So before we begin I just want to thank you guys for supporting me in this trial. All of you are so helpful to me with your reviews, because I'm interested to hear what other people think. I apologize for the late update, as it took me quite some time to figure out how i wanted this chapter to go, resulting in a couple of rewrites. Anyway this is the final product, i hope you enjoy.
Chapter 11: Of innocence and shadows
Everyone arrived back safely at the Planeptune Basilicom.
"We're back, you guys!" yelled Neptune.
"Welcome back, all of you." Said Histoire, happy to see everyone return safe and sound.
Then the CPUs started to catch up with their oracles. Lelouch wasn't really interested in this whole reunion, so he was just about to leave when he was stopped.
"Hey, you, the sneaky guy!" said Neptune pointing at him.
"…" Lelouch ignored her and continued to leave.
"Don't ignore me!" she yelled and got in front of him blocking his path.
"I'd appreciate it if you got out of my way." Said Lelouch, starting to get irritated at the girl.
"Why are you being a downer? C'mon let's party and stuff!" she said.
"Ugh. This is a CPU? Honestly, I'm not impressed." Thought Lelouch.
"What's wrong Neptune?" came the voice of Nepgear, as she had noticed her sister's bellowing.
"Well, this guy here was about to leave the party." Said Neptune.
"Huh, why are you leaving Lelouch?" asked Nepgear.
It appeared as though their conversation had gotten the attention of everybody.
"You're leaving? Why?" asked Ram.
"Why Mister Lelouch?" added Rom.
Lelouch ,as things were headed, decided to play the victim.
"I wasn't going to leave. I was just going to the store to get a new sword, that's all." He said, though only the second part of his statement was true.
"Wait a dang minute here! You are not lying by any chance are you?" asked Neptune suspicious.
"Oh, don't worry Neptune, if he said so, why are you suspecting him? C'mon, let's go eat some pudding." Nepgear said with a smile.
"Pudding!" Neptune stood up like an antenna receiving radio frequency and dashed off to the fridge.
Lelouch was about to leave until he was stopped, again.
"My, you don't expect to fool us with that kind of obvious lie, right?" asked him Vert. "First, how about you introduce yourself, considering the fact that you are the only unfamiliar face right now."
"Is it not proper manners to give your name when asking someone for theirs?" sharply remarked Lelouch.
"Oh, heavens, how rude of me. I am Vert CPU of Leanbox." Vert introduced herself.
"Lelouch." He said giving his name.
"Well then Lelouch, why not sit and enjoy a conversation with everyone?" invited him Vert.
"…" Lelouch ignored her and went out, leaving a few shocked faces behind him.
"Can't any of them read the atmosphere?" Lelouch complained in his thoughts.
He then went to the weapon's store. He took out a large sum from his gambling profits and gave it to the shopkeeper, placing his order for a state- of the art longsword. The shopkeeper told him that the sword would be ready in two days. With that Lelouch bid him farewell and was on his way. He had some free time until everyone had settled down and had gotten idle talks out of the way, so he decided to make a change of appearance.
The boy went inside a clothing shop and bought himself a white shirt, a grey long trench coat with black linings. With his appearance out of the way, he decided that he had been wondering around for a good amount of time and decided to return to the Basilicom.
Upon arrival he was greeted by sour faces, which he ignored, as he was more focused on dealing with the curious ones. Everyone was in a living room.
"So let's introduce ourselves! I am Neptune, the glorious main character!" said Neptune to the boy.
"The name's Noire, you better remember it." Noire said.
"Blanc, nice to meet you." Said Blanc.
"I believe we didn't start out in a good way. Once again my name is Vert." said Vert, smiling.
"My name is Lelouch. Just a traveler." He said bowing slightly.
"Oh, he is a modest one! C'mon don't be shy! The girls told us how impressive you are." Said Neptune trying to brighten the boy's mood.
"You aren't going to leave me alone, are you?" asked Lelouch with a sigh.
"Nope, you can't be acting all emo and stuff. It will make your pretty face go to waste." Joked Neptune.
"Ignore her. It will make your life easier." Said Noire.
Lelouch nodded.
"Hey, no fair! Why're you turning him against me?" started to whine Neptune and turned to Lelouch. "C'mon, don't be a drag. Let's be friends."
"*Sigh* If I say yes will you go bother someone else?" asked Lelouch.
"Yep." Quickly answered Nep.
"Fine then, I don't see why, but since you want to be friends with me so badly, I'll just accept." Said Lelouch.
"Hahaha!" Neptune started to laugh, which Lelouch didn't take kindly to. "You're, like, almost a better tsundere than Noire."
"Neptune, I'll seriously drown you someday" said Noire, angry.
"What are your hobbies?" Blanc asked Lelouch.
"My hobbies? Well, I like to read books and play chess, though unfortunately I haven't been able to find a satisfying opponent." Answered the boy.
Blanc got intrigued.
"Would you care for a game?" she asked.
"Most certainly." He replied.
With that the game board was set and everyone gathered around to watch the outcome of the game.
"Lady Blanc, be careful! This guy is really good." Said Chika, hoping that the boy would lose.
"Hmph. I see that crushing your pride had its effect." Lelouch smirked at the oracle.
"Pick your pieces." Said Blanc.
"Then I'll go second." Said Lelouch picking the black set, leaving for Blanc the white one.
"Wow, Lelouch and Blanc are going to play against each other." Said Nepgear, as she started to remember how Lelouch beat Chika without any effort.
The game then proceeded. Lelouch was playing it safe, giving Blanc some feints here and there to test her decision making. She wasn't bad however, as she managed to take two of his pawns and a rook.
"Ho, I'm impressed. You're certainly doing better than Miss Hakozaki over there." Complimented Lelouch.
"Thank you, you aren't bad yourself." Said Blanc.
"However," said Lelouch gaining the attention of his opponent. "You're still far from beating me."
Then the game turned to Lelouch's favor in a flash. He started to move his king alongside his other pieces, which intrigued Blanc.
"Ah, he's doing it again! This tactic with the king." Said Chika, remembering her humiliating loss.
"A very interesting style of play, indeed." Said Blanc.
"Whoa, he's really good. I thought he was just…" said Neptune when she was cut off.
"Just what?" asked Lelouch glaring at the Planeptune CPU.
"Just, um… You gave off the impression of a guy, who thinks highly of himself, so I, you know, thought you weren't that smart." Said Neptune trying to evade the conflict.
"Neptune, that wasn't very nice." Scolded her Nepgear.
Lelouch turned his attention back to the game.
"Well then, I think it's time we put an end to the game." He said, proceeding to corner Blanc's king and take her pieces.
Shortly after he had her beat.
"Check mate." He said, placing his king in the final position.
Blanc was very interested in the prowess of the boy.
"It would seem that I underestimated you." She said. "I'd like to have a rematch with you some time in the future."
"I'm always open to a challenge." He said with a friendly smile.
"Hmph, I doubt you'll beat me." Said Noire taking a seat across the boy.
"Ho, you've got a lot of guts." Encouraged Lelouch.
The game was similar to the one with Blanc, with the only exception that his opponent was much more aggressive in her approach. The game's outcome didn't change however, as Lelouch still wound up the winner.
"What, I lost?!" Noire was shocked.
"You were a good opponent, though you had your flaws." Said Lelouch, satisfied that he could play against two CPUs.
"I want a rematch, right now." She said.
"C'mon, let's play something that's not boring to death." Moaned Neptune.
"Indeed, would you happen to have some video games with local multiplayer?" Vert asked Neptune.
"Be right back!" Neptune dashed off to somewhere.
Lelouch got up from his seat and was about to leave, when Noire stopped him.
"Are you running away?" Said Noire.
"No, I'm walking as you can see." Said Lelouch uninterested in the girl's wounded pride.
"No wait, please, just one more game!" Noire started to plead her case.
"Some other time. I promise you, you'll get your rematch." Lelouch said to the twin-tail girl, smiled and was on his way, leaving a blushing Noire.
"Wow, Mister Lelouch is very smart." Said Rom.
"Yeah, but what really matters, is that he's cool, like us!" said Ram to her sister.
"I don't know how he would feel about being compared to you two." Said Blanc.
"Oh, Lelouch was always looking after Rom and Ram on our journey, so don't worry, he may not look like it, but he's a really good person." Nepgear said.
"Though, his methods of showing his kindness aren't really praise worthy." Added Uni.
"Yeah, you're probably right." Said Nepgear, and the two girls started to laugh.
The rest of the day was uneventful for Lelouch, as he was in his room reading a few books he had gotten from the Basilicom library. Then someone knocked on the door.
"It's open." Lelouch said, as the door opened revealing the whole bunch of CPUs and CPU Candidates to be gathered in front of his room.
"Uh, what seems to be the problem?" Lelouch asked confused at the situation.
"Well, aren't you coming to the party we are having for a coming back?" asked Nepgear.
"I don't think that my presence is required there." Lelouch answered not taking his eyes away from the book.
"What?! You'll miss out on a party?! Well, since it's come to this, I'll just make you attend!" said Neptune. "I, Neptune, as CPU of this nation order you to come have fun with everyone."
"And what makes you think I'll comply to such a stupid order?" answered Lelouch.
"Come on, already!" Neptune was getting annoyed by the boy's attitude and took his book from his hands.
"Hey, give that back!" He said, now irritated.
"Hahaha! If you want this book so bad you'll have to catch me first!" said Neptune as she dashed off.
"Why you!" Lelouch had run up to where the girl was standing only to see where she had flown off to.
He sighed.
"That girl, she has no manners at all." Said Vert, ashamed that she was sharing a title with Neptune.
"It makes you wonder, how is she even a CPU." Added Blanc.
"I'm so sorry." Nepgear started to apologize left and right, frantically.
"Why do you not want to come Mister Lelouch?" asked Rom in her usual quiet tone.
Lelouch was seriously hoping that none of the twins, would say anything, because he would then look as if he didn't want spend time with anybody, making him out a jerk. His hopes were shattered when Rom asked him the question and pushed him into a corner.
"I guess I'll come." He said reluctantly.
"Yay!" Rom and Ram both were overjoyed and everyone went over to the living room.
"There you are. I knew you couldn't resist my charm." Neptune joked at the boy.
"Yes, I was captivated by a little girl with no actual appeal whatsoever." Continued the joke Lelouch, turning it around.
"Oof, that hurt. You won't be saying that when I transform." Said Neptune as she turned into her HDD form.
"How about now, is this the appeal you were looking for?" joked Purple Heart.
Lelouch blushed and ignored her, knowing that he couldn't win this conversation over to his side without sounding like a prick.
Neptune transformed back.
"Hah, I got you." She said laughing at him.
"Neptune, you're really lame sometimes, you know that?" said Noire.
"Heavens, you two, if Lelouch was looking for appeal he would've turned to me first." Said Vert hugging Lelouch.
The boy quickly turned red as a tomato and pried himself free from the woman's grip and put some distance between them.
"What do you think you're doing thundertits!" yelled out Blanc, furious.
"Oh my, I didn't expect you to be so insecure." Said Vert towards Lelouch.
"Please, don't ever do that again." He said, his face red like a tomato.
"Hahaha!" Neptune laughed at him.
The day passed, Lelouch tired from having to deal with the whims of all the girls, went to get some sleep. He was interrupted by Uni and Nepgear, who entered his room.
"What is it, you two?" asked the boy.
"Well, Uni said that she wanted to ask you something. I am just company" said Nepgear.
"Yeah, about that, um… Can you, um, teach me how to play chess sometime?" asked the girl blushing.
"Of course, there is no problem for me to do so." Replied the boy.
The two girls sat on his bed while he was on a chair next to a desk.
"I'm sorry for how my sister acted today." Apologized Nepgear.
"Don't worry, it's not you who's at fault." Said Lelouch.
"Lelouch, why do you refrain from befriending our sisters?" asked Uni, who had noticed his behavior.
"Well, that's a tough question." Lelouch said, as he paused to think for a bit. "They aren't bad people, it's just that, how should I say it, this whole life style doesn't seem to be my thing."
"Oh, you're still concerned about your amnesia?" asked Nepgear.
"Yes and I get the feeling that if I just sit around and do nothing, I will never know the truth." He said.
"Sorry if we are holding you back." Said Uni a little saddened.
Lelouch smiled at her.
"It's no one's fault but mine. I decided to help you, so that's that. It was my choice to make." Lelouch said.
"I guess it's hard for you to display your true self in front of others." Said Nepgear.
"I don't even know, how you two managed to get so intimate with me, without me even noticing it." Said the boy smiling at the girls.
"Well, you can't always be on your own. Everyone needs someone they can trust, so I hope you try to make friends with everyone, ok?" said Nepgear happy, that she gave out some advice.
"Yeah, besides, we're all gonna beat up ASIC, together!" said Uni pumped up.
"You're right. Maybe I'm just thinking too much on things. I'll try to make a better impression of myself tomorrow if that answer satisfies you." Said Lelouch.
"Ok, sorry for taking your time. Good night." Said Nepgear as she bowed her head.
"Good night." Added Uni.
The two girls left. Lelouch lied down on his bed and began to think.
"Make friends, huh? I can't believe I allowed those girls to get to know me. Still It doesn't feel bad to have someone to talk to every now and then. Maybe I'll try to act a little more sociable." Thought the boy, as he fell asleep.
On the next day when he woke up, he felt like there was something strange. This feeling further deepened when he saw Histoire make a shocked face at him when bumping into him.
"What's the matter?" asked Lelouch.
"Um, I don't know how to tell you this, but I believe it's best you look at yourself in a mirror." Replied the oracle nervously.
"Hmm? Why what's…" Lelouch stopped mid-sentence when he looked in the mirror.
His face was drawn on with marker. He was drawn a beard and a moustache with an eye goggle. Right then he felt that if he was a volcano, everything would be covered in lava, as his rage was unleashed.
"How dare they!" He yelled, as he started to wipe the marker off of his face, with no effect whatsoever.
"I suggest you go and take a bath." Said Histoire.
"Yes, I shall. Could you do me a favor and gather the ones responsible, though I already have an idea of who it is." The boy said, as he went for the bathroom.
He entered the shower, and started to wash himself. When he finished, he came out with a towel covering his waist. Lelouch dried himself and put on his clothes. However, when he reached for his shirt and trench coat, they were nowhere to be found. He quickly realized what was going on and stormed in the room where everyone had gathered, dressed only in his jeans and boots.
"Why are you running around topless, you perv!" yelled Noire, who couldn't help but look at the boy's physique. He wasn't anything special, though it was clear that he had some muscle on him.
He ignored the comment and looked around the room. He then caught sight of the thief, as he saw Neptune wearing his clothes over her own imitating him.
"So it was you!" he yelled.
"Yeah, and what if I am. Don't you dare speak to me in a way like that." Neptune said imitating his voice poorly.
Leloich became very frustrated at the girl and caught her by the hair before she could run away.
"If you don't stop with these stupid childish pranks, I'm going to make sure you regret making fun of me." he said, pulling on her hair.
"Owowow! Stop it!" Neptune said, as she started pulling his hair too.
They're childish fighting was interrupted when Nepgear entered the room.
"Goodness, what are you two doing, stop!" she yelled.
The two released each other reluctantly.
"Now apologize to each other and make up." Said Nepgear.
"I'm sorry, now can I receive my clothes back." Said Lelouch with a sigh.
"It didn't feel very honest." Said Neptune, at which Lelouch became very angry.
"Neptune!" scolded her Nepgear.
"Ok, ok. I'm sorry, I was just trying to make everything a little less serious, you didn't have to get so worked up about it." She said, handing back Lelouch's clothes.
Lelouch put on his clothes, while being embarrassed of the way he had acted.
"C'mon live a little, you can't just live with some high standards and what not. Otherwise you'll end up friendless like Noire over there." Neptune said trying to cheer him up.
"I-I do have a friend!" she yelled in response.
"Oh really, what's his or her name, then?" asked Neptune.
Noire was at a loss for words and was looking for a way to get out of the situation.
"You know that Uni doesn't count, right." Said Neptune smirking.
"I-I know that!" Noire said nervous.
Lelouch noticed the flow of the conversation and decided to get back at Neptune.
"Well then since you have so many friends, name one." He said to Neptune.
"But of course, none other than my best buds Iffy and Compa." Said Neptune, triumphantly.
"Well then, Miss Noire over there has friends too." Said Lelouch.
"She does?!" asked Neptune shocked.
"I do?!" Noire was shocked too.
Lelouch went up to the tsundere in question.
"I look forward to our partnership." He said smiling at the girl.
Neptune's jaw dropped.
"W-Well, since you want to be friends with me so badly, I guess I'll allow it." Replied Noire nervously.
"I see how it is. You've taken Lonely Heart's side, have you. Well you are kindred spirits after all." Joked Neptune.
"Stop calling me that!" said Noire.
"Hmph." Grunted Lelouch further antagonizing Neptune.
Everyone started to laugh at the unfolding scene, however before the conversation could continue any further a huge earthquake was felt by everybody.
"What was that?" asked Nepgear.
And then, right on cue, entered Histoire.
"We have a huge emergency, everyone!" she yelled, worried.
"Stop frantin' and spill the beans Histy." Said Neptune.
"The quake we just felt came from the Gamindustri Graveyard. I want you to go there and investigate." Said the oracle.
"We're on it, Histoire." Said Noire.
"Wait, maybe it's best if only we went?" said Nepgear, referring to herself and the other candidates.
"Wow, Nep Jr. what's up with the sudden burst of courage." Said Neptune intrigued at her minor's change of attitude.
"Well, all of you just returned from that place and haven't fully recovered. So it would be for the better if only we went to investigate?" explained Nepgear.
"I agree with Nepgear, you four will stay here for now." Added histoire.
"Okay, but if anything happens we're going in." said Noire.
"Good, I will proceed to teleport you to the location." Said Histoire, encasing the group of people in light.
Everyone found themselves in a sadly familiar spot. They were back at the graveyard.
"Oof, this place never stops giving me the creeps." Complained IF.
"What is that!?" said Uni, shocked at the sight she was witnessing.
The rest turned around, only to see their favorite rat, with the only difference being that it was now the size of a building.
"It's a huge Mister Mouse!" said Compa.
"CHUUUU!" Roared the giant creature.
"What is this sudden surge of growth, mice shouldn't be capable of such feats?!" said 5pb terrified.
"Watch out!" yelled Lelouch, as he tackled Nepgear and IF away from the thing, just as it was about to squash them.
"Thank you, Lelouch." Said Nepgear standing up.
"Wouldn't want to see you as part of the concrete, now would I?" Lelouch decided to make a joke.
"I appreciate your effort, but this isn't the time." Said IF, referring to the boy's poor sense of humor.
"How did it get that big?" asked Ram.
"Look, everyone. It's heading straight for Gamindustri." Nepgear said worried.
"You're kidding. If our nations get attacked by a giant mutant rat, it's going to be a disaster!" said Uni.
"In that case, we'll have to simply put an end to that rodent." Said Lelouch drawing his revolver.
"You will do no such thing." Came the voice of a woman.
Everyone turned their attention to the voice. It was a tall woman with grey skin and long dark pink hair, wearing some type of skimpy armor with the rest of it levitating around her. She had a huge scythe in her hand.
"Y-You!" Nepgear instantly recognized, the person who had beaten her and the CPUs and imprisoned them.
"Wait, do you know her?" asked Uni.
"My sister, the CPUs and I fought against her and lost." Said Nepgear worried.
"To this one person?!" Uni was too shocked to believe such a thing.
"Then we gotta beat her up and avenge our lost sister!" said Ram.
"Blanc is okay… she's not dead." Said Rom, correcting her twin.
"The CPU Candidates, correct? You have been quite meddlesome, but that ends today." Said the woman. "The creature you just saw holds within it a fragment of our revived goddess, the Deity of Sin."
Lelouch received another headache, cursing in his mind for the bad timing.
"Oh, really? Then I guess that only confirms further our decision to stop it." Said IF.
"Yep! Please move out of our way Miss Scary Bully of CPUs." Said Compa.
"If you don't, we'll have to beat you up!" threatened Red.
"Empty, meaningless threats… Surely this one here knows that you have no chance of winning against me." Said the woman, looking at Nepgear.
"We can defeat you!" said Nepgear, full of courage.
"Oh?" The woman was intrigued by the change of attitude.
"We're not the same as before. We can beat you!" said Nepgear, as she and the other CPU Candidates transformed into HDD.
"Do you think what you're saying makes you sound brave? Foolishness. You won't leave here alive." Said the woman, as she took a swing at them with her scythe, sending all of the girls to the ground.
Lelouch finally managed to free himself from the headache, but he found himself face to face with the unknown enemy.
"Though that said, I have a special offer, just for you." She said.
"My name is CFW Magic, leader of the Four Felons." Magic introduced herself, to Lelouch who was in a stalemate unable to do anything.
"What is it that you want with me?" said Lelouch, nervous knowing that the slightest wrong move could end in him lying dead on the ground.
"I've taken an interest in you, so I extend to you the offer of joining the Four Felons. There is a free spot after all." Magic said with a smile, referring to the death of Judge.
"You expect me to answer you just like that?" Lelouch said shocked from Magic's words.
"No, I'll give you time to think about it. However I suggest you hurry it up, time is running out, you know." Said Magic playfully touching the confused boy's face. "I look forward to the time when you give me your answer."
"Now then, if you'll excuse me, I have to deal with those pesky little girls." She said turning towards the girls lying on the ground in pain.
Lelouch was in a state of paralysis. He was so shook up, by what he was told, that he just stood there. But it wasn't just that, he was feeling something, something clenching his heart, as if telling him that he is doing something wrong.
"Let's resume where we left off, shall we?" Magic said preparing to take another swing with her scythe at the girls.
"No!" cried Nepgear.
"It's not over yet." Came a familiar voice.
Neptune, in her HDD, parried Magic's attack with her sword. She was accompanied by the other CPUs, in their HDD as well.
"Neptune!" Nepgear cried out.
"You'll be fine Nep Jr." said the older sister.
"Ah, the CPUs themselves. You should have remained in your prison of slumber." Said Magic.
"Sucks for you, but it's not really my thing to accept defeat!" said Noire.
"Plus, we are here to pay you back for what you put us through." Said Vert.
"Screw these intros! She's mine!" yelled Blanc, as she charged at Magic.
They then proceeded to fight with Magic, as the fallen girls got on their feet. Lelouch meanwhile had collapsed on the ground, from the pain in his chest.
"Compa, go and check up on Lelouch!" said IF.
"On it, Iffy!" replied the nurse.
"What was that all about?" asked Uni, concerned of what Magic told Lelouch.
"Beats me, right now we have a more important job." Said IF, turning to the fight.
"Lelouch…" Nepgear and the others were worried about him.
The CPUs managed to push Magic back, though barely.
"Interesting. If you wish to cling onto life that desperately, I will allow it… for now." Said Magic.
"Wow, gee, thanks. You're trying to sound cool, but you're just running away, aren't you?" Noire, tried to provoke the CFW.
"No. Destroying the CPUs is not a part of my mission. That pleasure belongs to our goddess." Magic replied. "Besides, you stopping even a fragment of her power is the greatest farce of our time."
"She's right, we don't have time to fight her!" said Red.
"The big rat is on its way to Gamindustri!" said 5pb.
"Big rat? You mean to say that a portion of the Deity of Sin's power is within it?" asked Neptune.
"The choice is yours. I will oblige if you want to grovel before me in pain again." Said Magic.
"Grr! You're still the best at pissin' me of, you know that? Get your rotten face outta my sight!" said Blanc.
Magic disappeared off to somewhere.
"She's gone." Said Neptune.
"Maybe now isn't the time to settle the score with her. Well, anyway…" Noire and the others turned to their comrades.
"Are all of you alright?" asked Vert.
"Yes, we're fine." Said Nepgear.
The CPUs transformed back in their human forms.
"We should head back and formulate a plan of action." Said Vert.
"Yes, the sooner we get back, the sooner we can get rid of that rat." Said Blanc.
"Yeah, this form feels the best, now doubt 'bout that." Neptune, was as away from the tension as always.
"Please try to maintain a regal air, would you? Human form or not, we're still CPUs." Noire complained about Neptune's attitude.
"What's his deal?" asked Blanc, noticing that Lelouch was unconscious.
"Lu- Lu is out, period. We need to get him back to the Basilicom." Said Compa, worried at the boy's condition.
"Meh, don't feel like it." Joked Neptune.
"Nep- Nep, you're being mean to Lu- Lu! He was trying his best to make friends with you all, too." Scolded her Compa.
"Heavens, that was making friends? It felt more like political negotiations." Said Vert, surprised a bit.
"Well, I guess no one is perfect." Said Blanc.
"What's up Noire, feel like helping out your passed out friend?" joked Neptune, at which she received some glares.
"I'll… stop. I should probably apologize to him when he wakes up, too." Said Neptune, feeling a little down about the way she had acted towards the boy.
"As a matter of fact Neptune, I will!" said Noire, stubbornly. "Uni, come and give me a hand."
"Right." The younger sibling went over to her sister, to help her and Compa carry the boy.
"Ugh, he's so heavyyy. He wasn't this heavy when we rescued him." Said Compa crumbling under the weight, only for IF to come and lend a hand.
"Yeah. If you've noticed, you're now the only one that complains about running." Said IF to her friend. "I guess he's been trying to get in better shape."
"Huh? He's been training?" said Nepgear surprised.
"Yeah, what do you think he was doing when he was alone?" asked Uni.
"I don't know, I thought he was reading books all day. I didn't think that he was so serious about helping us." Said Nepgear, a little ashamed.
"Yeah, I'm surprised too, considering how he was when we first set off." Said IF remembering the boy's constant whining.
"That just goes to show, that he considers you very good friends and doesn't want to let you down." Said Vert with a smile.
"Mister Lelouch is a nice person." Said Rom.
"Yeah." Added Ram.
Both girls received a hug from Blanc, as she was surprised that they had gotten attached to the mysterious boy.
A light then engulfed them and transported them back to the Palneptune Basilicom.
There are a lot of things to say, right now. First, you'll be probably thinking that i'm pairing up Lelouch with Noire. Though that may be the case, since Noire is my second favorite CPU (my first is Iris Heart *wink, wink*), it will probably happen, but very slow. Second, Neptune's character probably came across as a jackass, so i intend to fix that with a few events later on. Third, i intend to make all CPUs interested in him, though in due time. And finally fourth, regarding the CPU Candidates, i think that he has a good relationship with Rom and Ram, and as for Nepgear and Uni, i may try to make them have something like a crush on him. I apologize again for this chapter, if you believe it was poorly written, though i think it tuned out ok. If you do, please share your thoughts, that way i may figure out a way to prevent this from happening. Well, enough self loathing from me. Once again i remind you that i'll be gone this Friday and Saturday, so there won't be any new chapters for a while. Thank you for everything and i hope you have a great day :).