."

"Other one?" A woman's voice interrupted. The sound of heels clicking was heard nearing from behind. "Is that a way to address someone, Ms. J.K.?"

"Speak of the devil and she shall appear..." Kei muttered as she shuttered her eyes for a moment before she slowly turned and stared at the woman. The woman wore a grey office suit. She had black hair with a colorful square hairpin. She had blue eyes and wore glasses. Her body posture screamed professinalism. Her head was high and her back was straight with her hands behind her back.

"Hello, Ziege." Her smile slightly twitched. "For a moment, I thought you got lost on your way here."

"Very amusing." Ziege expression remained unfazed as she adjusted her glasses.

"Yeah, I imagine it is for you." The atmosphere became so thick that you could cut it with a butter knife as the two women continued to glare daggers at each other.

Nepgear, already sensing the tension in the air, decided to step between the two. "Please, you two. Now's not a good time."

"Well, I need to speak with Lady Lilac Heart alone if you don't mind."

"Hmph, gladly. I was on my way out anyway. Excuse me." Kei quickly finished up her drink before she sat the glass aside and left without a word.

"Care for a short walk, Lady Lilac Heart?" The brunette extended her arm out towards the exit.

"Oh, um... yeah sure but you can call me Lady Nepgear, you know?" The two women walked to a more secluded spot away from any prying eyes and ears. "So, what is that you wanted to talk about, Ziege?"

"I won't take up much of your time." Ziege turned to scan the place quickly before she turned to face her. "I just need to discuss something that that came to my attention as of recent. As you already know, the Basilicom in Leanbox applied martial law to combat the rising number of rebellions as of late. However, we have a suspicion that ASIC might be helping with those so-called freedom fighters by supplying them with weapons."

"Yeah, that doesn't surprise me. I mean, who else would supply them with all these weapons?"

"Yes, however. That's not the issue. We have a suspicion that ASIC might be working on a secret weapon."

"Huh? Secret weapon?" Nepgear tilted her head. "A-Are you sure?"

"We're not sure about the authenticity of the information or the source. But... if this turned out to be true, however..." She let her words linger for a moment.

"Yes, I understand. I'll let the guild look to look more into it. Thanks for bringing this to my attention."

"Good, that is all. I'll leave you to enjoy the rest of your evening, lady Lil—I mean, Lady Nepgear." She nodded and left.

(N)

The night went by as Nepgear managed to slip away and headed to the balcony to cool off. She felt exhausted after having to talk with so many people in the party. She leaned on the railing as she enjoyed the gentle breeze and the view of the city with the moon and star shining under it.

"Ah, so this is where you disapper to." A familiar voice called her from behind.

Nepgear turned her head and saw the blue-haired lady. "Ah, Rei.. Yeah, not really in the social mode at the moment. I should probably head back soon so I can help Histoire with escroting the guests out."

"I see." Rei. went to lean on the rail next to her. She let out a breath. "Quite the view, huh?"

"Yeah, it is." Nepgear nodded before the two then fell in comfortable silence.

The blue-haired woman let out a hum. "Do you remember the first time we met?"

Nepgear slowly turned to look at her for a moment. "Um, yeah. It was about... nine or ten years ago. Why?"

"No reason in particular. Just reminsing." She turned her gaze to the night sky. "A lot has changed over those several years. I remember when I moved to Planeptune, hoping for a fresh start and to provide for my parents back home."

Nepgear hummed as she listened to her.

"I hoped to change the world. Back then, I had... different views. I thought CPUs were different. On top of working a low-paying job, I had to also run the Citizen Movement Group that I established."

"Oh yeah, you were a real pushover back then." A smile crept from the corner of her mouth as she recalled the event. "I recall Histoire asking me to investigate a disturbance in Planeptune downtown on that day."

"Yeah, I was pretty much so." Rei. let out a small chuckle.

"Oh, haha yeah. you were like, 'Oh, please don't kill me,' and 'Why have I done to bring the CPU's wrath herself?'" Nepgear tried to pretend to be scared as she shook her hands.

"Hey, I did not sound like that!" She feigned offence as she playfully shoved her on the shoulder while still maintaining a smile at their banter.

"Oh, you definitely were." Nepgear smirked as the two shared a laugh.

"And now... I work at the Basilicom. Not what I imagined where I'll be." She let out a sigh with a smile.

"You've been a great help ever since I offered you to work at the Basilicom."

"And I'm grateful for it and still am. Working here gave me a whole new perspective. I realized that maybe CPUs aren't all that different from humans."

"Well, you know, minus the divine powers and stuff." Nepgear let out a breathless chuckle as she crossed her arms.

"Yeah but other than that, you usually live you life like a normal human."

"Well..." Nepgear streatched her arms and moved away from the ceiling. "I should head back. Histoire is probably looking for me. It was good talking with you, Rei.."

"You too, Nepgear. I'm going to stay here for a bit."

The CPU nodded before she left the balcony and headed indoors before she felt something vibrate in her pocket. She stopped and took out her phone before checking her notifications. She received a message from her friend.

[Iffy] Gear u there?

She quickly typed out a reply.

[You] Hey, what's up, IF?

[Iffy] we discovered a secret base that belongs 2 ASIC I'm scouting the place now.

[You] Good. Let me know if you find anything and be careful out there.

[Iffy] will do

She then pocketed her phone and continued on her way.

(N)

As the LAN party came to an end, Nepgear and Histoire helped the guests on their way out. By the end of the night, she was pretty much ready to retire and left the rest for the cleaning staff to clean the mess.

Unfortunately, she wasn't feeling sleepy at the moment.

Nepgear decided to keep herself busy in the meantime. She heads to her lab and sits down on her table to continue working on one of the projects that she has been working on for a while.

There was a portrait of her and her sister when she was still young. She picked it up and pondered at it. The photo was taken during the summer when her sister took her to Leggo Island. She was wearing a summer dress with a red popsicle ice cream in her hand. She had a big smile on her face with an ice cream stain on her face while her sister was doing a V-pose beside her with the beautiful blue ocean behind them.

Her sister loved to pamper her and always took her places like these.

She had the time of her life on that resort. How she wishes to go back to those simpler and happier times. Back when she was still young and didn't have any responsibilities.

She eventually set it aside before she went back to her project and examined the blueprint to see where she left off.

There was an illustration of a notebook labeled 'NEP-NOTE'.

Not the most original name she came up with. Much like her N-Watch, she had thought of naming it N-NOTE, but then she settled on NEP-NOTE since it's got a nice ring to it and rolls off the tongue easily.

The main function of it, aside from being able to write entreis obviously, is the ability to store living things and items. It was basically a glorified version of the N-Watch that could store items, like her old-fashioned N-Gear.

However, it's still in the prototype phase.

She remembers when she watched those shows that had cars that could transform into robots. She was fascinated by them and thus she discovered her passion when she was young, which resulted in her taking apart and disassembling a lot of things around the Basilicom, which resulted in her getting scolded many times by Histoire.

Good times.

She made a mental note to order parts from Amazoo dot nep later.

She then put on her safety gadgets before she grabbed and opened her toolbox and began working away on her project. After a while, she felt herself getting drowsy until slowly sleepiness took over without her realizing it.

AUTHOR'S NOTES

Thanks for checking out the story. This is my take on the conquest ending. "The First Change" written by Charlotte Eraviel served as inspiration. Check out their other works if you haven't.

Fun fact: I never played any of the Neptunia games. Most of my knowledge comes from the stories on the site and wiki. So, I decided to buy the second and third original games on my PS3 and play them. I should also note that the story takes place in MK2 and not Re;birth 2, which means characters such as Red wouldn't make an appearance and so on.

*Disclaimer: I don't own this franchise or the characters. All rights go to Ideal Factory, Compile Heart, and the others who worked on it.

Next Chapter: Bounded by Fate

Nepgear experienced yet another nightmare from that fateful day.