Started: 7/19/15

Finished: 7/20/15

Conquest: New Game +

Chapter 2: C-Dimension-Prologue

"How is she Kuro?"

Neptune walked into the slightly beaten bedroom where she had put Nepgear in; Croire was hovering close by, but shook her head.

"Not a thing. Junior here hasn't moved an inch since we found her." Neptune frowned. This was a whole new world and what's the first thing she finds?

A familiar friend lying facedown on the floor covered in blood.

She may be a cross-dimensional bug catcher, but c'mon! Even she was aware that something was wrong with that start!What kind of author does that to poor Nepgear?! (*raises hand*)

Plus this was Nepgear! Why was she, of all people, covered in blood? And where was Little Neptune? Or Histoire? Did something happen to the Hyperdimension since she and Uzume had last visited?

"Nngh…"

"Ah Neptune! She's waking up!" The purple-head sped over to Nepgear's side. Her eyes twitched a few times and she kept whimpering slightly; ever so slowly did her eyes finally open and gaze upon Neptune and Croire.

Her eyes were wide and she jumped away from them.

"W-What are you-! How-?! Who are you two?!" She squinted at the pair and gasped. "N-No way! Both of you should be dead! I killed both of you!"

Neptune and Croire were shocked to say the least. They both knew what Nepgear was supposed to be like, so seeing her like…this was really depressing! And what's this about killing them?!

"Is…this my punishment? Has the True Goddess decided to spite me by making me hallucinate Neptune and Histoire?! I know my sins are grave and I should die, but that's just unfair! If that's the case then I'll-"

Slap!

"OW! What the goodness was that for?!"

"You're saying 'ow'?! What about me! I dunno if you know, but it just felt I just slapped a sheet of metal! You know how much that hurt?!" Neptune sweatdropped.

"Now now Croire, you should calm down a little. She just woke up." Croire huffed, but backed away from a now fairly confused Nepgear; Neptune approached her cautiously.

"Hey there! It seems that you kind of know who we are, but I'd like to clarify it." Nepgear blinked. "My name is Neptune! I'm a cross-dimensional bug collector! And the girl on the book is Kuro!"

"IT'S CROIRE DANG IT!"

"Croire…and…Neptune…?" Ignoring Croire's agonized scream, Neptune noticed Nepgear was muttering something. She took a closer look at the CPU Candidate.

Nepgear was still blinking silently; her eyes were glazed over like she was in a trance. Neptune waved her hand in front of her face, but she didn't respond; she proceeded to shake her a bit and Nepgear gasped.

"I…I…This isn't a dream? This is- You two are real?" Neptune nodded. "I'm not dead?" A shake of the head this time; Nepgear looked dejected. "Then there's only one thing to do…"

With a swipe of her hand and in a flurry of data, Gehaburn once again found itself in Nepgear's hand. Neptune and Croire were struck by the blade's aura; it permeated...no, reeked of death.

Clang!

"Wha-?"

Nepgear's confusion was justified; in less than a second, Neptune had summoned her own sword and blocked Nepgear's stab at her (Nepgear's) own throat.

"Why did you stop me?! I'm only a menace to the world! I don't-!"

Hug

"H-huh?"

"Listen to me. I may not know you. I may not know what you did. I might never ever know. But I do know this." Neptune backed away from the tight hug to stare at Nepgear in the eyes; they were tearing up, but still grasping every word Neptune spoke.

"Everyone deserves a second chance. I know that I've made some mistakes in my past, but I was given a chance for forgiveness. So I offer that same chance to you: come with us and explore for a way to be forgiven of your sin." Neptune moved away and held out her hand.

Nepgear was stunned; someone was offering her forgiveness for her crimes? And this person happened to be Neptune from another dimension? Dare she take the hand that excuses her murderous sin? Nepgear knew that, truly, there was no forgiving what she did.

…And yet, she found her own hand moving to Neptune's outstretched one. She found herself believing in those heartfelt words. She supposed every Neptune had that unique ability to get others to believe in them. Her hand hesitated for a second, but in no time it met the hand of her…no, Neptune. Whoever this "Neptune" was.

"I don't believe I introduced myself yet even though you seem to know me. I'm Nepgear, the CPU…no, the Goddess of Gameindustri."

"Huh?" Neptune blurted unintentionally, "but aren't you-?"

Crack

"What the goodness was that?" Croire flew up to the window and started panicking.

"Hey Neptune we gotta go! The dimension is starting to collapse!"

"What?! B-but why now?" Neptune shook her head.

"Now's not the time to worry about that! C'mon Nepgear, it's time to go!"

"But-!"

Croire swiftly opened a dimensional crack in the room, causing a wind to pull at the three. As Nepgear was pulled towards it, she took a look outside. The once dull gray sky had turned an eerie black with white cracks resonating all throughout. The ground wasn't much better, with the very earth being thrown up and down in large fragments. Buildings that were long past usable now crumpled to dust. The once glorious city of Planeptune was nothing now. Nepgear shed a tear; all of that work was gone now…but in reality so was everything else. Maybe this was a fitting end.

"Nepgear?" The girl in question looked at Neptune who was inches away from the portal, Croire by her head. "Let's go!"

She didn't know why, but seeing "Neptune's" face with such a happy expression despite the world literally falling apart around them…

Doki doki

It made her once "dead" heart beat again. Awed, she allowed herself to be pulled in as the Nep Tower finally broke down as the gate closed….

Welp, I hope the initial reception goes well.

Thanks to all of you that have read this so far. This an idea I've had for a while now (minus the VII stuff), but I never quite knew how to apply it. Hopefully I don't butcher it XD

Time to take a little break. I'll be back with the next one-shot which will be...

Double Date! Yay! Neptune x Noire and Uzume x A!Neptune!

Alright then see ya then!