Nephtim (Half Anniversary)/Stories
Nephtim is asked to perform in the official celebrations for the Kaleidoscope's 50th anniversary. A crew of fashion-minded friends help her choose an outfit. She gets excited about the prospect and decides that she wants to be a star.
Nephtim: Nephtim is to... participate in a ceremony?
PR Guy: That's right! This will be a huge event to celebrate 50 years of the Kaleidoscope!
PR Guy: We'd love to have you feature front and center in the opening ceremony, Miss Nephtim!
Nephtim: Is this a recruiting attempt?
Light: Now hold on a minute! I had heard that there would be some sort of elaborate ceremony from Lilie...
Light: But why exactly do you need Nephtim?
PR Guy: Because I've heard all the rumors! That she's actually an outstanding street performer! We heard it all from this little girl.
Nephtim: Affirmative. Nephtim is hella lit.
Alk: Oh right, your performances. You're still doing that, Nephtim?
PR Guy: How about it? You'll of course be compensated for your appearance!
PR Guy: Come on, all of Palpebra will be watching! Don't you want to be a STAR, kid?
Nephtim: Nephtim will be a STAR.
Light: Oh dear. You sound determined. Are we really sure this is a good idea?
Pur Lilie: The guild is overseeing the whole ceremony, so we'll be able to support her! There's no need to worry!
Pur Lilie: Can you believe it? Those stingy higher-ups actually gave us a proper budget this time! We can even afford COSTUMES!
Nephtim: Nephtim will need to change her attire?
Pur Lilie: Oh yes—we'll be dolling you up! This is a special occasion, after all!
Stella: Dolling up... That sounds difficult.
Stella: Let's summon the expert panel.
Amelia: No no no! You can't wear something like THAT. Light has the fashion sense of a geriatric.
Amelia: Ohh you have such amazing legs! You NEED to show those legs to the world, Nef-nef! I wish I had legs...
Nephtim: Nephtim will show her legs to the world.
Inaho: Yes, a MOST excellent idea! Plus, this costume gives you a tactical advantage!
Inaho: Hehe... You're going to knock everyone off their feet without lifting a finger! Slay, queen, SLAY! If you would like tips on how to—
Alk: OKAY, time for Inaho to leave!
Inaho: Wh-why?!
Nephtim: Nephtim will... slay.
Alk: You can just go ahead and forget that part, okay?
Stella: Challua, what do you think?
Challua: Hmm... humans don't wear dirt or leaves, right? I forget. What about flowers?
Challua: I think a flower would suit you, Nephtim! Oh... but what if it wilts?
Nephtim: Then, I wish to become more like Dia.
Dia: L-like me? What?
Albert: I see. Mayhap she's referring to Dia's skirt. It does resemble a flower of white hue.
Nephtim: Affirmative. Dia looks beautiful in white.
Dia: T-thank you! But I can't hold a candle to you, Nephtim. You're gorgeous!
Amelia: Ladies! Get a room, why don't you! Flirting up a typhoon today, huh? Hehe.
Inaho: Are YOU really one to lecture about flirting, Amelia?!
Alk: I think we've got a general idea of what kind of outfit we're looking at here.
Stella: Yes, let us proceed to the dressing room.
Albert: Right this way, Lady Nephtim.
Nephtim: Wardrobe alteration completed.
Amelia: Oh my gosh, you look AMAZING! That is THE cutest outfit ever.
Inaho: Indeed! To be honest, I find myself ever so slightly jealous...
Challua: Nephtim, you look just like a flower!
Dia: Yes, this is perfect! So cute! It's settled then, we're going with this one, right Stella?
Dia: Stella?
Stella: Cute. Super cute. Very cute.
Alk: Oh no, her vocabulary is deteriorating fast!
Light: Ah, how quickly they grow up right before your very eyes...
Nimbus: You really do come off like a geezer sometimes, you know that?
Nephtim: Apparel selection process complete. Results favorable.
Nephtim: Nephtim will now become a STAR.
Amelia: You go girl, get on that stage!
Nephtim: Nephtim will become famous and flex on the haters.
Nephtim: Please like and subscribe.
Nephtim features in the ceremony as a flower-bearer and decides to take the opportunity to showcase not only her street performance, but her rhyming too. The audience loves her performance and she gets an offer to become a full-time performer. One step closer to her dream of becoming a star, she accepts.
Nephtim: Anxiety levels... rising.
Nimbus: Get used to it, kid. That's showbiz. There he is! About time.
Albert: Preparations are all in order, I take it? I hope I didn't make you wait.
Nimbus: Nah, it's all good. If anythin', I feel bad for bringin' you out here again. I'm sure you've got better things to be doin' with your time.
Albert: Don't be silly. Escorting a lady is one of the highest honors appointed to a knight. I'm more than glad to attend her.
Albert: Let us be on our way, Lady Nephtim.
Nephtim: Nephtim will attend the ceremony. To celebrate everyone's achievements.
Alk: Whaddya mean she doesn't have to do anything?!
PR Guy: I'm terribly sorry, sir!
Pur Lilie: We just got word from the higher-ups... There was a sudden change of plans—they only need her to act as a flower-bearer.
Pur Lilie: I'm so sorry... If you'd rather just go home, I'll tell them something came up and that you couldn't make it.
PR Guy: But, we don't have an understudy prepared! That would greatly disrupt our plans!
Albert: Then perhaps you shouldn't have so carelessly broken your promise!
Nephtim: Situation analysis complete.
Nephtim: Nephtim will do it. There is no cause for concern.
Alk: Nephtim, are you sure?
Nephtim: Challua, could you assemble the bouquet?
Challua: Of course, leave it to me!
Nephtim: Additional request for Dia also identified.
Dia: Me?!
MC: ...And that riveting speech was from Mr. Bling, CEO and owner of... Bling Corp! A round of applause, everyone!
MC: Coming up next we have the conferral of the bouquet! Please give the warmest of hands to our adventurer representative for the day...
Alk: You know, I kind of expected a bit more from this ceremony, given how many people they invited. It's been nothing but talking...
Albert: If they had a slightly less verbose host, there wouldn't have been any need to cut Nephtim's part... How vexing.
Alk: What's with the grin on your face?
Nimbus: Heh. Just watch. She's got somethin' up her sleeve.
Mr. Bling: What's the matter? Hand over the bouquet already!
Nephtim: Take these flowers as a parting gift Because from here on out, gears will shift!
Mr. Bling: What?!
Nephtim: Activating Alter Device and sound unit.
Mr. Bling: What's going on? She's levitating?
Nephtim: Atum Ka Fever!
Light: What on earth is she doing?!
Alk: I can't believe she actually went through with it!
Stella: She's incredible.
Mr. Bling: C-come down from there at once! That's terribly dangerous!
Nephtim: Nephtim has a query for you adventurers: Are you tired of the cage That they've made of our stage?
Nephtim: Don't worry—Nephtim's here to bring about... The entertainment age!
Amelia: Ohh, Nef-nef is spittin' fire!
Challua: You tell them, Nephtim!
Inaho: Yes! Truly a one-of-a-kind talent! We cannot simply sit idly by—Awa, Hie, Mugi, to the stage!
Dia: I'll provide the vocals!
Nephtim: Nephtim has... become a STAR.
Pur Lilie: That went SO unbelievably well!
Pur Lilie: I mean, it was a huge mess, sure, but the adventurers LOVED it!
Light: If you say so... Were people really okay with all that... chaos?
Pur Lilie: Yep! Well. I'm sure some organizers were ticked off—but I'll be taking the brunt of that!
PR Guy: Forget about that—we need to talk about Nephtim!
PR Guy: She's become an overnight success because of this! We've been flooded with questions about her—who's that girl? Where did she come from?
Nephtim: Are you for real, bro?
PR Guy: W-what? Yes, of course I am. So what do you think? If we could get you to start doing this full-time—
Light: Absolutely not.
Light: I don't think it's ideal to get Nephtim mixed up in these strange escapades any further! I can't imagine any of this will be good for her development.
Stella: Light, look. This is something that Nephtim bought with the money she made yesterday.
Stella: She purchased us all presents. This one is for you—your very own brush!
Light: A brush? H-how... how did you know I...
Light: You really are more shrewd than I gave you credit for...
Nephtim: Hehe. Nephtim sees all.
Nimbus: This ain't good. She's starting to get dangerously cunning.
PR Guy: Well? What's your answer?
Nephtim: Nephtim consents. Nephtim will once again... be a STAR!
Nephtim: Yay.
Nephtim's sudden rise in popularity is taking a toll on her—she isn't sleeping and is tired. Her friends counsel her on what to do. Alk assumes the role of her manager and reduces her performances to improve her work-life balance. Before going on her semi-hiatus, Nephtim showcases her skills to a certain little girl.
Nephtim: *zzzzz*
PR Guy: Miss Nephtim! Please, wake up!
PR Guy: We're already very late, we need to leave as SOON as possible!
Nephtim: Sleep debt not yet repaid. Continuing sleep cycle.
PR Guy: WAKE UP!
Nephtim: Nephtim experiencing chronic sleep deprivation. This is totally NOT lit.
Amelia: Nef-nef, be careful! Lack of sleep is like REALLY bad for your skin, you have to watch out!
Alk: So what happened? Were you late?
Nephtim: We employed the Alter Device and flew to our destination.
Alk: We? You took the PR guy with you?!
Nephtim: He cried the whole time.
Alk: Poor guy... But what about you, Nephtim? Are you okay? You look like you're having a hard time.
Nephtim: Operating status satisfactory... Intermittent periods of loneliness notwithstanding.
Inaho: The life of a solo performer is a lonely one, or so I have heard!
Inaho: I just had a great idea—why not form a GROUP with us? With our combined charm, fans will flock to us in DROVES!
Amelia: Naho! That's a GREAT idea! I'll need a nice outfit as well—one without feet, of course.
Nephtim: Proposal sounds... highly enjoyable.
PR Guy: Miss Nephtim! Oh, here you are!
PR Guy: Your next gig is starting any moment, we have to HURRY! The gig after THAT is also lined up, after all!
Nephtim: Mr. Manager, Nephtim will be forming a group.
PR Guy: A group? No no no, we've already got so many venues lined up, we can't change things last minute! Come on, we're going!
Stella: I am somewhat concerned about this, Alk.
Alk: Hmm... we should get some other people's opinions on this, just to be safe.
Dia: I see... This must be a very busy time for you.
Dia: But personally, I think it would be okay for you to quit!
Nephtim: Dia's remarks are very alarming! Nephtim does not know what to do...
Dia: What, why?
Nephtim: Nephtim has a responsibility to her fans. Quitting at this juncture would be... uncool.
Dia: Hmm, that may be true, but I don't know if that's the most important thing right now!
Dia: You need to ask yourself if this is really what you want to do, or if you've just resigned yourself to going through the motions.
Stella: There's no need to continue if your heart isn't into it.
Nephtim: My heart...
Nephtim: Nephtim wishes to spend more time with her friends.
Dia: Sounds to me like you're conflicted. You want to stop, but you also want to see where things go?
Nephtim: Nephtim is selfish.
Dia: Sometimes it's okay to be a bit selfish! It's YOUR life, after all!
Dia: But, there's no need to do it alone. You can ask others for help!
Alk: That's right. I think it's just a matter of improving your work-life balance! Sounds like we'll need to go over a few managerial matters.
Dia: Wow, Alk, you sounded like Regis a bit there!
Alk: All we need to do is make a few adjustments—leave it to me.
Mr. Producer: ...So Nephtim will be placing a higher priority on her studies and adventuring from now on. This will necessitate a reduction in performances, of course.
Mr. Producer: She'll be performing only in a limited capacity from now on—I'd like to ask everyone to respect her privacy.
Mr. Producer: Okay, let's open the floor up to questions. No, as I just said, we're not revealing any personal information whatsoever.
Light: I'm not sure I can get used to Alk acting like that...
Stella: He looks like he's enjoying himself.
Light: Regardless, he's doing a commendable job. This way, Nephtim won't be so overworked all the time.
Light: Speaking of her... where is she?
Stella: She's with Nimbus. She said there was someone she wanted to see before she cut back on performances.
Light: Oh...?
Nephtim: Commencing performance!
Girl: *clap-clap-clap*
Nephtim: Let's play again!