Part 1: Episode 1: The Beginning of the End

Episode 1: The Beginning of the End

Video- “The Beginning of the End”

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-so anyway I’m serious has the check cleared? I’m not doing this again if oh we’re on hello everyone! I am Histoire, and we’re all very excited about the inaugural episode of our new series, Hyperdimension Neptunia Mark 2!



We begin in the middle of action!



Hah!
Take that!
Hah!
How’s this?
Huff…huff…

Our noble goddesses, the CPUs of Gamindustri, were battling a diabolical villain! I’m assuming you are familiar with them for the moment, because more detail on them is… surprisingly irrelevant for the moment.



Not yet. Haaaaah!
Kgh, urgh…
Futile.
Ahhh!
Hmph.

Things were looking grim! The CPUs had been defeated by the unstoppable power of CFW Magic, leaving only the CPU Candidate Nepgear standing! Could she stand against an opponent that could defeat four full CPUs alone?



No…
Please stop this.
If things go on like this, Gamindustri will be reduced to rubble.

Of course not. That would be silly. Ah, perhaps I should explain more about the situation in Gamindustri.



Narration: However, humanity preservers on!
In years past, the deserted lands of Gamindustri were known as the ‘realm of chaos.’
Since the advent of ASIC-the Arfoire Syndicate of International Crime-morality has all but vanished.
As much as 80 percent of all students are rumored to worship the being known as Arfoire.
Parents, knowing this a poor object to worship, went ahead and taught their children to do so.
The government turned a blind eye instead of crushing this crisis in its infancy.
Thus, Gamindustri fell into complete and utter disarray. The citizens have come to accept all of the corruption as normal. They take no issue with acquiring items illegally.
Those who were victims of this mentality became exhausted and were sent to wander the Gamindustri Graveyard forever.
Compa and IF are now experiencing that very thing. Welcome… to the Gamindustri Graveyard.

This is now three years later, by the way.



Y-Yes, it s-s-seems that way.
You’re scared already? Stop stuttering.
W-W-Well, look around us. So many creepy-crawly monsters…

Just thought I should mention that.



All of those you see here were once denizens of Gamindustri.
Is that really true?
Yes, jeez, it’s true. Why don’t you just wait here?
N-No way, Iffy. I can’t sit still!
I want to save Nep-Nep, Ge-Ge, and all of the other CPUs!
Well yeah, me too. Nep’s been incommunicado for three years.
Doesn’t she realize how worried we are?
Everything is as it should be. They will all be just fine.
Even with severe injuries, so long as they possess the Sharicite…
It’s a crystallization of people’s faith, so I guess you’re right.
All right, Compa. Let’s find our friends and drag ‘em back home if we have to.
Yes ma’am!

They wandered for quite some time in that horrible place.



We sure have. I wonder where they’re all hiding.
???: …Urrgh…
Yikes!
Yikes? Really? Don’t startle me like that.
B-B-But I heard someone’s voice. I heard someone, Iffy!
Yeah, I know that. Do you know which direction it came from?
I think it was that way.
Over there? Okay, let’s find out.
Oh, please wait for me! Don’t leave me all alone, Iffy!

Eventually, though, they found-
Hey Histy, what’s up?
Neptune? I was quite sure you weren’t in the script this time, why are you here?



Oh right that show, duh, totes forgot. I was just going to see if you wanted a crepe and whoa, I thought I ix-nayed using this shot!



Oh, no! Ge-Ge, too… Even the other CPUs!

About that. The developers felt that it worked very well to start the prior game with a very over the top art scene.



Yeah, so well that they had to, um, what’s that word? Ret-comb? That doesn’t sound right. Whatever, they said the last game didn’t happen! We’re going to lose like most of the audience right here!



This is a horrible way to keep hostages. Who could be responsible for this?
Nep, pull yourself together! Hey, you hear me, Nep?
…
She’s out cold. Jeez, what the hell’re all these tentacle cord things!?
Force alone cannot rend those bindings. Compa, please use the Sharicite.
S-Sure, lemme just… I know I keep it near the bottom of my purse, next to my band-aids…
I cannot allow you to do that!

This is the part where that big dumb guy showed up right?
If you must stick around please try to restrain yourself from jumping ahead of cues. But yes.



Kyaaaah!
Who are you? Get outta here!
Hah…hahahaha! Fools. Welcome to your graveyard.
I’ve been kept here for three years. I’ve grown bored, so you better be fun little toys to play with!
I don’t really get his rambling, but he seems fired up. I’ll handle him, Compa. You hurry and get the CPUs!
Y-Yes!

Did you explain about my sister yet?
Not yet but I was-
So I have a little sister, Nepgear. That’s all you need to know.



Ge-Ge? Are you waking up?
Compa? Um, I think that I…
I’m so glad. Okay then, let’s free the other CPUs.
Gaaaah!

Things were not going so well for IF, however.



IF!?
Nepgear! I’m sorry. Not the best noise for you to hear right after waking up, huh?
Be careful. His strength…is beyond anything I could’ve imagined.
I’ll back you up, too. We must hold him off until all the CPUs wake back up!
I…I’ll fight, too!

Their enemy was seemingly unbeatable.



LWE Feinne on Neptunia Mechanics, Mk2:
We have a brief tutorial on skills here. I’ll put off most of the discussion of mk2’s combat system to later, but suffice to say that skills are the most powerful abilities our characters have access to but as a result are costly to use.

In the end, they were forced to go to extreme measures to simply escape.



Our attacks aren’t fazing him. Compa, how’re Nep and the others?
Um, well, they aren’t reviving at all!
This may indicate the power of the Sharicite is insufficient…
No way! What’re we supposed to do!?
Are we going to lose? No…I refuse to give up.
Enough. Nothing is more cumbersome than dealing with weaklings. I’ll throw you right out of this world!
No, I can’t… I’m not strong enough…
Wait! If we use all the Sharicite’s power, we might pull through!
Graaaaaaah!
Yaaaaah!

Yeah, escape without rescuing me. The main character.



It’s working. Way to go, Gear!
Did we…make it? Ugh…
Huh? Ge-Ge? Please be all right!
What’s wrong? If you pass out now…
Unforgivable! Once my visual system reboots, I will tear you all to pieces!
Please retreat. We cannot handle this situation given our current condition.
Tch. Copy that. Compa, we’re carrying Gear outta here!
Y-Yes!

We’ve been over this, you’re not the main character this time around.



* pant, pant * Ge-Ge is a lot heavier than she looks.
She’s the only one we managed to rescue. What’s more…
The Sharicite cracked when Ge-Ge used it…
I don’t think we can even try to rescue the CPUs now.
…
Do not be discouraged. Saving Nepgear is worthy of praise. You have accomplished something great.
What should we do now, Histoire?
Please return to Planeptune. I am certain Nepgear would like to sleep in her own bed.
I also wish to learn what exactly transpired three years ago, though I know it will be painful to recall.

Which is total bull!
Be that as it may! Ahem. Next Time on Hyperdimension Neptunia Mk 2: Divine Oratorio! Nepgear’s quest begins!