Juddy here, and I'm back.

Basically just wanted to drop this off to test an idea I had that wouldn't leave me alone.

If I ever flesh this out more, it won't be for a long while.

"Y'know, you didn't have to tag along, Kuro."

"Of course I did. I can't leave you on your own for too long."

Two girls walked through the deserted , desolate streets of Planeptune City, purple clouds looming overhead.

The shorter girl huffed at her friend's remark. "I'm not a kid!"

Kuro shot her a grin. "Really? Could've fooled me, 'cause you sure do act like one, Rin."

Nepurin, or Rin for short, just glared back. "Meanie."

"See? You're doing it right now."

Rin huffed again, crossing her arms. "I'm older than you, you know. I don't have to put up with this shit."

"Come on, Rin. I was only pokin' fun," Kuro laughed, shrugging. "You can dish it out, but you can't take it, huh?"

She'd never say this aloud, but she found this side of Rin oddly endearing.

If Rin ever found out, though, she'd never live it down.

And the True Goddess help her if Bianca and Verde egged her on...

Especially Bianca.

Kuro shuddered just thinking about it.

Sighing, she put a hand on Rin's shoulder. "Tell you what, if you're still mad at me, we can make pudding when we touch back at base, okay?"

It took a moment for Rin to respond. "I wasn't mad at you in the first place. I'm just... a bundle of nerves."

"You're worrying about what'll happen, aren't you?" Kuro asked.

Rin smiled sadly, her eyes obscured by her muted lavender hair.

Kuro spoke up, her suspicions confirmed.
"Well, I'm not gonna tell you not to worry, because that would be impossible. The best I can say is... with the five of us working together, we'll see our parents again soon."

This earned a giggle from Rin. "You're terrible at comforting people, but... somehow, that helped."

Kuro deadpanned. "I'm going to ignore that first part."

Rin smiled again, her mood ten times brighter.

"Thanks, Kuro."

Kuro glanced away. "D-don't get used to it."

Silence.

Then Rin burst out laughing. "What was that?!"

Kuro feigned ignorance. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Help! I'm being blinded by the tsundere liiight!" Rin yelled, mock-shielding her eyes.

Kuro heaved an annoyed sigh. For what it was worth, at least things were back to normal.

Just then, her Visual Radio buzzed to life.

"Kurosy! Rinsy! Do you copy?!"

Hearing the voice was enough to stop Rin's laughing fit."It's Uzi!"

"This is Kuro. What's the situation, Uzume?"

"It's show time! The giant has appeared again, not far from you guys!"

"Are you sure? I don't see anything-"

"Up there!" Rin cried, pointing to the sky.

Sure enough, a bolt of purple descended from the sky and crashed into a cluster of buildings not far away.
The purple energy then leaked out of the crater, giving rise to a giant version of a corrupted CPU.

Kuro looked on in shock. "Of all of the Dark Goddesses to appear this time, it had to be her..."

Rin, however, saw a chance.

A chance to set things right.

"Kuro, let's go," she said.

And without waiting for an answer, or even objections, she shot off down the road.

Kuro sighed again. "Rin, you troublemaker..."

And in short order, Kuro did the same.

Rin stood atop the destroyed Planeptower, as she had several times in the past, her red-and-black jacket flowing as well as it could in the wind.

She stood there and waited for the Dark Goddess to turn in her direction as it destroyed everything else.

Clutching a Share Crystal in her hand, she waited for her chance.

And it came.

The giant that Bianca had dubbed "Dark Purple" stood before her, its visor trained on her, as if it were watching for any sudden moves.

Rin sighed.

"Hi, Mom."

Then, she activated her Hard Drive Divinity, drawing on the power of the Crystal.

Dark Purple roared as Rin, or Indigo Heart as she was known in her Goddess form, brought her hand in front of her.

This time, I'll save you.

"Sharing Field, activate!"

And that's it.

Chapter 2 of The Chosen Four will be out shortly. I just need a bit more time.

See you then.