A/N: Just a quick warning, this chapter contains suicide topic, so if you are sensitive to that, you may not want to continue reading. You have been warned.
Neptune walks around the forest, searching, hoping.
"Where did he go?" She asks herself, looking around. How did this start…?
1 hour ago
The goddesses and Kaida are sitting around the table in Planeptune's basilicom, finishing off their lunch.
"So, tell me what happened, from the start," Noire says, glaring at Kaida.
Opening his mouth, he recounts the events of today.
"I believe they came in while we were sleeping, through the balcony door which is always unlocked, found Neptune asleep and, due to her being a deep sleeper, were able to carry her off. They dropped a hairclip outside, possibly from a stumble, and dropped another one closer to their base," he finishes.
"So why then? Why did you let it happen? The way the story goes, makes it sound like you know who they are. And if you know who they are, and can tell how it happened, THEN WHY DIDN'T YOU DO ANYTHING TO PREVENT IT!?" Noire screams at him, slamming her hands on the table.
Kaida looks up at her.
"I didn't know that they would kidnap anyone. Hell, I didn't know they would follow me," he says, without a shred of emotion in his voice.
Slamming her hands on the table again, even harder, Noire shouts, "LIAR! YOU KNEW WHAT WOULD HAPPEN AND YOU LET IT! YOU DESERVE TO DIE FOR ENDANGERING NEPTUNE LIKE YOU DID! LEAVE! LEAVE AND IF I EVER SEE YOUR FACE AGAIN, I WILL KILL YOU MYSELF!" Noire's voice is crackling as tears start to well up in her eyes.
"…ok then. I will leave now," he says, turning towards the balcony door.
"Ka-yo, you don't have to leave!" Neptune says, worry in her voice.
"'K', where are you going?" Blanc asks, getting up herself.
"…goodbye," is all he says before jumping off the balcony edge.
"KA-YO!" Neptune shouts, changing to her HDD form and flying off after him.
"Noire, what was with that?" Vert says, placing her cup of tea down.
"Yeah, I have never seen you act like that before," Blanc agrees.
"I-I just- I… I don't know. It's just, when I heard that Neptune was in danger, I got angry. And when I thought that it was because of Kaida…I just exploded," Noire says, slumping back in her chair.
"Neptune has gone off to find Kaida, so I guess it's up to us to discover what the problem is. But I think I already know what it is," Vert says, taking a sip of her tea.
"Yeah, me too." Blanc nodded.
""Noire, are you in love with Neptune?"" they both ask simultaneously.
(Present, In the Forest)
"How deep could he have gone!?" exclaims Neptune, still in her HDD form.
"Seriously, it isn't safe this deep in the forest." She sighs, treading deeper and deeper into the forest.
Suddenly, she hears a sound. It sounds like a taunt rope, or an old rope swing, swaying in the wind. There shouldn't be anyone else in the forest. Found him, she thinks, taking flight and rushing towards where she heard the sound.
Suddenly, she sees a black figure, hanging by the neck from a tree. She feels paralyzed, unable to move or comprehend what is happening in front of her.
"K-Ka-yo…?"
(Basilicom)
"Noire, do you have feelings for Neptune?" Blanc asks slowly, almost as if talking to someone who doesn't speak English.
"M-me, feelings for Neptune? You're crazy," Noire says, her face turning crimson.
"I beg to differ. You exploded because something happened to Neptune, correct? You said so yourself. You also seem to have been more complacent with Neptune's mishaps over the past few months," Vert says calmly.
Having Vert relentlessly point out all the truths, Noire's façade crumbles.
"Alright, fine. I do have feelings for Neptune, you happy!?" she says, face turning an ever darker shade of crimson, if that was even possible at this point.
"Yes, very. For now long, may I ask?" Vert asks, smiling with closed eyes.
"I-I don't know. A while now, at least," Noire replies, standing up and moving over to the couch.
"And you haven't said anything? Seems like a stupid move," Blanc says.
"W-well, how should I tell Neptune of all people, that I like her? You all know how Neptune is," she says, defeated.
Vert looks at her, taking a sip of her tea, before saying, "I think it's because it's Neptune that it should be easy to confess. Because as you said, it is Neptune. I say, when you feel the time is right, you just tell her."
"I agree. As much of a pain as it will be in the long run, I do think that you two should be together. Just don't screw this up, you hear me?" Blanc warns.
"*sigh*, fine." Noire gives in.
"Good. Oh, it looks like Neptune is back," Vert says, looking out the balcony.
"Finally. It took her long enough," Blanc says, blissfully unaware of what, or who, Neptune is carrying.
(In the forest, before her return.)
T-there's no way. He couldn't have. He's only been here for a day, what could have - Noire's explosion. Something must have happened in his past, that made him react like he did. Dammit all!
Getting up, Neptune grabs her sword and cuts the rope, Kaida's lifeless body falling to the dirt. Bending down, Neptune holds her head to his chest, listening for a heartbeat. She sits there, waiting. Waiting. Waiting.
*bumbum*
Heartbeat, it was soft, but it was there! He's still alive! she exclaims in her head, joyful. All her joy is dashed however, as she remembers how deep she in into the forest.
"With how soft it is, there is no doubt that he is close to death. I need to get him back to Planeptune, and fast," she said to herself, before picking him up in her arms and taking flight, heading back to her Basilicom.
Neptune flies fast. So the tears are ripped from her eyes before they even have a chance to fall. So fast she almost drops Kaida many times. So fast that the world is nothing but a colourful blur. But she doesn't care. She doesn't care when her eyes feel like sandpaper is being rubbed against them. She doesn't care when she would fall from exhaustion. She doesn't care when her throat feels like it is being scraped out piece by piece. No, all she cares about is getting Kaida back to the basilicom before anything even worse happens.
For what feels like hours, Neptune flies, until finally, the tall purple building that shines like a beacon in the night, came into sight. Last stretch, she thinks, the balcony coming into view.
As she near, she sees a green, black and white figure appear from the door. Closer and closer she flies, slowing down so as to not crash as she lands. As she gets close enough to see the faces of her fellow Goddesses, she sees the horror on their faces as they notice Kaida, unconscious in her arms. Especially the face of Noire.
She lands, immediately walking into the basilicom without changing back. If I'm in this form, I will be able to concentrate better, is her thought process.
"Call Compa, tell her it's an emergency and that she needs to get here as fast as she can. Nepgear, get a bucket of water and a cloth, bring it into my room," Neptune orders.
"Neptune, what happened?" Vert asks, worried.
"I'll let you later. For now, I've got to put him in bed," she says before turning off towards her room.
Walking in, Neptune calmly places Kaida onto her bed. His coat is still on. I should take it off before I cover him, she thinks. Reaching down, she sees the straps that tie the coat together. After unbuckling a few straps, and getting his arms out of the sleeves, she eases the coat out from underneath him. Folding up the coat and placing it on the table next to the bed, she goes to cover him with the sheets, until she notices something under his shirt.
Is that… a bandage? she asks herself.
Moving his shirt up, she see his entire torso, covered in bandages. Deciding she would ask after the whole situation is dealt with, she moves his shirt back down and covers him in the blanket, just in time before the door opens. Nepgear walks in, with the bucket of water and cloth. She dips the cloth in the water, wringing it out inside the bucket before folding it and placing it on Kaida's head.
"Is water going to help with this situation?" Nepgear asks, worried.
"I don't know Nepear, but it's better than doing nothing," Neptune replies, finally changing back to her human form before leading Nepgear out and back to the lounge room, where the Goddesses are waiting.
"Neptune, what happened?" Vert asks, her voice serious.
"I found Ka-yo, hanging from a tree deep in the forest," Neptune replies, sadness flooding her voice as she moves towards the couch.
"I would ask why, but that is something for him to tell us." Vert turns to Noire, "You aren't to blame Noire. It was a sudden thing, but I feel like there must be something else behind it."
"Well, we won't know until he wakes up. Mind if we crash here until then?" Blanc asks.
"Sure. Do… do any of you want to play a game?" Neptune asks hesitantly.
"Sure, it will take out minds off the past," Vert agreed.
Blanc nods in response.
"Noire?" Neptune asks.
"Uhh… sure." She relented.
Neptune boots up the console, all the while thinking, I hope ka-yo wakes up soon.
A/N: So that was a thing. This chapter, and chapter 2, and (as of now) the first chapter for my other story, were edited by my mother. (She's an editor and writer)
Anyway, hope you enjoyed.