The latest and greatest installment in my semi-one-shot... series... thing... Yeah! Anyway! Sorry for the delay on this one, it started as a random thought late last night and I worked on it throughout the day, not knowing what direction it'd take. It was either going to be its own separate story or a semi-Noire and Neptune story, and I decided on the latter as I closed in on the last parts of the story. Sorry if you were hoping for more, but those stories will come about at a different time, after I feel I've added enough short stories to this collection!

I also am proud as it's much longer than any of the others, with I think the most accurate character depictions yet, with my newest attempt at being as detailed and yet as realistically character-based as possible. Now, for people expecting super mushy yuri goodness, I'm sorry. :( It's not exactly as pronounced as other one-shots in this collection, but I didn't think that was necessarily a bad thing. If you read between the lines, you can find some nice hints and yet, surprisingly, also minor Noire x Uni hints if you're into reading deeper meanings than intended. ;) Still, if you can't find some of those delicious Noire X Neptune subtle moments here, I either suck or you need to read a bit harder. Maybe we can raise our lily ranks! AHEM.

I do not own Hyperdimension Neptunia, its assets, characters, content or anything about it; all rights are owned and licensed by the respective companies involved in making this brilliant series - such as Compile Heart, NIS America, and the other important companies. Please support the official series for hopefully more sweet installments into one of the most amazing series I honestly can say I've stumbled upon. Maybe you'll love it as much as I do! :D

Synopsis; Noire's been busy with a lot of work, trying to ensure Lastation doesn't fall behind in the pseudo-race between nations for the one with the most technology and support. After her newest breakthrough is interrupted by Neptune and her own sister, the trio decide to involve the party in exploring a new dungeon found by Neptune in Lowee's nation. What a twist! But, with Noire constantly complaining to herself about minor things, is this investigation going to go off without any problems?


It's hot. Like, really hot.

I wipe the sweat forming from my forehead as I sigh, blinking away the fatigue of many more than tolerable hours of work as I will myself to complete just a few more papers. Nearly, we're almost to a breakthrough with game-changing technology for Lastation. It's so close, I can almost feel the shares pouring into me from every direction, my populace celebrating a full year now of great successes and the joy of being the top nation of the four for just as long. I smile, picturing the tear-stained faces of Leanbox and Lowee, both befuddled at why they couldn't keep up with our manpower. I can just taste the sweetness of victory. I can…!

I hear the sounds of frantic guards and light, happy skipping and whistling approaching my office, and my eyebrows rise instinctively – I know who that is. Hurriedly, I slide the forms into a drawer in my desk as I look about for any possible problems or distractions for her to divert to and mess up, knowingly preparing for a screeching halt in my day today.

"Noiiire, hey, Noiiire!" Neptune, the CPU of Planeptune, calls with that joyful tone as she barges into the room, the office doors banging against the walls as I wince. That was only just recently repaired… "Hey! What're you doing just sitting there?"

I sigh, rising to my feet as I place a hand on my hip, staring at her. I can't help but smile very subtly, since she does this constantly and I seem to be the only target. "Hey, Neptune. I just finished some more paperwork for Lastation, so…"

"Borrrring! You need a break!" she shouts, beaming at me as she rushes over to close the distance, balancing on the balls of her feet. "After all, you really need to get out sometimes. Like… whoa, your bags have bags!"

I pout, knowing I can't do anything about those. "You don't need to be so rude about it…"

She makes this awkward smile before nodding. "Okay, okay. Sorry, won't happen again. But you definitely need a break now, then! Let's get some pudding and take a long nap!"

Rolling my eyes, I observe her skeptically. "What's the reason today? Did Histoire finally snap?"

She shakes her head, grinning. "Nope, actually! I got some work done and Nep Jr. said you were probably really tired, since Uni…"

"I didn't say anything!" Uni calls out in embarrassment, hurrying forward to clap a hand over Neptune's mouth, bowing her head. "Hi, sis. I'm sorry that she came in unannounced, Nepgear seemed worried the last time she visited us."

I smirk, closing an eye while observing her, a sudden desire to tease her. "You mean yesterday? After the fourth visit?" She flushes, stammering while trying her hardest to deny it. I chuckle and wave a hand at her, agreeing, "Yeah, yeah, it's okay, Uni. I understand. You can relax." She nods slowly, seeming meek and tired herself, and I purse my lips for a moment. "Perhaps, we both do need a break for a bit. Though, just eating pudding and taking a nap doesn't really sound all that fun. I could use some action."

Uni and Neptune both look up, their eyes widening. "You want to go grind?" Neptune asks, and I groan as she smirks.

"I'm not answering that. Don't make it sound so weird. Uni, do you want to go see if Nepgear wants to tag along, too? We, uh… haven't done much as a group, lately." As Uni nods vigorously before turning to dash off for Planeptune, I swat Neptune on the head as she's about to pipe in about my 'friendlessness', listening to her complain about how hard I hit her. I smile slightly, tilting my head and leaning as I look at her. "You'll live. Were you sure you wanted to come with us?"

"Yeah! You'd be lonely without me," she beams and I huff.

"It'd be nicer if you didn't always say it like that…," I pout, mumbling to myself. Quickly shifting gears, I lift my head and motion to her. "Come on, we'll go along to Planeptune to pick up Nepgear and Uni before heading out. Any idea where a good place to visit would be?"

She hums for a moment, a finger rising to her cheek while she looks up, deep in thought. What a weird way to ponder things. "Well… we could… hm." She proceeds to do this for a while as we walk, and I narrow my eyes in annoyance. Just as I'm about to shush her, she finally pipes back up. "Oh! We could go smash some baddies in that new volcano near Lowee. You wanna' do that?" I blink once, surprised. Wait, there's a volcano there?

"Uh… sure. We could also drop by to talk to Blanc and Rom and Ram, then."

"So Vert's the absolute loner this time. What a twist!"

"Stop looking at me with those sympathetic eyes. It's rude. I'll tear them out, you know."

"Nooo, please. I need my eyes to add to my cuteness and beauty!"

"Even better reason to remove them."

Shortly after this exchange, we hop on the transport and find ourselves entering Planeptune's Basilicom. Surprisingly, the guards do not block our entry or refuse Neptune – and there's no sign of hesitation either. Did she actually complete some work? Unbelievable. I wonder if it's a Neptune from another dimension.

"Hey, Histy! Nep Jr.! We're baaack! I brought the girl, like you asked!" I roll my eyes again, feeling her stereotyping and referencing some group of people, as per her norm. Looking around, I notice how strewn her place actually is, and I feel a nagging sensation of wanting to tidy up – but I contain myself as Histoire floats from another room to greet us, and out of the corner of my eye, I notice Uni and Nepgear chatting and laughing while facing away from us. I glance toward Neptune and smile for a moment, but opt for silence as Neptune addresses the strict tome of Gamindustri. "Hey, Histy! We're gonna' probably go visit Lowee and then head for that new volcano that popped up. Ms. Loner wanted to grind all day and night instead of napping and pudding. Can you believe that?!"

Histoire smiles, nodding her head to me – and I respectfully do the same, of course – before looking at Neptune with a frown. "She's far more responsible than you are, and it would be a good idea even if it wasn't for work; you will lose your levels if you sit around idly. Thank you, Noire, for taking her along with you."

I smile, somewhat embarrassed by the praise. "It's, uh, nothing, Histoire. I needed a break from paperwork and moving around sounds like a good idea. Neptune tagging along is just a convenient coincidence."

"The tsundere act, huh? You know you love me," Neptune smiles, leaning into the conversation again. Histoire and I both sigh but smile as well before Neptune pouts, shaking her hands. "And, Histy! That's not fair! I worked hard to be a high level! Why would we lose them?"

The little fairy-like girl frowns, seeming displeased. "I'm not entirely sure, myself. It was probably to ensure that everyone would continue to work hard so as to not become complacent. This has been a rule since before you four were born."

"Boo," Neptune responds before acknowledging our sisters again. She smirks evilly, sneaking over before pouncing on them, wrapping an arm around each one's shoulder as she supports herself on them. "Hey! Nep Jr. and Uni! How long are you going to sit and ignore us?"

Uni frowns, clearly disinterested in Neptune's disruption, while Nepgear apologizes for her tactlessness; I feel a pang of sympathy for the poor girl, wondering how she is actually, really, the younger sister of the two. I clear my throat, opting to proceed with the day before the conversation derails further. "Hey, girls. Shouldn't we be heading to Lowee while we talk?"

Uni raises her eyebrows quizzically. "Why are we visiting there first, sis?"

Neptune beams, hopping off of them before moving to the door. "We're visiting Blanc and her sisters, and then we're going to go level at the new volcano!"

Nepgear blinks, probably as surprised as I am. "There's a… new volcano in Lowee? I never heard of this. Did you?" I shake my head, shrugging. "Histoire…?"

She smiles awkwardly, as if revisiting an unpleasant memory. "The last time Neptune decided to shirk off from her duties as CPU, she went on a tour of the other three nations and stumbled across it. She and I discussed it upon her return – before being lectured profusely, of course – and I informed Blanc about it. It seems to be of moderate difficulty, and unexplored as far as real investigations go. There are actually requests from the Guild for the CPUs to handle it to the best of their abilities, actually."

I smile, knowing her hint will fall on deaf ears if I don't acknowledge it. "We'll go and take the responsibility on before we go delve into the dungeon, then. Hopefully we'll be the first, after all. Thanks for informing us, Histoire." She curtsies in response, pleased. "Now, let's get ready. Nepgear, Uni – come on. We don't have all day."

Both bow and apologize, joining us promptly. Bidding farewell to Histoire, we quickly check in with the guild and accept responsibility to handle the volcano, making way for Lowee. "You think Blanc'll be upset if we do this?" Neptune asks, tilting her head in wonder.

"Only if we don't tell her," I answer, smirking, "but if we don't, we could get a leg up on Leanbox and Lowee. I know she and Vert typically plan things like that behind our backs, too."

Nepgear frowns, unhappy about the idea. "But that would be wrong. Even if they do the same, we're supposed to all be close as nations, right?"

Neptune nods, folding her arms. "Yeah, don't be a party pooper, Noire. We're the cooler nations anyway and everyone knows it."

"Lastation is, though I don't know how the world feels about Planeptune…," Uni remarks quietly as both of the Planeptune sisters pounce on her statement. "But it's true!" she protests to them, and I laugh proudly.

"Spoken like a true CPU of Lastation. Good work, Uni. I think that's a sign for you two to step up your game, sometime," I defend her, my sister's cheeks flushing happily as she smiles. Perhaps I should praise her more often. Ignoring Neptune's jives about me being such a loner for Lastation's progress, I point toward the transport. "Let's just get on with it and go to Lowee, already. You're so loud."

"I'm just amazing and you all know it!"

X

We wind up in Lowee pretty promptly, the conversation being rather mild and pertaining to Neptune's fantasies about how the volcano will be full of dragons and knights and some other strange garble. I ended up tuning a lot of it out, instead focusing on the slightly newer, more modern-looking houses of the residents. It seems I was right; Lowee is stepping up on their technology, and that means Leanbox is likely doing the same. Ugh, I need to get more people working on new advancements when we get back.

"Hey, Noire. Stop tuning us out!" Neptune protests, pinching my arm. I wince, turning to glare at her. "You're looking all serious and loner'y. If you keep that up, you won't have any fun today."

I sigh, unable to refute that. "Yeah, yeah. I don't need to hear that from you, though. I'm just… noticing that Lowee's made some advancement."

Uni's eyes narrow, a competitive expression taking hold. "Looks like we're not the only ones striving for being the best. I think we have to get more people working on the current projects, sis." I nod, smirking. Great minds think alike, it seems.

Nepgear frowns, sensing our competitive nature. "But, we're here to do a quest and talk to Rom, Ram and Miss Blanc. Shouldn't we try to be focused on that?" and shortly after this, I hear her mutter, "So we don't end up noticing Planeptune's lack of ingenuity…"

Deciding it'd be best to ignore it, I nod. "Alright, fine. We'll be cordial and friendly enough, but when we get home – Uni, we're going to ensure Lastation's technology will be years ahead of everyone else's. Understand?" She nods, making a sound of approval with a determined sparkle twinkling in her eyes. "Anyway, with that said and done – should we go ahead and visit the Basilicom to find Blanc, now?"

Neptune, who seemed to be entirely disinterested with our discussion, finally invests herself into it again with a happy nod. "Let's go, then! I bet Blanc's in need of some Neppy goodness!"

Without a single word of objection, we follow after her as she marches proudly on. Passing the guards, we greet them pleasantly enough and tell them we're meeting Blanc. They hastily make way for us, and I notice Uni and Nepgear subtly slip away to go find Rom and Ram, leaving Neptune and I to go and find Blanc.

"So, now that it's just us; do you think it's a good idea to bring our sisters?" I ask, Neptune gasping and making a fuss as she notices the lack of people around. "They aren't as close with Blanc as we are; they probably went to go find Rom and Ram. But, what do you think, Neptune?"

She pauses, staring at me. "I think it'll be fine. They can transform, too, after all. We'll just take the glory and beat the bigger ones before they get hurt, right?" I grin at this simple logic, nodding. "After all, big sisters have to set the example for their younger sisters," Neptune states proudly, puffing out her (kind of nonexistent) chest with pride. "I just hope that Blanc doesn't get all pissy-mad and workaholic'y like you do. We already have one super loner, we don't need more."

"Shut up, I have my reasons. I'm not even all that lonely."

"Yeah, because you have me, duh."

I grumble, setting off to find Blanc before the conversation devolves into more teasing. Neptune seems to understand, chuckling to herself at her victorious statement as we walk the halls leading to her office. Along the walls, I notice multiple new paintings and quotes from different books, with maids working around the clock to keep things clean and orderly. Maybe we should hire some for Lastation, even if we don't need them – Uni and I get the work done pretty efficiently, though I'm becoming painfully aware how tiring our schedules can be, lately. But, these paintings are nice, and a big improvement from how bland and empty the walls were when we first met Blanc after Neptune's amnesiac days. Slowly but surely, we've all become better people and had some positive personality improvements, definitely – even if there are moments where I feel that it could be just due to losing brain cells listening to Neptune's consistent dorky behavior. Maybe she's helped us all out a bit. Not that it's worth admitting aloud.

Arriving at the massive doors – totally not compensating for Blanc's shortness, by the way – leading to the main office of the CPU of Lowee, Neptune and I push them aside and enter, calling out respectfully. Neptune jogs ahead while I take my time, meandering over. As expected, I hear Blanc shouting at Neptune to be quiet and knock it off, watching Neptune blip here and there as she inspects Blanc's desk and computer screen. I notice in the corner a video chat with Vert, and my conclusions are accurate, it seems. Standing beside the large computer table, I bow respectfully, watching Vert do the same with her painfully obnoxious, intentional pronunciation of her endowment being enforced the entire time. Blanc bites her lip, standing to mimic us as Neptune hops in her chair, spinning out of the way.

"Would you quit that shit?!" Blanc growls, Neptune laughing heartily as Vert and I smirk. "Sorry, Vert. We may have to pick up later," she says, attempting to recompose after having given up on Neptune.

"That is fine. I can make my way over if we're having a fun little gathering, then. Pardon me," she smiles courteously before the chat ends, and I sigh. If only I had a fellow nation to work with like that… well, maybe I can talk to Histoire about making some sort of progress between Lastation and Planeptune later. After all, this one seems unreliable. I can see it now, teasing me about my loneliness and declaring a pudding alliance between us. Ugh.

Blanc, taking notice of me as she bows her head, returns to her monotone expression and quiet voice as the gears in her head begin to turn. "Hello, by the way. What brings you two here?"

I lean on my left foot, placing my hand comfortably on my hip as I watch Neptune who is off spinning herself silly. "Seems I have to answer. Sorry, by the way, about her." Blanc waves it away, her expression somewhat sympathetic. "We came to level at that new volcano that Neptune happened upon. We also have a formal request from the guild as CPUs to clear it out and ensure it's relatively safe for their agents to investigate. We came to ask if you wanted to join us, since we're in the neighborhood."

She raises an eyebrow, frowning. "You chose here specifically over work? Should I be suspicious?"

I shake my head, pursing my lips. "While I see I have competition from upgrades throughout your city, no. I decided to take a break at the request of Nepgear and Uni, and they sent Neptune to be the emissary. She decided on the volcano as she seems proud to have found it and it has a decent room for leveling and keeping us on our toes. She, uh, also hopes to find some sort of large dragon, as per her norm."

"Ah," her posture eases, and she shakes her head while closing her eyes. "I should've guessed. You'd never try anything with her following you around, anyway. Though," she pauses, her face growing serious, "if you're here, and so are your sisters… I don't see them, meaning…"

I sigh, offering her an apologetic expression. "I can't very well stop them without being the villain of our little group. They should be along with Rom and Ram shortly." She sighs now as well, looking somewhat tired. I extend a hand, patting her shoulder. "It'll be alright; we're all together and Neptune and I agreed that we as the national CPUs will be the forerunners and main attack unit so that we 'set the example' for our sisters. Sounds fair, right?"

She smiles slightly, nodding. "I suppose that works. I can't deprive them of time with their friends forever, after all. Now, then," her eyebrows furrow and she spins, now thoroughly annoyed at her chair being at the other end of the room now. She shouts, "Neptune, GET YOUR ASS BACK HERE WITH MY CHAIR."

Neptune jumps, her eyes wide as disks. She pouts, sliding from the chair before wheeling it back, Blanc snatching it and returning it to its rightful place as soon as she can. "You don't need to be such a stickler, Blanc."

"If I wasn't, you'd never stop being such a pain in the ass," she retorts immediately, grumbling to herself.

From behind, I hear the doors opening with a merry chatter resounding from the four sisters of the three nations – yet an amazing disappointment for Vert, but, who really cares? – as they arrive, each bowing and greeting us as respectfully as each of them can muster.

"I'm sorry for taking so long," Nepgear apologizes, seeming upset with herself. Uni adds in, seeming somewhat resolute in defending her, "We were busy catching up with one another and lost track of time, so…"

I wave a hand, as does Blanc. "It's fine," we both remark. Blanc nods, taking the time to catch them up. "I'm sure you're already aware, but we'll be visiting the new volcano on the outskirts of Lowee's landmass. Vert will be joining us, so your dallying isn't a big problem. Rom, Ram – you two will be with Nepgear and Uni, staying a bit behind us in case anything we encounter is dangerous. Leave any large monsters, dragons, or machinery to us – take care of the smaller stuff to lessen the danger."

They both agree reluctantly, the quartet seemingly disheartened knowing they're not joining us as the vanguard, but they couldn't expect us to not be protective older sisters. After a few moments discussing proper strategic protocol, we move to one of the many sitting chambers Blanc invested in to sit and pass the time while we wait for Vert. Settling into a plushy-yet-rigid pseudo-sofa chair, I gaze about the room with curiosity; large, towering shelves chock full of books of all kinds, and some manga as well, surprisingly. Blanc really loves literature, I guess. It seems like Nepgear noticed this, too, remarking about it as the two discuss multiple different works from various authors. I can't say I know most of them, but then again – I'm not really able to invest myself in books and games like the others do. Too much work to do to sit and play.

Uni is deeply invested in the conversation, focusing on Nepgear and apparently both Rom and Ram are, as well. It's kind of cute, really; the little sisters so heavily focused on their friends and older siblings. And then, there's Neptune… napping with drool pouring down from her mouth. That's kind of gross. Though, I feel my eyelids growing heavy too while watching her as I am viciously reminded of my multiple nights with next to, or no sleep at all. Maybe some rest won't hurt, right?

Just as I close my eyes and feel sleep nipping at me, the door opens as Vert announces her appearance, smirking with her usual aura of motherly, lording superiority as if just because of her figure that she is better than we. Neptune snaps awake, hopping to her feet as if a drill went off, Blanc glaring at the sudden burst of noise while all of the sisters gather together, chatting amongst themselves. I wave pleasantly to Vert as I hoist myself from the chair, feeling the fatigue from earlier intensifying a little bit, but I guess I'll be fine.

"So, now that we're all here, can we get on with the actual assignment?" I ask, rubbing my eye in an attempt to wake up. I yawn, feeling a growing sense of boredom. "We're moving to clear out the volcano here, are we not?"

"Yes. Thank you for reminding everyone," Vert smiles as though she was not a part of the disruption. Blanc opens her mouth to respond, but closes it, thankfully, after taking a glance at me. Neptune just shrugs, making way for the door as the sisters nod to one another before turning to do the same. I get the feeling they're planning something, but I suppose that I can't object since I don't know what it is. "Let us make siege upon these new foes as a strong battalion, fresh from 4 Goddesses Online!"

"Could you not bring your strange gaming habits into this? It's kind of gross," Blanc responds coldly, smirking to herself. "It'd be much better to view this as a skirmish to demonstrate Lowee's strength in administering good relations between the nations."

"At least I don't write cliché books that are too embarrassing to see the light of day, small one," Vert responds firmly, and a figurative lightning bolt appears between the two.

"Ladies, ladies, please; it's just because I'm the main character and called you all to be my party that this is working out so well," Neptune smiles innocently, quickly shifting the argument from two to three people as banter flies back and forth. I sigh, planting a hand firmly to my forehead.

"Can you all quit it for maybe three minutes? Let's at least get there before we start bickering like usual," I say flatly as Neptune whirls her head around to offer me a grin. "What is it, now, Neptune?"

"You wouldn't have it any other way, because you'd be lonely without us!"

Blanc and Vert nod in agreement. "That is true, she'd be talking to herself and working endlessly in Lastation, alone, until she collapses from exhaustion."

My cheeks flush and I stamp my foot. "Shut up! I don't need to hear that from you two, too! At least my habits are normal!"

"Gaming is a habit one must undergo if they are to understand their populace's desires," Vert smiles.

"Reading is a hobby fit for those wishing to expand their minds and repertoire of words to maneuver around their foes," Blanc adds, seemingly confident.

"Naps make sure you don't fall on your face and get eaten or molested by weirdos!" Neptune pipes in.

"And I see three idiots making excuses for their obsessive hobbies," I mutter, hearing the chuckling of four people behind us. "At least some people are enjoying this stupid debate."

"You're all really good friends, actually," Nepgear smiles. "You only argue so much because you're really close to one another."

Uni seems to take this as a moment to involve herself in teasing Nepgear. "What, does that mean you want us to argue with you and harass you more?" she grins playfully, hugging Nepgear tight. Nepgear squeaks, trying to refute and revise what she said, but it looks like Rom and Ram join in on Uni's idea and the trio begin playfully heckling Nepgear.

After what feels like far too long of a time spent with people changing topics and having multiple conversations at once in a manner which I could only call the official 'Planeptune-style', we arrive on the outskirts of the cave leading to the inner areas of the volcano. Decidedly, we break by a small clearing outside it to prepare ourselves.

I watch Nepgear and Uni slip their traveling bags off their shoulders, rummaging through them as they take inventory – Blanc and Vert both doing the same as they check small satchels hidden in their clothing for their healing items. I frown, sliding a hand down to ensure that the pouch containing my medical gear is still strapped safely to my thigh – and knowing that it is, I decidedly nod in satisfaction. Rom and Ram seem to have cute little backpacks full of various concoctions and snacks as well, and then Neptune…

Neptune's just sitting there, stretching and humming.

"Do you have anything on you in case of emergency?" I ask her, and she spins her head around as if confused who I was asking. "I was asking you, Neptune. Do you even have a place to carry anything?"

She frowns, shaking her head. "Never invested in it. You guys always carry stuff, anyway – this new jersey doesn't have deep enough pockets, anyway." Oh, right – that outfit wasn't her old one; some sort of thrown-together thanks to forcing Histoire to do shopping by herself. It's kind of a shame, too. That baggy hoodie looked cuter on her, anyway.

"Well, I'll make you a pouch that you can strap to your thigh or arm later, then. We can discuss it after this, alright?" I say, and her eyes sparkle with joy as if it's some huge deal. "It's not like it's that important – I'd just like to avoid you not being prepared if we get into dangerous fights in the future."

"You never do say what you mean, huh," Blanc interrupts, and I roll my eyes. I have no idea what she means – I think my statement was pretty self-explanatory… yeah. "Well, that's fine either way. She does need one so she doesn't mooch off our supplies, anyway."

She pouts as Nepgear smiles sheepishly, attempting to intervene. "It's… it's okay, don't worry. I always carry enough for two people."

Neptune pivots on her heel, tackling and hugging Nepgear. "That's my sister! Always prepared enough for both of us!"

"That's not really something to be happy about, you dolt," I grumble, but it appears to not have been heard. "Well, whatever. Are we ready to do this, finally?"

After what can only be described as a long list of varied agreeing responses, the party assembles and we set off for the cave's interior with Neptune and I at the forefront, Vert at the back, and Blanc in the center whilst Rom and Ram stand by Vert, Uni by Blanc, and Nepgear by us. Rather strange formation, but it seems efficient as we run into a swarm of colorful Hyena variations led by multiple Fenrirs.

I click my tongue in annoyance, materializing my blade as Neptune and Nepgear do the same, Vert and Blanc taking to the sides to fend off the yipping hordes of regular enemies. Dodging swipes from multiple directions, I manage to nick the side of one of the Fenrirs with a haphazard swipe. Ducking as a Hyena leaps for my throat, I watch it collide with another and the two roll off out of the way. The Fenrir howls loudly, causing my body to tremble as a bullet collides with its jaw, knocking it off balance. Taking this moment of opportunity as best I can, I kick off the floor and lurch forward, plunging my blade into the large dog's skull – the creature shattering into hundreds of pieces as I land with ease.

Ahead of me, I watch Neptune activate one of her skills, rushing forward rapidly whilst accurately slashing apart multiple Hyenas, Nepgear following her sister's lead with a beam-like shockwave to finish them off. Blanc smashes a trio of Hyenas into oblivion as Vert skewers another two with Rom and Ram casting support magic to whomever they can. I smirk, somewhat pleased with how the battle's going as I quickly roll away from a pouncing Fenrir. Hopping back to my feet, I plunge my blade through the form of another Hyena, watching it dematerialize as I spin, dashing apart another with ease.

"Noire, behind you! Fenrir!" Neptune calls, and I huff, hopping to the side to avoid what would have been a few hundred pounds of vicious, murderous fluff pouncing on top of me. As my feet hit the stone floor, I step back toward the large canine, activating one of my skills as I slash the beast twice before flipping, kicking it upward and then downward as it bursts into nothingness like the others. As I return to the ground, I watch the third Fenrir fly past me, slamming into another small group of Hyenas before colliding with a wall, all parties involved dissipating instantly. Thank Goddesses Blanc doesn't use that hammer on us.

Turning, I watch as the last group of Hyenas are finished off effortlessly by Neptune and Nepgear, the poor dogs having no chance whatsoever as the duo slices them into ribbons. The battle finishes, leaving each of us to feel the comfortable surge of experience flowing into our bodies. I stretch, letting my blade dematerialize as I yawn pleasantly, shifting my shoulders. What an excellent warm-up.

"Good work, guys!" Neptune chirps, beaming with pride. "We just started with a ton of ass-kicking!"

"That went better than expected," Blanc adds, nodding. "Rom, Ram, are either of you hurt?" They shake their heads and a look of pleased relief remains on her face. "That's good. Really good."

I smile, walking over to Uni before patting her on her head. She looks over, eying me curiously. "Good work, you helped keep that dog from making a snack out of me. I appreciate it, Uni." Her face flushes and I hug her gently before looking over to Vert, who is ahead a small distance, looking deeper into the cave. "Is there anything over there?"

"No, not that I am able to see. It's seemingly clear for a short time, though I can hear movement still. We'll have to be cautious."

"Caution is not a word that we normally use," Blanc remarks, Neptune nodding proudly as she steps forward, moving ahead. "That was not exactly a compliment, Neptune."

"Aw, whatever. I'll think of it as one!" she remarks, narrowing her eyes on the journey ahead. I step beside her, looking forward as well, though I can't really see too much. The air is also pretty cool, still – for the situation, at least. It's still awfully hot – and there is no illumination on the far side. "Probably deeper down, huh."

I nod. "Yeah. We'll be busy for a while, it seems."

Proceeding forward again, we slice down another wave of small Hyenas; their efforts to swarm us futile with so many weapons drawn upon them simultaneously, and I find it laughably easy as we cut a clean path of conquest through the cave. "These small monsters really are no match for eight of us," I laugh proudly, pleased with the results thus far.

"I still can't see anything, though," Blanc remarks bitterly, Vert agreeing with her observation with a frown. "The temperature in here is starting to rise by a degree or two, though. Maybe we'll find a path leading down?"

"And then, the dragon! Dovahkiin! Dovahkiin! Naal ok zin los vahriin!" Neptune shouts, all eyes blinking in bewilderment as she pauses, frowning. "Oh, right. Wrong game. Sorry about that."

"She's getting stranger," Blanc remarks to me as a passing comment, and I can only nod with a perplexed look set on my face. "Maybe you should hang out with her more. You seem to know how to babysit her better than we do, at least."

I frown, shaking my head. "I don't think there's anything I can do for her. Not like I like babysitting her, anyway." Mostly true, too; her weird quirks are sometimes really hard to handle. Like bursting into song about a different language. Her tone was pretty good, though. Huh. "Well, should we keep going? I think we haven't had a single problem yet."

"Well, obviously. We came to rid Lowee of its newest problems, and that, we shall do." Vert vows, but follows her words with a teasing jab at Blanc. "Though, it's amazing that all of the real issues always begin in Lowee."

"At least we have things happen, bitch."

"Ladies, ladies," Neptune quiets them both down before setting off again, and the sisters and I find ourselves all too happy to follow her as we leave Vert and Blanc behind, a small argument beginning between the two. "So, what do you think we'll find, Noire? I bet there's some legendary treasure here, or something."

"Probably something dumb like a sword with an old man's face on it or weirder; you never know what we find in Gamindustri, honestly." What a nasty thought, though.

"Ew. That's really gross, sis," Uni remarks, making a mock gagging sound. "I hope we find some sort of rare ore or old technology. A new gun or a robot, or something." Out of nowhere, I swear I feel Nepgear start getting really interested in this idea, with sparkles in her eyes and everything, but I don't hear anything, so I ignore it.

"Do… you think we should have left them back there?" Rom asks quietly.

"They're crazy strong. I'd be more worried about them knocking holes in the walls while fighting than monsters," Neptune remarks, her eyes widening to the size of disks as if she sees a nightmare before her eyes.

"…This tunnel's stable, right?" I ask, mainly to myself – no one else knows the answer, either, I guess by the silence. "…Whatever! Let's just finish this then and move onto other things," I say, and collectively, our pace increases a little bit.

After a few more minutes of walking, I notice Blanc and Vert somehow rejoin us and I also feel the temperature of our surroundings raising rapidly, our elevation decreasing as we descend down a stony formation. I tug at my collar, wiping my forehead again as I wince. Why is it so damn hot?

"…You okay, Noire?" Neptune asks, looking at me with a worried expression.

"Why… wouldn't I be…?" I grumble, glaring at her. "I'm perfectly fine. It's just so damn hot."

I see a few of the party exchange weird looks, and I find myself confused. Is no one else feeling this? It can't be part of my imagination. It seriously can't.

"…Maybe we should take a break or come back later," Nepgear suggests, frowning, as Uni steps forward to tug on my arm as if agreeing with her. "You're not looking so good, Miss Noire."

I stare at them in confusion, getting irritated. "What the hell are you girls talking about? It's just a bit hot. I'm… fine…!" Whoa, my vision's… getting a little hazy. Okay, that's… kind of… weird…

The last things I remember as I feel my body collapse are Neptune and Uni simultaneously shouting in alarm.

X

Waking up, I swear I'm on fire. My head's pounding, and I feel really, really weak. Just what the hell happened? I wince, my body opposing any movement whatsoever as I force myself up into a sitting position, looking about my surroundings. Surprisingly, I'm back in my bed and covered comfortably. At my side, I feel my cheeks flush as I find both Uni and Neptune sleeping beside one another on my legs. What the hell are they doing that for? Did I just pass out in the cave, or something?

The movement of sitting up seems to stir Uni, who lifts her head tiredly, blinking for a few moments as her senses return to her. Her eyes widen as she stares at me, wetness forming around them as the happiest expression I've ever seen her make takes form on her face. "Sister!" she squeals, hugging me tightly to her, her hands digging into my clothes. I instinctively pat her back and shoulder, trying to silently communicate she's smothering me, and she seems to understand as her hold slackens a bit, but she doesn't move much. I sigh into her stomach, closing my eyes. Did I worry her that much? "I'm so glad you're okay…! You weren't… waking up…," she chokes out, her words becoming disrupted by sniffles as her nails continue to tightly poke my back.

"I'm… not sure what you mean, Uni. I just passed out," I say, confused.

She leans back, her expression a little angrier now. "No… you didn't! You collapsed… with a fever from… overworking yourself and slept… You slept for days, now! I was worried… that…"

"I've been… asleep for days?" She nods, embracing me again as I inwardly sigh. I should have probably expected something from how hot it was before and how tired I was getting up from that chair. Presumably, I also expect the final push was probably the increased temperatures from the volcano. I wrap my arms around Uni, returning her hug as I smile softly. "I'm sorry, Uni. I didn't know. I'll be more careful from now on, okay?"

She sobs quietly, nodding. "You… you better! Stupid older sister…" I laugh, leaning back as I wince, both gestures making me feel really, really poor. Uni frowns, standing as she recomposes herself before clearing her throat as best she can, her cheeks and eyes red and damp. "I'll… I'll go see if I can… get Compa or Nepgear. Stay put and rest… okay?"

"…Yeah, I promise." I say, my voice feeling kind of hoarse and scratchy now. Goddesses, this sucks. And all the work that's piling up, too.

She pauses for a moment at the doorway, turning to stare at me with penetrating eyes. Her expression is almost a little disconcerting, and kind of… possessive. I've not seen Uni like that before. Kind of creepy… "Also, don't sit and worry… about the work. I've had some help… keeping up with it." Her eyes shift to the sleeping Neptune, and I cock an eyebrow as she shakes her head, disappearing.

Wait, did this sleepy… No, she couldn't have…?

"Nnn… Noire…," she mumbles, smiling as drool pours from her mouth. Her head rests on my thigh, and I smile slightly at the sight, stretching a hand out to comb her hair gently. She shifts, seemingly happy with the gesture. "…So warm…"

I find myself somewhat entranced, listening to my stupid best friend's soft snoring and mumbling for who knows how long until Uni returns with some medicine, explaining how the others are busy trying to manage their own things and will be along later to check up on me. I smile, feeling some sort of sisterly jealousy from her, and I inwardly vow to spend more time bonding with her after this. And… probably the same with Neptune.

Maybe I can have a little more fun, after all.


Aaaand, done. I might someday come back and spruce up this ending a bit, or probably tie in another one-shot with it loosely in a later part of the collection for a better plot basis. After all; this idea was pretty neat and I think it started off really well!

NEVER FORGET; IT'S TOO DANGEROUS TO GO ALONE. TAKE NEP, AND TAKE FREQUENT NEPS TO KEEP YOUR STRENGTH UP! (maybe this will lead to a much more, intimate, encounter between Noire and Neptune if I'm feeling some kind of way. I'll definitely be profusely warning you all if such happens, so worry not! I will save your innocent eyes with many, many warnings! :D

I am not sure when or how long the next one will be, as I'm now writing these and posting them as I complete them, so expect a liiittle slower updates from now on, but expect more and stronger Neptunia stories from me in the future. :D This pairing fills me with determination!

Bye for now, and never hesitate to review or tell me where to improve. :D All open for suggestions!

oh yeah, i might also do some other pairings in a different one-shot collection, sometime. i hope people are aware that i do have other tastes besides this one, it's just this is definitely best ship.