GODDESS OF VICTORY: NIKKE story · Favorite Item stories
Laplace
6 scenes, 470 lines
1. Hero in Major Crisis!
28 lines
Hero movie time!
Laplace plops down onto the sofa.
The hero has taken her seat!
With popcorn in one hand, she presses play on the DVD player.
*Beep*
*Whiirrrr*
*Crunch crunch*
Laplace's eyes are immediately glued to the screen as she shovels popcorn into her mouth.
*Bum, bum-ba-bum*
Grand music swells as a hero appears on the TV.
"Hahaha! The hero is here!"
Hahaha! The hero is here!
When the hero on the screen reaches for the sky, Laplace mirrors the action.
"Let's go!"
Let's go!
"Let us walk-zzzzzaaaaa"
Let us w... Huh?
"B-B-Bb-bi--bbbb-"
*Crash*
Laplace leaps up from the sofa and darts over to the TV.
"B-B-Bb-bi--bbbb-"
"B-B-Bb-bi--zzzzzaa-bbbb-"
2. Paying Birdie a Visit
73 linesIt's a wonderfully peaceful afternoon...
*Crash*
... or at least it was.
... Until a certain hero pays me a visit.
Laplace. I knew it was you.
The destroyer of windows appears again.
No, I just heard the window shatter.
So, what is it?
What happened?
Your what?
Look.
Laplace takes out a DVD.
Is that a DVD?
That's right!
It's a trilogy of movies packed with legendary exploits of the greatest hero who ever lived!
The Ultra Hero trilogy!
So that's been your guiding manual?
Have you seen it as well?
No. I'm just fascinated by you calling it that.
I can hardly blame you.
Just hearing the name is enough to get one's blood pumping!
That's why I refer to this as a source of instruction.
But look at what has become of it...
Laplace plays the disc.
*Whiiirrrrr*
"Let'sssssss goooo- B-b-bump-out-buump-doo-o-o-ng-buuump-"
The stuttering is terrible.
It's practically like a slideshow!
I think it's broken.
I'd say so...
Can't you just buy a new one?
No, I can't!
The precious information contained on this disc is what first inspired me to become a hero,
and there's nowhere that is selling this currently.
... I see.
How did this happen...
This must be the work of some dastardly villain.
Otherwise, how could something this tragic have occurred?
Is there a way to fix it?
Do you think we could?
Perhaps we could ask Maxwell for some help.
!!
You're right! Maxwell is the greatest hero of them all!
Birdie!
That's a brilliant plan!
If there's anyone out there who can fix this, it'd be her!
My beautiful disc may live to see another day yet.
Very well, let us both venture out,
and embark upon a heroic repair adventure!
I need to go too?
Then I take it back.
Fine, let's go.
Fine, let's go.
*Sigh*
3. The Hero Visits a Comrade
61 lines
Spare me the details and just get to the point.
G-got it!
Laplace hands over the DVD to Maxwell.
That's right!
Is it on the fritz or something?
Why would I waste my time doing something so trivial?
G-good point...
You've had this thing practically on an unending loop. There was bound to be a problem at some point.
If anyone's the culprit, it's you.
You're the only one who's ever watched it, am I right?
!!
Anyway, you want me to fix this?
Hmm... I dunno.
Do you think it's doable?
?!
I dunno. Because I'm lazy?
Why not?
This is an inspiration for heroes far and wide!
No, it's just an inspiration for you.
Th-that may be true, but you could still help! As a fellow squadmate!
It's going to take more than words to sway me.
Tell us what you want.
... Are you going to make our lives difficult?
That depends. Let's see... what would be good...
Ah, right.
Since I'm taking care of something that's such a problem for you, I'll ask you to do the same for me.
What is it?
A while back, I deployed a newly developed, unmanned exploration robot for testing on the surface,
but there are a lot of pests in the area that have been messing everything up.
There are more Raptures up there than I expected, and they've been making it difficult to carry out tests.
It'd be a real pain for me to go up there and take them all out,
so why don't you go and do it for me?
Maxwell! You could've just asked me to do it, no strings attached!
A true hero does things to be kind, not as a reward for...
Laplace darts outside.
...
Sorry to put you through this, Cutey. Come back safely for me.
... Will do.
4. Hero Deployment
115 linesLet's go, Birdie.
Time to help Maxwell out,
and in exchange, get the disc repaired!
Let's head up to the surface.
By the way, what are those movies about?
You mean the Ultra Hero trilogy?
Yeah.
They're about a hero defeating villains!
That's it?
Whenever a no-good villain harasses the citizens, the hero swoops in and bam!
They defeat evil like it was nothing!
Then they shout out,
"Hahaha! Justice has prevailed!"
All the citizens who witness this magnificent spectacle are filled with hope for a better tomorrow.
It's the perfect guideline for any aspiring hero to refer to.
What about watching those movies made you want to become a hero?
That's it?
Sounds quite inspiring.
A little.
Not at all.
??
Your expression tells me that you don't understand.
If I were a true hero, my mere existence would be enough to reassure you.
As you should,
because you've got a hero by your side.
!!
Looks like you just had a sudden realization.
That's right!
Since I am a true hero, my mere existence should be enough to reassure you.
Any hero worth their salt should be able to say
that nothing on the surface
will be able to threaten you.
Like the hero in the show?
That's right.
When I become strong enough,
the people in the Ark will be able to come up to the surface without any worries.
It's my duty to ensure that comes to pass.
Why do you feel that way?
Because I inherited it.
What do you mean?
Birdie.
It's all a bit enshrouded in mystery, but a very long time ago,
around the time when the Ark was built,
there were a bunch of Nikkes whose mere presence was enough to bring hope to all of humanity.
They put their lives on the line to ensure mankind's continued survival,
even in situations when they seemed to be facing imminent death.
They did it all for humanity, and thus they became the guardians of the Ark.
They were true heroes.
They were the real deal,
just like the people that show up in Ultra Hero.
But that's all in the past.
Nikkes don't enjoy the same prestige anymore.
No one thinks of Nikkes as heroes.
In fact, there are even some who question the necessity of Nikkes to begin with.
You're talking about Nikkephobia.
... That's right.
But that's not the only thing.
As time passes,
the number of people who believe that recapturing the surface is impossible is increasing.
That means that the amount of those holding onto hope is decreasing.
...
I cannot allow this.
I can't stand by and let Nikkes, who were once the embodiment of hope,
fall by the wayside.
So, I have taken it upon myself to continue the legacy of those past Nikkes, and become a true hero.
I must move forward.
Even if it's just one small step,
it will provide a guiding footprint for the next generations of heroes to follow.
In doing this, we'll gradually follow each other's footprints as they lead us into a brighter future,
where hope will once again reignite.
Humanity will be able to dream about the surface again.
Laplace, with a gleam in her eyes, raises her arms.
And so...
I must become the greatest hero of all.
Hope will be restored, and many will dream of becoming heroes again.
I will be a guiding light for those who have lost hope, and lift them up so that we can move forward together.
That is the way it should be.
That is the mission which I have entrusted myself with.
You might be overly ambitious.
Impressive.
Do you think so?
But I'll support you regardless.
Do you think so?
Yes, and that's why I'll support you.
That way, you can achieve the mission you've set out for yourself.
Sounds like a plan.
Laplace gestures up ahead.
!!
Ahead of us, there is a robot emblazoned with the Matis logo. It is surrounded by a group of Raptures.
The hero's logo. That seems to be the robot Maxwell talked about.
Excellent!
Let's go retrieve it quickly and head back.
Let's go, Ultra Hero!
Let's go, Laplace the Hero!
!!
Hehe,
I feel even more energized when you call me that.
Let's go, Birdie!
Ultra Hero Laplace,
encounter!
5. A Hero's Memories
127 linesMaxwell! We rescued your test robot.
Maxwell hands over the DVD to Laplace.
It's good as new, so you shouldn't have a problem playing it now.
Just don't watch it all the time like you did before.
If it starts stuttering again, don't come crying to me.
Okay! I won't watch it too much, but just enough!
I can't thank you enough, Maxwell!
I'll find a way to pay you back someday.
When I need you, I'll have you drag Cutey up to the surface and help with my tests.
That'll be more than enough compensation for me.
!!
Okay, sure thing!
Birdie!
I'm gonna go buy some popcorn and watch the Ultra Hero spring back into action!
Would you like to join me,
by any chance?
Sure, let's watch it together.
Why don't we just leave toge...
This hero is gonna go get ready!
*Crash*
Laplace leaps through the window, shattering it.
...
*Sigh* Yet another window that needs repairing.
Sorry to put more work on your plate.
It's fine. I'm used to it.
Anyway, care to explain to me what's going on here?
Why are you so eager to watch that show with Laplace?
Did something happen when you two were up on the surface?
I'm curious to see just how cool the protagonist of this movie is.
I want to know more about what inspired Laplace to become a hero.
Ahhh, I see.
She must have given you the whole hero speech.
How was it? Better than you'd expect, right?
She felt a lot more like a real hero, which caught me off guard.
She was a lot more sincere than I expected, which caught me off guard.
I know what you mean.
Usually, she comes off like a little kid playing hero.
While that's not entirely off the mark,
Laplace is the real deal,
so much so that she even gets through to Syuen's cold, dead heart.
She does?
Haven't you ever wondered...
why Syuen is always covering for Laplace?
It's because Laplace is great at appealing to her emotions.
Can you elaborate?
I'm not sure if you know,
but Matis is the first and best Nikke squad, and Syuen's brainchild.
That achievement is what has allowed her to keep her position as the CEO of Missilis.
!!
Hehe. Judging by your expression, I'm guessing this is the first you've heard of it.
That's not entirely surprising, though. Not everyone knows.
The thing about Nikkes is,
after the creation of the first prototype,
humanity kept iterating on them until they got to the Ark and eventually settled on models that were all about stability.
See, in the early days during the war against Raptures, they made the Grimms models and other combat-type models.
They experimented a lot with the designs.
But then at some point after humanity settled in the Ark,
their focus shifted more towards stability rather than combat performance.
Little by little, the emphasis shifted to building Nikkes that were more predictable and long-lasting, at the expense of being a bit weaker.
During that time, the first CEO of Missilis—the same person who created the first prototype Nikke—stepped down.
Then the second CEO, who had built the communication network for the entire Ark, also stepped down.
Syuen's position at the company started to get questioned as she was constantly compared to her predecessors,
until she achieved her first great accomplishment as the third CEO:
"Our goal is to enhance Nikkes' deteriorated combat abilities by recreating those of the very first Nikke prototype."
That was the mission statement for her first big win, Project Matis.
In other words, that was us.
The prototype and first success from that project was...
Laplace.
That's right.
Of all the participants who signed up for the experiment,
she was the only one who applied of her own free will, without any stipulations.
She was also frail and didn't meet any of the height, strength, or stamina requirements. She was by far the worst candidate.
No one thought that she would be a success,
including me.
You mean you were there too?
!!
But let's set my story aside for now and focus on Laplace.
Considering her physical state, she would have never been accepted under normal circumstances.
Syuen is the one that allowed her to participate.
Not something you'd expect, right?
Considering how uptight Syuen is, I never thought she would allow it.
Maybe she fell for those puppy dog eyes,
or Laplace's undying passion for all Nikkes to become heroes again.
All the others had rejected Laplace for the experiment, feeling that allowing her to join would only result in her death.
But Syuen leveraged her authority as the leader of the project in order to ensure Laplace got in.
Syuen did all that?
Surprising, isn't it?
Rumors began to spread that Laplace and Syuen had known each other beforehand,
or that they were secretly related.
Surprising as it may seem, they really aren't. That was the first time they had met.
Laplace went on to prove that Syuen's trust in her was not misplaced.
While all the other participants in the experiment either died, gave up, or ran away,
she was the only one who endured the torment until the very end.
She became the first member of Matis.
And that's why Syuen both likes and trusts Laplace the most.
She was the one who made it possible for her to establish herself as the CEO of Missilis.
She is her greatest work, and the one who helped prevent her from being ousted as the CEO.
She is a true hero.
...
That DVD that Laplace is obsessed with,
is something that she watched religiously all through the Matis experiment.
She would always say no matter how hard things got, as long as she was able to watch those movies, she'd be able to endure it.
That's why she always calls it her "hero manual."
That must also be why she can't bear to throw it away and buy a new copy.
...
Hehe, looks like all my talking has got the wheels in your head spinning.
Don't think about it too deeply.
Just don't forget that she's more than an eccentric goofball
who likes to crash through windows.
Thank you for telling me all this.
No problem.
Anyway, you better get going.
Laplace is probably waiting for you with a bucket of popcorn.
Right. I'll see you around.
See you soon, Cutey.
6. Ultra Hero
66 linesI look around Laplace's room.
...
On one side of the room, a huge box of popcorn is leaned up against the wall.
Why in the world do you have so much popcorn?
... Right.
On that note, here!
Laplace hands me some popcorn.
Now, come on over and sit down.
*Plop*
I sit down on the comfy sofa.
*Beep*
*Whirrrrr*
*Crunch, crunch*
Laplace's eyes are immediately glued to the screen as she shovels popcorn into her mouth.
*Bum, bum-ba-bum*
Grand music swells as a hero appears on the TV.
"Hahaha! The hero is here!"
"Let's go, fellow heroes!"
"Onwards!"
Onwards!
As the movie continues, Laplace occasionally interjects and repeats the lines as they come.
Wherever and whenever a villain shows up,
the hero is there to vanquish them,
always standing on the side of truth and justice.
"Evil, come forth!"
Evil, come forth!
No matter what torment you inflict on others,
so long as I still stand,
hope will never be extinguished!
Justice shall never be defeated!
Laplace's eyes sparkle with hope.
*Slump*
Truly.
I knew you'd feel the same way I do!
Um... by the way...
Would you mind shouting it for me one more time?
Like we did together
when we were up on the surface?
Let's go, Ultra Hero!
Let's go, Laplace the Hero!
Hehe, I'll never get tired of hearing you say that!
Just like I'll never get tired of these movies!
*Rustle*
Laplace adjusts her posture,
then looks at me with gleaming eyes.
Birdie,
whenever danger comes knocking,
give me a shout, just like in the movies!
So long as you call for me, I'll come anytime, anywhere.
For I'm not just an ordinary hero,
but an ultra hero!
I am the strongest Nikke there is, and I will protect you!
I will keep you safe and ensure your hope remains undiminished!
I look forward to it,
Hero.