"Neptune, are you alright?" Histoire asked as Neptune collapsed on her hands and knees, her human form shivering. A pool of tears formed under her.

"Nepgear…!" Neptune cried, slamming her fist on the Basilicom's floor, "My sister… Why…"

"What happened?" Histoire looked at the Lowee Candidate, her eyes were also red and puffy.

"Nepgear… She… That dummy jumped in front of Rom's attack." Ram said.

"Nep… Gear is…" Histoire looked in shock at Neptune, "I'm sorry, Neptune…" Histoire held back tears, placing a hand on the crying CPU's back.

"I'm a terrible sister…" Neptune muttered, she started to giggle before it turned into a hysterical laugh, "I'm such an idiot. Nepgear deserved better. I'm such a good-for-nothing, lazy idiot… I should've… I should've…" Neptune started to cry even harder.

"Ram, could you watch Neptune?" Histoire said, turning to the Candidate.

Ram nodded, sitting next to the broken CPU. She patted her on the back, trying to console Neptune.

Histoire floated inside. She proceeded to turn on Neptune's computer and called Noire. She answered almost instantly, "Neptune. What are you- Histoire?"

Histoire looked at the Lastation CPU for a few seconds. She was safe at least, "Good afternoon, Noire."

"It's unusual to get a call from you, Histoire." Noire replied, she typed while talking. She was probably multitasking, "What's the occasion? What has Neptune done now?"

"Noire, can I ask that you and Uni come to Planeptune immediately? This is an emergency." Histoire replied with a worried expression.

Noire stopped to look at her camera, she noticed Histoire's expression, "I will be there. You better explain."

"I will, don't worry." Histoire said, ending the call.

"Uni!" Noire called out, standing up from her desk.

"Yes, Noire?" Uni peeked her head from her room's door, "What do you need me for?"

"We're going to Planeptune. Right now." Noire said urgently, "Something happened."

"Did something happen to Nepgear?" Uni asked, walking next to Noire.

She opened the window before looking at her sister, "I don't know. Histoire didn't give many details."

They transformed and flew in silence, stealing glances at the dark clouds swirling over Lowee. Noire's eyebrows furrowed as she kept looking in that direction. She knew something was wrong with those clouds, but she couldn't think what it was.

Noire and Uni landed in the Basilicom's terrace. They transformed back into their human forms before walking in.

Noire and Uni entered into a scene out of a movie, Ram was sleeping in the couch while Neptune sat next to a fireplace with a blanket over her. She periodically sipped from her mug.

Since when do they own a fireplace? Noire thought, before shaking the thought out of her head.

She noticed Histoire at Neptune's side. Neptune's eyes were red, puffy and unfocused. She seemed to be a million miles away.

Noire walked next to Neptune, trying to catch her attention while Uni sat in the couch in the small space unoccupied by Ram.

"Noire." Histoire greeted, she tried to smile, "You've arrived quickly."

"Of course. It's rare enough to receive a call from you." Noire glanced at Neptune, "What's up with Neptune?"

"Neptune…" Histoire tried to say.

"I'm just contemplating my uselessness as a CPU and older sister…" She replied gloomily, taking another sip from her mug.

"That doesn't sound like Neptune." Noire said, a hand on Neptune's chair, "Like, at all. What happened?"

"Neptune and Nepgear… They went to Lowee." Histoire said, looking at Ram, "Which according to Ram had been taken over by Rom."

"Rom?" Noire muttered incredulously, "That can't be. She's too sweet to steal Lowee from Blanc, and Blanc's too strong for her as well."

"It happened, somehow." Histoire replied, "While investigating, they were ambushed by Rom. They tried to reason with her, but sadly… Nepgear… Was killed."

"No…" Uni muttered, standing up suddenly, "Nepgear… Died?"

Histoire nodded sadly, "She… Was killed by Rom. Neptune and Ram were the only survivors from that encounter."

Uni collapsed on the couch, a heavy thud as she hit the cushion. Ram woke up from her sleep, she wiped away her eyes, staring at Uni.

Uni put her hands to her face, silently sobbing.

That idiot Nepgear… Why did she have to die? And Rom? Why did she kill Nepgear? Didn't she respect her? They were friends weren't they? How could Rom… Even just Nepgear?

Ram slowly moved closer to Uni, giving her a hug. Uni looked up in surprise, her thoughts clearing up. She looked at the Lowee Candidate before hugging her back, they wept silently.

"This is serious, isn't it?" Noire said, looking at Histoire.

"It is indeed quite serious." Histoire affirmed, glancing at the crying Candidates, "Ram has also informed us that Rom is attempting to cover Gamindustri in snow. That snow storm is her doing."

"That couldn't be." Noire tried to laugh, "Rom, doing all this? It has to be a prank."

Neptune looked at Noire, her eyes filled with silent anger. She looked at her for a long time, her eyes telling Noire everything. Whatever this was, it wasn't a prank. Neptune was genuinely upset, and that was something Noire hadn't seen in a long time, perhaps ever. Neptune went back to looking at the fire crackle, sipping her mug.

Noire remained silent for a short while, trying to understand Neptune's look. It had left that much of an impression on her, "Have you told Vert?" Noire finally asked, "She needs to know as well."

"She's not answering the calls." Histoire replied, "I fear that she's busy playing Video Games again." She sighed.

"I'll go check on her." Noire replied, walking away from the grieving CPU. She stood over Uni, looking as her sister embraced Ram for comfort, "Uni. You think you can go with me?"

"I… Yeah, I'm fine." Uni wiped away the tears, standing up and leaving Ram on the couch. She looked at her and stroked her hair, "Thank you, Ram. I'll be back soon." She smiled at her fellow candidate.

Ram nodded, "Good luck, Uni."

Noire and Uni walked outside in silence, Uni's expression dropping as she left. They transformed and flew in silence for a while, her mind drifting off to Nepgear…

"Uni." Noire said, noticing her sister's mood, "I know it's hard to accept Nepgear's death and how it must be affecting you, but you're strong. You must keep moving forward."

"I know, Noire…" Uni replied, wiping the tears that were forming, "I'm just not used to having friends die on me."

"We should focus, we're near Leanbox." Noire said, pointing at the green Basilicom in the distance.

They landed in the small terrace, they pushed open the door, looking at the complete mess of a room. Manga covered the floor, some of them opened in inappropriate pages, figurines and collector's items littered the floor. Vert's multi-screen PC was in the back, displaying the login screen for '4 Goddesses Online'.

"Vert's not here." Noire noted, moving through the mess of a room. She neared the PC, looking at the notifications in the corner. All unread messages from Neptune's chat, probably Histoire.

Noire clicked through a few folders in the PC, finding its last use. Five hours ago. Vert hadn't been here for five hours. Did something happen?

"Noire. Look." Uni said, handing Noire a letter written in blue crayon. It was addressed to Vert,

'Miss Vert. It's Rom. Would you like to come play Maryo Party with us in Lowee? We need a player four…"

Noire deciphered from the messy writing, handing the letter back to Uni, "She went to Lowee and never came back."

"You can't possibly mean that…" Uni looked in horror at the letter she held.

Noire nodded grimly, "Vert could possibly be dead already."

Uni dropped the letter in disgust, she summoned her gun and shot at it multiple times, leaving a hole in the ground. The letter thoroughly destroyed, "Dammit! Rom… When I see you next…!"

"Uni! Control yourself. You're better than letting your emotions control you." Noire tried to calm her sister down, she put an arm around her, "I know you are upset over Nepgear's and Vert's deaths, but we must keep moving forwards. They would've wanted that."

Uni hugged her sister, tears streaming down, "I miss them, Noire. I miss Nepgear. I miss Vert. They shouldn't have died, they couldn't have died." She said, shaking her head, "Rom… Why would she do this?! Kill our friends?! Her own sister as well?!"

"Uni…" Noire stroked her hair, "Let's do our best for our fallen friends. Let's stop Rom and whatever she's doing."

Uni nodded, "This is what you'd have wanted, right Nepgear?" She thought.

"Let's go, Uni." Noire said, walking towards the exit, "Histoire must be getting worried."

"Right." She said, running after her sister.

They traveled in silence, managing to get half way through the ocean separating Leanbox and the main continent before being stopped. Floating in front of them were Rom and Blanc. Their expressions cold and harsh.

"Noire. Uni." Rom said, looking at the Lastation CPUs, her staff ready, "You went to check on Vert?"

"You…!" Uni clenched her teeth, forcing herself not to shoot Rom.

"Vert is in Lowee at the moment." Blanc said nonchalantly, "She makes a great decoration."

"You… Made her a decoration?!" Noire exclaimed angrily, a white light surrounding her as she transformed into Next Black, "Are we just that?! Decor for you?!"

"Noire…" Uni muttered.

"No, Uni. This became personal now. Treating us like furniture that you just go and collect…" Noire clenched her teeth, staring angrily at the Lowee CPUs.

"Noire…!" Uni said urgently, "Don't let your emotions get the better of you."

"I won't." Noire replied, looking at her sister. She smiled, "Keep Rom occupied. I'll deal with Blanc."

"Deal with me?" Blanc smirked, "Quite confident, aren't we Noire?"

Noire didn't reply, she flew at Blanc. She swung her sword, Blanc blocking it with her axe. The two CPUs looked at each other. Blanc could tell that Noire was pissed off, her eyes had this fire behind them. That only made her smile more.

Uni sent round after round towards Rom, who blocked each of them with ice magic. Rom's eyes widen as a bullet went past her face, her smile fading. She didn't expect Uni to find it in her to try to kill her. But, she should've thought about it. She must've heard about Nepgear… What a fool.

"Stay still Rom!" Uni shouted, firing another bullet directly at her head. Rom ducked under, firing an ice beam at Uni. She moved out of the way, firing another bullet.

"So determined..." Rom muttered, creating a wall of ice to protect herself.

"That won't help you! XMB: Empress!" Uni shouted, shooting a laser towards Rom.

Rom's shield started to crack under Uni's laser, her expression becoming more worried by the second. The shield cracked just as the laser died down, Rom did not go unharmed however. Uni's attack managed to graze Rom's face, leaving a slight burnt mark on her face.

Rom screamed in pain, which then turned to anger. She faced Uni, looking at her harshly. Uni returned a sneering glare, "Die!" She screamed, firing another round of bullets toward Rom.

Rom couldn't help but smirk. She flew under the bullets, circling Uni. She fired a beam of ice from each direction, Uni having a hard time dodging each of them. Her confidence dropping. Could she really kill Rom?

No.

No.

No.

It wasn't a matter of whether she could or not. She had to kill Rom. She had to avenge Nepgear. She couldn't be defeated here.

Uni caught a glimpse of Noire and Blanc fighting in the distance, not giving each other any room for error. She had never seen her sister fight like this before.

"This must be what it was like during the Console Wars..." Uni muttered… Her thoughts breaking as another attack from Rom hit their mark. Her fingertips felt cold, frost spreading through them, "I can match this!" Uni thought fiercely, the frost stopped spreading. She turned towards Rom. She flew at her, using her gun as a bat to hit Rom.

Rom screamed in pain as the gun's barrel hit her in the face, sending her down. She stopped herself before hitting the ocean below them. Rom looked up, staring up at Uni's gun pointed directly at her face. She couldn't get out of this one. This was it…

"Die, Bitch!" Uni screamed at the top of her lungs, pressing the trigger on her gu… "Huh? Where did my gun go?" Uni's grip on her gun lessened, she looked feebly at her gun. She tried to move her arms, "I can't… feel my arms…?"

Uni looked in disbelief as Blanc passed by her. A sharp pain in her abdomen. She stared at the axe halfway through her, blood coming out of her wound. Uni coughed, life draining from her eyes.

"No..." Uni muttered, falling towards the sea, "I'm sorry… Nepgear… Noire… Please… for...give… m...e..." Uni saw Blanc grab her and smile wryly at her as her consciousness faded.

"That's what you get for messing with my sister." Blanc said as life faded from Uni's body. Uni's grasp on her gun failing.

"Uni… No…!" Noire looked at Blanc holding her sister, Uni's hands dropping to her side. A few tears falling into the sea below. Noire flew as fast as she could, passing below Blanc and avoiding Rom. She picked up Uni's gun before it disappeared. She sent her own share energy into it, managing to keep it stable.

Blanc smirked, holding Uni by her neck, "Poor Noire. Lost something?" She mocked.

Noire looked angrily at their direction, before fleeing towards Planeptune. She wanted to kill Blanc. She wanted to more than anything… but her instincts told her to flee. She couldn't possibly beat both Blanc and Rom at the same time. "If only I had noticed sooner! That her attack wasn't for me… but for Uni! If only… I paid attention… Dammit!" Noire thought, sobbing as she flew.

"You… ruined her, Blanc." Rom said, looking distastefully at Uni's wound, "Good thing you didn't split her in half..." Rom said, applying some healing magic. Uni's wounds closed slowly.

"Sorry, Rom." Blanc apologised, looking at their prize, "I couldn't let her kill you."

"I was going to be fine..." Rom complained, "Let's take her to Lowee… She should join Miss Nepgear..."