Invention Fair

Nepgear stood smiling up at the large building before her. It was decorated with banners and posters, advertising the big event that thousands of people were flocking into the building for. It was finally time.

It was time for the annual invention fair, where inventors far and wide gathered to display the amazing things they had created to help make the lives of the residents of Gamindustri better, and possibly attract interested buyers.

Nepgear had already shipped the inventions she had built to show off today. She always tried her hardest in the weeks leading up the event, enough so that Histy got a little irritated about it. But, unlike with Neptune, she was doing things that could ultimately help everyone, so she let it slide.

Nepgear giggled. This event was almost as good as Christmas. Not only could she reveal possibly life-changing products, but also see the amazing things everyone else created.

With a bounce in her step, Nepgear entered the building, going open-mouthed immediately as she laid eyes upon the dozens of inventions already on display, ready to be introduced. Nepgear personally liked to keep her own inventions hidden until it was time to reveal them, to keep the suspense, but she had to admit, seeing all these made her want to know what they all did.

There was a machine that looked like the beginnings of an AI, a computer that seemed to help catch robbers, an idea for a new communications tower; so many things she wanted to know about.

Nepgear slapped her cheeks. There was time for that later. Right now, she needed to get to her display. She always requested an early slot so she could go and see as many other presentations as possible. Thankfully, the event lasted all day, all the way until midnight even. She couldn’t help but giggle again.

She quickly ran through the crowds, getting recognized by many people, many of whom told her there we’re excited to see what she had to show this year. Her inventions were often some of the largest gatherings, which made her proud.

Eventually, she made it to her display, a small stage with a curtain that hid her inventions. She walked through the curtain, and was happy to see they had all been delivered with care, all shiny and ready to show off to the crowd.

While she was waiting for her time to start, she went through and systematically checked every machine, just to make sure for the tenth time that everything was working fine, and they all seemed to be.

When she was finished, she nodded and, with a large smile, she walked back through the curtain to the stage, where people were already gathering.

However, just as Nepgear left, someone previously unseen crept out from the shadows. With a malicious grin, they pulled out a pulsing dark cube that seemed to radiate darkness. With a quiet laugh, they ran through the different inventions, touching them with the cube, causing the air around them to shift and bend in strange ways for a moment before correcting themselves, appearing as if nothing had happened. Once the mysterious figure had gotten every machine with the cube, they pocketed it and crept back into the shadows with a sinister grin.

Meanwhile, Nepgear felt butterflies in her stomach as her name was announced over the intercom, saying her presentation was about to start and where it was being held. Nepgear looked out at the excited crowd. She was filled with excitement as she waited for a few more minutes. Finally, the time came, and her presentation started. She took a deep breath.

It was time to start.