CHAPTER 2 – ELSEWHERE

~ LOCATION: GAMINDUSTRI? ~

~ POINT OF VIEW: THIRD PERSON ~

Phantom had felt nauseous from all that time jump he did, so he had to take a break to ease up the tension inside his stomach. And somehow, the background really helped. He found himself on a yellow sandy shore while the sun was still rising. The waves were splashing onto his green boots, while he groggily stood up. Any more from the background was a spectacular purple futuristic city a few miles north from them. Wait, them?

Phantom kept staring at the rising sun, as if he saw it for the first time. No… he IS seeing it fo the first time. Dystopia, Earth did not give such luxury, for black skies were the norm for their crappy planet. Now, he laid his on the different types of flora around them. Coconuts, a few trees here and there, Phantom was clearly awestruck that the circuit patterns found above and below his left eye glowed a dim blue.

"Oh, Father, if you were here to see this…" Phantom said to himself, making a little spin on the spot, clearly amazed by the change in mood and scenery that he wouldn't have expected. Wait, there is still one problem..

"Oh sheesh, Gear! Gear, where are you?"

Phantom, trying to communicate worry, called out to the purple-haired 12-year-old, who was nowhere to be seen. "Gear, are you trying to play Hide and Seek with me…? Now is not the time…"

The genetically engineered boy inserted his hands into his coat's pockets, which was a mix of a really long overcoat and a hoodie. This particular coat reached a bit to his ankles, this part having intricate circuit patterns on it, especially near the edges. He then took out the redrawn map of Gamindustri to try to locate himself. He doesn't know if this world supports Advanced Tracking Mechanisms – Global Positioning System or ATM-GPS for short, or even Dystopian tech, so he had to rely on his biological machines and sheer thinking power to process.

"If I take that purple tower up north as a landmark, I can pinpoint myself to somewhere south of the capital city of Planeptune…" he said while pointing at the tower far from him. He then continued to look for Gear while keeping in mind his location.

A few minutes later, he found Gear unconscious on the sand 14 meters. He unconsciously feared for the worst. "Gear?! Gear, wake up!"

…

No response.

…

Oh, wait. She's just sleeping so peacefully. Her drool is dripping down her mouth, reaching down to Phantom's hand. He quickly shook it off. "Sheesh, you sure know how to worry a stoic man…"

Careful not to wake her up from her slumber, Phantom lifted her up on a piggyback ride, and then sighed.

"She said this world is her home. I guess I got another reason why I have to stop the US…"

Quickly glancing at the Gear sleeping on his back, he proceeded to go north, to the city leading to Planeptune, with high hopes and determination.

Meanwhile, within said city, another purple-haired girl who is wearing a hoodie was shocked to sense a disturbance in the 'main character Force'. "Ah, I sense a disturbance in the Force. Aww, who am I kidding? I'm the ONLY protagonist here. But I can't help but wonder…"

"Maybe you're just over thinking things, Onee-chan…" another purple-haired girl who would look like the older version of Gear said. Her sister gave her an unamused look, "Come on, if you're the protagonist, you won't want someone else take your spotlight…"

"Narrator, spoil me of the tidbits!"

Wat. Why would I want to do that?

"Sheesh, come on! Tell lil ol' me about this new character!"

Nope, anyway, switching over to protag's point of view.

"Don't dare ignore me! Get back here!"

◇POV SWITCH: PHANTOM'S◇

So now, we're here. Oh my, this place is BRIMMING with a lot of purple. How much the people love their purple will forever allude me, I guess. Anyway, I feel a rustle on my back. Ah, Gear's up…

"Onii-san, where are we?" she said, rubbing her eyes. I answer, "We're in a city within Planeptune, Gear…"

Hearing the word 'Planeptune', she quickly got off me and began to drag me off, "Onii-san! I'm home! I'm home!"

I couldn't help but be amazed by her cheerful behavior. I know that I can't process emotion very well, but… something about this kid warms a spot on my artificial heart. Walking through the crowd, she kept dragging me until we were in front of a TV shop. It showed the goddesses(?) in action. Huh, even though I'm not a human, I gotta say this, they are hot as fuck. Wait, nope, not to a degree, mind you.

"Eh? Those aren't the Gods…"

Huh? Gods?

"W-what do you mean 'Gods', Gear?"

"I mean the Console Patron Units Sakino, Kuroha, Shiro, and Midoriya! Papa always told me stories about their cool Pew! Pew! And…"

I kept looking at the kid, who seemed to be enjoying herself with all that charades that she's doing. If her world had Gods…

She's not of this Gamindustri, I guess… Rather, a separate reality. This development… if this theory is to be true, this Gamindustri would have gotten help from its other counterparts, helping in Earth's decline… I have to stop this war no matter what…

Huh? Why did she stop? She's just standing the-

"*sniff*"

What? Is… is she crying?

"*sniff* Onii-san! *sob* Mama and Papa aren't here! I made a mistake! Wahhhhhhh! Because of me… *sniff* Because… *sniff*"

Slowly, my heart felt unstable. I can't stand to see her, a young child who's supposed to feel happiness and curiosity, just cry and blame herself, and in a turn of events, I instinctively kneeled down and patted her head. She looked at me with her eyes that just leaked out tears. "Don't worry, lass. You didn't do anything wrong… In fact, going to Earth might've not been the best idea I had…"

Indeed, the Earth will still be destroyed even if I sabotaged UK's time machine or the US' dimensional portal. They would've found a way here one way or the other, still leading to the terrorist attack and warfare. I remember the quote Father's great-great grandfather Chester, who's in my DNA, said…

MOMENTARY POV SWITCH: CHESTER'S (2016)

"What would you do if you were given these two choices? Would you just pick one? Yes, Chester, please stand up and answer…"

Oh man, did ma'am just call my name? Man, I'm not in the mood for reciting… Sheesh…

Standing up, I muster the most original on-the-spot answer that I can make right now, "There are two choices: Right and Wrong. Even if you choose one, it would still lead to one single point in the timeline…" I said to my classmates who were having quite a predicament. They're trying to understand what I said without getting a figurative nosebleed from all the English.

"Oy, Chester, hindi ka namin maintindihan, Inglesero!"

"Shut up! Hindi niyo kasi pinagtutuunan ng pansin ang English. Ang finofocus niyo, lovelife! Ayan, brokenhearted!" I retorted.

I continued, "Continuing on… rather than directly picking one choice… why don't you pick an unorthodox one?"

"Sabi nga, hindi namin maintindihan!" one of my male classmates kept on complaining, but I didn't give him no mind.

"For example, the doorway choice… Pick left and right. If there is a middle doorway, you can also go through that. It's not like there's a rule prohibiting you of free choice, right?"

"Ah, an intricate and well-constructed answer, Mr. Mendoza. Please take a seat," Miss Villaceran, my English teacher, praised. I smile and took my seat.

◇POV SWITCH: PHANTOM'S◇

That's right. I'll try to convince these goddesses to not make any volatile relations with the US. That way, I can prevent the terrorist attack while making sure that both parties don't blame each other for it! It's foolproof!

I held out my pinky finger, "I promise this to you, young Gear Melvin, I'll make sure you return to your parents once we secure a bright future for both Earth and this Gamindustri…"

Wiping the tears off her eyes, she asked, "R-really, Onii-san?"

"Yes… so what do you say?" I wiggle my pinky finger. I swear I wore an unusual face for me to make, but I didn't know what…

Her face beamed at me, "Wahah! Onii-san smiled again! Okay! It's a promise!" she stated, wrapping her pinky finger around mine. And at that moment, I made a pinky swear, one promise that I never want to break.

Huh, I smiled again huh? Anyway, before we could get anything done, we have to find ourselves shelter, and I have to find a way to earn money. That moment, a TV ad showed this job offer, the Guild, that offers fighters a job, eliminating monsters, doing various errands and what not. Problem is, I don't know where it is. I could ask Gear, but this isn't her world, so I'm not too sure. I have to find this Guild… starting with asking a random passerby a question.

Oh, what luck. Wait, she looks like a grown up Gear. Heck, even the kid is confused. I can describe this 'older Gear' as a purple-haired girl who was wearing a seifuku, a well-known Japanese anime clothing back in the Peaceful Age, that had a yellow ascot. Her socks reach up to her thighs, a purple and white kind, and… duh, Phantom, shoes. Well, I guess it's time to ask.

"Ahem, excuse me, Miss… may I ask where is the Guild? I'm kind of new here…"

"Oh, just go straight ahead and take a left. It's near the Planeptower, so it'll be easier to find."

Unexpectedly, Gear went up in front, "Onee-san, why do you look like me?"

She crouched down, "You're right… say, what's your name?"

"Gear! It's Gear Melvin, Onee-san! And yours?" Gear said. The 'older Gear' stood up.

"My name is Nepgear. Nice to meet you, Gear and… uhm…"

Taking a hint, I said, "Oh yes, I'm Phantom. Nice to meet you… I guess?" then I held out my hand for a handshake. She seemed hesitant at first, but she did shook my hand.

"I guess we have to go now… it was nice meeting you and I hope it's not our last meeting…"

"Y-yes, take care, Gear-chan and Phantom-san…"

As we walked away from Nepgear, Gear climbed up to my back and snuggled it. "She was my ka-tokayo, Onii-san!"

I looked back at the child, "Ka-tokayo?"

"Mama said it's Filipino for someone who has the same name as you… She told me that Filipino was one of the Earth languages she learned back when she was still a young dimension tripper girl…" she explained.

I look back to the road ahead, and wearing a sleepy-like face, I reply, "I know that, but her name was Nep-gear, and yours is Gear…"

"Sheesh, I like Onee-san because of that, okay? I hope we can meet her again…"

I look at the sky… "Man, I sure hope so… "

"Onii-san~"

Okay, there was a hint of mischief on her voice, "What…?"

"You like Onee-san, do you?" she ecstatically shouted. My eyes become half-closed and I shut my mouth. How did she end up with such a conclusion? I can't process emotion well, and she thinks I felt this thing named 'love at first sight'? Weird.

"…How could I? That was our first meeting, plus I'm a genetically engineered human boy…"

"Aw, come on, Onii-san! You have to understand a child's dream… Hurry up and get together with Onee-san and have babies!"

"Being a genetically engineered person, I will say that it is impossible, dear Gear…"

"EHHH? NO WAY! IF YOU BELIEVE, IT'S POSSIBLE! That's what Mama told me…"

I felt her cheeks puffing up as she lied her head down. I internally laugh and just kept on walking. I guess I am not alone for this mission now, with Gear by my side.

✦POV SWITCH: THIRD PERSON✦

In a quite familiar room, a girl afloat a book stared at some of the most unusual of letters.

To Miss Histoire, Oracle of Planeptune,

This is rather odd for me to send a message to you, but this is really an important letter so please keep your highest attention with you. You had felt it, haven't you? The abnormality in two points, one somewhere along Planeptune's shores, and one somewhere within Virtua Forest. I would advise your Guild Agents to be careful around said areas, especially Virtua Forest. You can never be too safe. Also take note that a new ally from another world appeared somewhere from these two abnormal locations. Still advise you to be careful, but accept this young man into your abode. He's here to change what was slated into the documents of the CHAOSSES. Please.

The Author (Oracle of the CHAOSSES),

MiddonaitoShi

"What an unusual message, but… I feel like I can trust this man…"

She took with her the message, placed it between her tome, and floated away to a room where a shiny white crystal was glowing.

"Mister MiddonaitoShi, eh…"

LOCATION SWITCH: DYSTOPIA, EARTH

The Councilor, cleaning his golden water-generating cup, looked out the window. The sight of intense snowstorms appeal to his eyes, as always.

"You have gone too far, Councilor. I cannot just stand back anymore!" a mighty voice hailed. The Councilor shifted his mechanical body to see a man that he was expecting to meet.

"Have you come to arrest me…"

Slowly, the mysterious man's face showed a silver monocle and holding up a handgun. Before continuing, the Councilor smirked…

"…MiddonaitoShi?"

Chapter 2 End

Omake 1: Chester and Middonaito?

A hundred fifty-five years ago, there lived a (not so) great 16-year-old Filipino boy whose name was Chester Mendoza. He was a boy of average intellect, but never combat him in English, whether semi-literate or literate, because once he writes something down in English, figurative nosebleed ensues.

Right this moment, this young boy is throwing his Cherry Mobile Cubix Lite up and down, while looking at his laptop for a really good PC game to put into his wishlist.

"Aahh… where was it again?"

Chester itched his head, because he was trying to find a game named 'Hyperdimension Neptunia Re;Birth1'. He swore he had it on his wishlist and now, he has to go through searching again.

"GAAAAAHJJJ!"

An hour passed and he left his lunch unfinished. His mother pinched his ear.

"Noy, bakit mo hindi inubos yung pagkain mo? (Noy, why didn't you finish your lunch?)" his mother said, clearly showing signs of irritation.

"Diba gumagawa ako ng project? (I'm making my project, remember?)" he lied. Well, half lie. He was supposed to finish up his science presentation today, but he doesn't feel like it. He just wants to buy Re;Birth1.

"Tandaan mo, kung magutom ka, hindi mo ako isala diyan… (Just remember that if you get hungry again, it's your fault…)" his mother retorted as she went back to selling items in their sari-sari store. Another hour past and yes, he finally finished buying the game, and now onto his work… but first an email.

It only said a few gibberish words, but what's interesting was that this was from 'MiddonaitoShi', his favorite fanfiction writer.

"What? Coming here for a visit, yeah right…"

He deleted said email, referring to it as junk mail, but he didn't expect what was to come inside his room.

"Phew, I'm beat…"

Tired out from his project (which was actually finished now), Chester lied down. And closed his eyes.

FWOOUP!

Before a portal appeared right above the boy. Afterwards, someone fell on him. "GWAHKK!"

The guy from the portal quickly got off the boy, whose abdomen got so sore.

"DUDE, WHAT WAS THAT FOR?!"

But seeing the boy, he suddenly shuddered. "N-no way… you're…"

The unwelcome guest grinned at him, "I am MiddonaitoShi, and let us start this little omake!"

To be continued.