"So what do you want to do first?" Noire asked, peeking at Neptune from over the amusement park map she'd obtained after getting the tickets. While Noire seemed interested in making some kind of plan, if she had to guess, Neptune would probably just want to go to whatever seemed interesting that was within sight. "Apparently the roller coaster is pretty popu-"

Noire stopped herself when she realized that, as she was now, Neptune wouldn't be able to ride it. She quickly covered her mouth, torn between apologizing and laughing at the short statured CPU she was with. She knew it wasn't the CPU's fault she couldn't transform right now, nor was it her fault that her human form was the way it was, but still!

Luckily for Noire, Neptune was currently entranced by the various stands of carnival food. Her eyes were sparkling at the idea of all the delicious things she could fill her tummy with, and after a few moments of staring (and possibly drooling), she turned to Noire.

"You hungry yet?" Her voice was filled with hope and expectation - hope that Noire would be famished, expectation that they would be able to pig out on unhealthy park food, that they would be able to eat to their hearts' content, and then... Bliss.

Unfortunately for Neptune, Noire did not think with her stomach as Neptune often did.

"We just got here!" Noire cried indignantly, slapping the back of her hand against the park map. "We have as much time as we want to eat, but if you really want to eat, then we can do it afterwards at a restaurant or something! Let's go on some rides or play some games or something instead."

The idea of going to a restaurant was both intruiging and disappointing to Neptune. On the one hand, she could totally get Noire to take her to one of her favorite places... But on the other hand, that meant she wouldn't be able to eat her fill of food here, since she'd have to save room. What a dilemma!

"I guess we can eat later..." Finally giving in to Noire, Neptune sighed dramatically and cast a forlorn look towards all of the food she would be parting ways with, perhaps never to consume. Truly, the world was harsh. Neptune reached out towards them, as if she was trying to say goodbye. "I'll be back for you...!"

"Oh for heaven's sake!" Hands on her hips, Noire walked past Neptune and headed towards one of the stands. Neptune watched curiously as Noire exchanged some credits for two cotton candies and began heading back towards Neptune, who was getting more and more excited at the prospect of what Noire was bringing over. Finally, Noire stood before Neptune and offered one of the two treats she had obtained. "Here. Will this keep you happy for a little while?"

"You sure bet it will!" Neptune cried out in delight, grabbing the cotton candy from Noire and looking up at the other CPU with wide, adoring eyes. What a goddess! "I love you, Noire!"

Noire froze, Neptune's words repeating in her head over and over, as a blissfully ignorant Neptune began eating her cotton candy, oblivious to the world around her. Noire knew full well that Neptune hadn't meant anything by that - that her belly was the one talking - but a blush found its way to Noire's cheeks all the same.

Neptune had just said she loved her!

Noire took a small bite of her own cotton candy, attempting to calm herself down as she watched Neptune chow down. There were bits of the treat sticking to her face and hands, which for some reason just made Noire stare even more. Noire took another bite and tried not to picture herself reaching over and helping Neptune clean herself off.

She failed. Miserably.

"... I think I'm in trouble..."

"Huh? Did you say something, Noire?"

"Y-Yeah, as a matter of fact, I did! Clean your face, or I'm never getting you anything to eat again!"

"Aaaah, noooo! Anything but that!"

After finishing their cotton candy, the pair of CPUs decided that playing some carnival games would be the best way to start off their afternoon at the amusement park. They'd passed quite a few games already, but had yet to find one that interested either of them. Noire was beginning to wonder if maybe they should have just gone to an arcade if they were going to wander around looking at games but not playing them, when Neptune finally spoke.

"Oh wow, look at that Dogoo doll! And that Ancient Dragon!" Neptune's attention had been captured by a pair of silly looking plushes of some monsters that were on the shelf of one of the game stands they were passing. In fact, the shelf had dozens of different silly monster plushes, and Neptune seemed to be interested in all of them. "Hahahaha, look at their faces, Noire!"

A sparkle came to Noire's eyes as she watched this scene play out. An idea began to take form - but she had to be calm about it, or she would mess up the timing completely. Fighting back a grin, the Lastation CPU tossed a hand through her hair and coughed, to draw Neptune's attention to her.

"D-Do you want it...?" Noire had to be careful. This- If she had to put it into logical terms, this was totally an event flag if she ever saw one! Even if this wasn't exactly a date, she could still use this type of scene to totally improve her standing with Neptune, couldn't she? Maybe that was just her fantasies talking again, but...

Noire closed her eyes for a brief moment, wondering just how this could play out...

"Do you want them, Neptune?" Noire stepped forward with a daring look on her face. Surprised, Neptune looked up at her companion, before nodding repeatedly. Noire ran a hand through her hair, then ruffled Neptune's, flashing her an award winning smile. "Just sit tight, Neptune. I'll have them for you in a flash."

"Uwooooh!" Neptune cried, her hands balled up into little fists as she watched the amazing Lastation CPU, Lady Noire, make her way to the game. Her eyes shone with adoration as she watched Noire, her hair flowing dramatically in the wind as the crowd of people surrounding the game parted to make way for the wonderful Lady Black Heart. "Go, Noire, go!"

The crowd began whispering as Noire drew closer to the game stand. Comments of disbelief and awe arose from the people - was that really Lady Black Heart, about to go for the all time record? There was no way! No one had done it in years!

But Lady Black Heart wasn't just anyone.

"Give me two shots," Noire demanded, placing enough credits down on the table before the stand's owner. The owner was a tough looking man - fierce, with scars going up one arm and tattoos going down the other. Certainly a worthy opponent. Noire smirked and nodded towards the two prizes she wanted - wanted for Neptune that is. "Give me enough shots for those - and assume that I won't miss a single one, would you?"

"It's your funeral, little lady..." The man's voice was gruff, and Noire wondered if this game would be rigged somehow - surely he didn't want his precious record being taken, did he? But even if it was rigged, she decided, she would beat it anyway - for Neptune. The man handed offered her a slingshot and six golf balls, before motioning to the targets behind him. "Three bulls eyes wins you a prize. Still only want six?"

"Six is plenty," Noire's response was cool, confident, and ready. If she didn't know better, she was certain that at least one person in the crowd swooned. Grasping the first ball tightly in her hand, Noire placed it in the slingshot. She closed one eye and carefully took aim...

With a light "whoosh" of air upon the ball's release and a "thunk" as the ball made contact with the bulls eye, Noire turned to the man. He shrugged - anyone could have beginner's luck. Noire then turned to Neptune, who was watching Noire with wide, adoring eyes... Noire smirked at the other CPU...

"Five more to go..." Noire murmured to herself, poking her fingers together as her cheeks burned delightfully red. She blinked a few times as the sound of cheers brought her back to reality. Ah, what had she been doing, zoning out like that? Now wasn't the time for this - she had prizes to win!

Noire turned to her side - clearly Neptune hadn't heard her question earlier (or she had and Noire hadn't been paying attention to hear her answer) - but to her surprise, Neptune was nowhere to be seen. Noire turned one way, then the other, but no matter what direction she looked in, her friend - and the object of her earlier fantasy - wasn't anywhere around.

"Noire, Noire! Look what I won!" Slowly, Noire turned towards the source of the familiar voice - the voice that was coming from the direction of all the cheering. Noire's eyes widened as Neptune came rushing towards her... with her arms filled with not two, but four stuffed animals. While Noire had been standing there in her own little world, Neptune had gone and won herself some prizes.

Noire could almost actually see the flag that had been raised before her very eyes snapping and falling over.

As Neptune finally reached Noire, to Noire's surprise, she found a Dogoo and Ancient Dragon being thrust towards her, complete with a cheerful grin from Neptune.

"Since you were so busy thinking or whatever, I figured I'd get two of each so we could have matching pairs. Pretty nice of me, huh?" Though she was coming off as boastful, Noire found herself genuinely touched by Neptune's action. It wasn't every day that Neptune got people gifts. Was she just in the spirit of the amusement park, or...?

Noire's eyes widened as she took the stuffed dolls into her arms, realizing that this could only mean one thing.

Did... Did this mean Neptune had been the one to go for an event flag!? If she had, then...

Noire shook her head violently. There was no way that Neptune had tried to pull a flag on her or anything like that. Neptune was the type of person who just went with the flow, and with so many people winning gifts for their dates (not that Noire was actually Neptune's date or anything!) Neptune had probably just figured that it was the "in" thing to do or something like that, that was all.

And besides... Neptune just didn't care about her like that, didn't see her in that way.

Her heart sinking, Noire resisted the urge to find a wall to bang her head against, instead opting to put her newly acquired dolls into her inventory as Neptune did the same. Watching the other CPU, it really didn't seem like Neptune had meant anything by the gifts, so Noire probably shouldn't take it as such...

She had been spending too much time with Vert lately, Noire decided. Too many business meetings that had turned into gaming-slash-girltalk sessions... And girltalk with Vert tended to be dangerous, dangerous stuff.

Meanwhile, somewhere in Leanbox, a CPU (that had been in the process of ordering yet another get-well gift for a certain CPU Candidate) sneezed.

"Sister, sister! Are you alright?"

"So, ready to go?" Neptune grinned up at Noire, like she always did. Noire's expression softened as she saw this.

There was still a heavy feeling in her chest, but at the same time... Seeing Neptune smile like that, Noire found her spirits lifting just a little too.

Why waste time fantasizing about things that would never be when she had the real deal right before her very eyes? As depressing as it was... She still had Neptune right here, willing to be with her as she was. And if that wasn't worth something, she didn't know what was.

"Always."