WARNING!: The following is a fanfiction based on the Nikke: Goddess Of Victory universe; as such I do not own these characters & this is not an official story. This part is SFW.

Caught In Another World: A Nikke Parallel Universe Story

Halo Zero: Genesis

It was just a stroke before midnight when Rapunzel made her way through the empty streets of the Outpost and entered the church, with a pained expression fixed upon her face. As she made her usual beeline towards the confessional booth, the beautifully glowing altar caught her eye and she paused. Since it was so late in the evening, and the church was entirely devoid of any other souls besides herself, she decided to confess directly before the shrine this time around.

"Please, forgive me, dear Lord, for I have sinned most grievously," she whispered as she knelt before the altar and folded her hands in prayer. A thousand thoughts swirled in her head, and she didn't know where to begin. To her dismay, hot tears suddenly spilled from her eyes and flowed down her angelic, rosy cheeks.

"Why... why does my heart cry feelings I can't fight?"

After a moment of silence, Rapunzel sniffed and wiped her tears away, continuing with her prayer: "I met with Believer tonight, and I... actually tried my hardest to seduce him this time. But he wasn't interested in me at all! I don't understand... is something wrong with me? Every time I see him, obscene thoughts fill my mind, and I cannot help myself... All I want is to... and for him to...!! Yet, alas," she sighed sadly, "This impure mind of mine must be tamed, if I don't want to lose him completely. It seems the gates to that paradise will forever remain closed to me... so please, Lord, save me from being consumed by these wicked temptations any further!!"

After she finished praying, Rapunzel stood and turned to leave— only to freeze in her tracks upon realizing that she was not alone in the church after all. To her surprise a solitary figure seated quietly in the shadows rose to their feet and started walking towards her, causing her heartbeat to thump uncontrollably in her chest. It was a man dressed in military uniform, tall, dark-haired and handsome, whose eyes never left her and seemed to exude a strange familiarity she could not place.

"I-I'm sorry," she stammered as he stopped immediately in front of her, staring into her soul from a pair of steely blue eyes, "I'm finished with my confession now. Hopefully you didn't have to hear any of it...?"

"I listened to every word," he replied stoically, his gaze upon her unwavering in its intensity. Rapunzel blushed uncomfortably and tightened her grip on her staff as her mind raced. Oh no! He heard everything?! Am I in trouble? Is he here to punish me for my obscene thoughts? But... it's not my fault! Oh, why didn't I just go into the confessional like I always do?!

The sound of his voice ripped her away from the threshold of an anxious meltdown. "I am not here to judge you, Rapunzel. So you can relax. I came because I heard rumor of a Pilgrim sighting here at the Outpost."

"Huh...? But... how did you know my name? Have we met before...?"

"You really do not recognize me, do you?... My name is Andersen, Deputy Chief of the Central Government Command. It has been a very long time, but... I was once your Legendary Commander."

A dawning of recognition flashed across Rapunzel's face as she suddenly realized why his visage was so strangely familiar to her. "...It's you! It really is you!" she cried joyfully as she jumped forth to embrace him. "I've been searching for you for so long! I thought for certain you had already passed away... I always wanted to give you your last rites, but I could never find any trace of you whatsoever! I'm so happy you're alive!!"

"I have never stopped searching for you, either," he replied as he warmly hugged her in return. "It was never my wish for you all to live upon the surface alone..."

"Oh, it... isn't as bad as it seems, I suppose," she responded sheepishly, "Although it does get rather lonely up there sometimes..."

"Is that why you were visiting your new commander so late at night?" Andersen probed with a smirk.

"N-no! W-well... yes, perhaps just a little... Believer is a very, um... good man, you see..."

"I see you're still struggling with your lustful thoughts, even after all this time. Why not give into them? It could be exactly what you need."

"Ahh! But— I cannot!"

"Didn't I hear you say that you just tried your hardest to seduce a man?"

"O-oh!! I... do suppose you're right about that. But I failed. The only man I've ever felt comfortable expressing that part of myself to... doesn't want anything to do with me." Rapunzel's entire demeanor drooped sadly as she spoke her last sentence looking at the floor.

"There are other fish in the sea, you know. That moron doesn't have the slightest idea what he's rejecting. You might as well spend your time dreaming about a real man if you're going to entertain such thoughts."

"There aren't many men up on the surface, and certainly none that are like him."

"I can tell you're struggling with a case of unrequited love, but Rapunzel..." As Andersen trailed off he placed his fingers under her chin and pulled her face upwards, forcing her to meet his gaze. "I am a good man standing right in front of you. It may have been long ago, but I have fought beside you on the battlefield and listened to your concerns in the past. Will you not grant me the same consideration as you've granted him?"

A light seemed to dawn in Rapunzel's eyes as she listened. "My... consideration? When you put it like that, then... Would you really...?"

"Everything you have dreamed of with him could be us instead. And more."

"Oh—oh my!! That would be amazing! Ahh— I mean, I-I-I'll have to contemplate it! We do live in opposite worlds, after all. A midway rendezvous point may be hard to find..."

"We can start here, tonight."

"Wh-what? You mean HERE?"

"Yes."

"NOW?"

"Yes."

"In the middle of a CHURCH?!"

"YES."

"Have you gone mad?! That's sacrilege!"

"No, it isn't. It's the most perfect worship known to mankind. Long ago, entire temples were built for this kind of devotion. No God worth their salt would ever place such urges in our hearts only to turn around and condemn them. So, Rapunzel, what do you say?" He extended his hand to her and held it in midair. "We can follow our desires and enter the gates of paradise together, or... you can cry your eyes out pining for a man who does not reciprocate your feelings. I leave the choice to you."

Rapunzel tentatively stared at Andersen's outstretched hand for several moments as she visibly deliberated upon his proposal. "I... I choose... you!" she said under her breath as she placed her hand in his. To her great surprise, the moment their palms fully touched he pulled her close to him and kissed her deeply before she even had a chance to resist. It was the first time she had ever been kissed by a man, and it was every bit as lovely as the kisses she had hitherto only dreamed of.

"Tonight, you belong to me," he told her earnestly, "the Devil can come for us tomorrow. But for now, we need to get you out of these clothes..."

Andersen... you have no idea how much this means to me! ♥