There sat a tree on Leanbox that provided fine shade for tired venturers. When the sun blazed on the mortals below, this tree offered a safe haven for those with no roof over their heads. Today, however, no mere citizen slept under this tree. No, this sleeping figure was no stranger to the heroines of this tale...
Linda, aptly coined Underling by our protagonists, was among the last remaining remnants of ASIC, the Arfoire Syndicate of International Crime. The radical organization had been reduced to ashes after the Almighty Deity of Sin had been destroyed by our maidens. However, Underling continued to uphold their legacy, though probably only because she was too lazy to acquire any other skills.
Anyways, she would soon be awoken by a voice from her past. A voice that she would never forget. Perhaps, even, a voice she never wanted to forget...
... However, this takes place right before said voice would arrive.
... WHAT!?
"Oh, my precious, beautiful Linda... How peaceful you look when you sleep~" Cooed a young woman who was petting the head of the sleeping ASIC member.
... Ugh... It's that mysterious brown-haired young woman again. Why do these scenes keep creeping into the beginnings of these chapters? Here we are at the grand(as if) finale(again, as if), and she's still making confusing appearances...
... Wait, do you know more about her than I do?
... Whatever the case may be, 'Cerise' continued to disturbingly run her hands through the sleeping Linda's hair. What the...?
"... Sleep well, dearly beloved... Once that fool of a Deity has had her fun, I'll finally be able to step in... At long last, I can show you my true face... and we can be together forever~!"
This... is getting really disturbing... She sounds... unhinged...
The brown-haired young woman lightly kissed Underling's cheek, and stood back up. "I'd better be off; She'll be here soon, taking the visage of a horrible woman you think you love... It pains me to say, but she and I share that similar ability: Taking the forms of the 'departed'... But that's the only affinity we have in common..." She gazed dreamily down at the slumbering ASIC member, and smiled. "...In due time, you will finally be mine, Linda... We can finally enjoy our love in peace... All that's left to do is to tie up that disgusting loose end... She may have restored me to this world, but I owe her nothing; I shall remove her just as swiftly as she raised me back from nothingness..."
... This girl... Just what the hell is she talking about!? Oh dear... She's a complete nutcase!
... Um... And why does she care so much about Linda? I doubt Underling even knows who this woman is...
Again... do you know the answer? What did I miss?
... Before the crazed woman left the area, she turned to take one more look at the ASIC member. "I love you, Linda... and I'll be back to see you soon... I will finally claim your lips for my own... Oh, teehee, I'd better activate your dream sequence, huh? That will get the readers riled up..." And... now she's gone; vanished as if she was never there in the first place...
... Was she ever there? Am I going crazy?... Oh, who gives a shit at this point?
What's this now?
...
"Look baby... Isn't it beautiful?"
A woman with short light-purple hair, no older than 23 years of age, watched the sunset with a small child by her side.
"Wow... The sky's on fire, mommy!" The young girl also had purple hair, though much longer than her mother's. She couldn't have been more than five years old.
"Hehe... That's not fire, baby... That's heaven."
"Heaven?"
The mother, tired wrinkles already beginning to distort her youthful face, smiled down at her innocent daughter. "Yes, baby... Heaven. See how the sun is making the clouds shine?"
"Yeah, I see 'em!"
"That's it. That's heaven, baby... All good girls go there one day."
The child looked up at the woman with wide and expectant eyes. "Am I a good girl, mommy?" The mother could only giggle.
"Of course you are, baby... You're the best daughter a mom could ever ask for..." The mother, whose young face looked as weathered as a middle-aged woman's, held the child close, and smiled up at the brilliantly orange sky. "...I just know you're going to find happiness... And then, when the time comes, you'll be in heaven with everyone you love... You'll be with your loved ones forever, in Paradise."
The little girl hugged her mom tight. "Will you go to heaven too, mommy?"
The short-haired woman pat the girl's head softly, and hesitated for a moment. Her thoughts seemed to stray to dark memories; to all her past mistakes. After the things she'd seen, the things she'd done... she could never be considered a 'good girl'...
"... Yes, baby... When the day does arrive, I will be waiting for you there... We will be together for all eternity..."
It is such a painful feeling, lying to your child. Heaven was out of reach for this mother, you see. It wasn't too late for her daughter, though... was it?
The young child, too naïve to notice her mother's pain, nodded contentedly. Within a few minutes, she had fallen fast asleep.
"... My lovely Nepgeo... I wish I could do so much more..."
...
FAREWELL TO... FRIENDS
(LASTATION- THE EVE OF THE WAR)
"Lindy... I don't want you to go."
Nepgeo and Underling were standing on the balcony to their current hotel room, watching the glorious sunset.
"I'm sorry, Geo, but I have to do this... But hey, this isn't goodbye! Don't get all mopey like that."
The imposter shook her head. "No, you don't have to do this! I don't like it... Something doesn't feel right."
The villain smirked, and held the girl close. "What's gotten into ya? You're usually so bubbly and crazy and shit... I'm just gonna be gone for one day! I'll be back before ya know it."
What... exactly is going on? This scene obviously takes place at the same time as the party at S.R.A.T.S... What, is today just monumentally important, or something?
Perhaps we've started too late; let's rewind a bit, shall we? Maybe that will shed a little light on what the hell is going on...
But... hmm, how far back does this script want us to go? Guess before we establish this present scene, we gotta answer the most pressing question of all: er, what else happened on the morning after the incident at the game expo?
... What? That's still a freakin' question!? C'mon, it's been a year already! Can't we just get BEYOND Much Ado About Nothing!?
*sigh* Well, if it gets us to the ending sooner, we might as well suck it up... Not like I can go anywhere else, anyways...
So let's go back in time; before the 'winter tales,' and the 'blitz tactics,' and even the dynamic duo's date...
We're going back to the day after Much Ado About Nothing... We're going back to Chapter One...
THE ALCHEMIST AND THE HEROINE
We return to the familiar scene from so long ago: Nisa and Gust, sharing both a bed and confused, mangled emotions.
For those that don't remember the very first chapter, the heroine and the alchemist had awoken to find themselves in a most... compromising position. One thing led to another, and, well... they had agreed to 'replicate' the 'mistake'... Oh, who am I kidding; we're all adults, right? The two had screwed each other while under the influence of alcohol, and then they screwed the next morning... while fully sober. Now, the big question remains: is Gust of legal age?
... Wait, no, that's not it... frighteningly... T-The big question remains: what does this mean for their friendship?
Maybe we'll find out right now... or, maybe we'll never find out...
...
Anyways, the two lay side-by-side, finally recovering from their most recent, er, tryst? The video that had made them quite amorous continued to play, the two lovers on the screen apparently ready to... f-finish.
Nisa was the first to speak, though she now felt an overwhelming sensation of shame. "... S-So, um... W-What do you want to do today, my f-faithful ssssssidekick?"
The alchemist had her face pressed into her pillow. "Die. Wouldn't mind dying." Shame is a group venture.
The heroine blushed some more, but rolled over to face her friend. "Gusty... W-We didn't go too far, did we? You don't... hate me, do you?"
The small girl didn't move. "... Not Nisa's fault. Gust... wanted this."
"... So did I..."
The two were silent again, most likely re-evaluating their relationship. They had both clearly wanted... no, NEEDED this, so then why did it feel so... wrong? Confusing?
Whatever the case may be, the silence was broken by the... sounds from the TV. Um, it'd be way too embarrassing to say those sounds out-loud... M-Maybe I should just listen and tell you the, er, proper nouns I hear? The script says that this is very important...
Yep, yep... right now, just gasps and u-unsanitary language... This is awkward...
...
Oh, thank heavens, Nisa is gonna speak up!
"G-Gusty... W-What exactly is this vvvvvideo? H-How'd you find it?"
The alchemist lifted her head from the fluffy pillow and gazed embarrassingly+ at the screen. "G-Gust was channel-surfing for something to watch, and found free... naughty channels. Gave me inspiration..." Well, at least she's honest.
"I-I see... W-What is the name of this video, then? N-N-Not that I really care, but..." Nisa, you're not a tsundere. Don't confuse the audience!
"Hmm... 'Love Hotel Voye...age?' maybe? Don't remember." I think that title's wrong... b-but I'm no expert or anything!
The heroine bashfully nodded, entranced by the two girls on the screen. They had been going at it for hours now! One woman with spiky chest-length hair appeared to be using... a familiar censored object on another woman with billowing long hair. Huh...
"Oh my... This is way too lewd..." Nisa mumbled, shielding both her's and Gust's innocent eyes.
"H-Hey! Uncover Gust's eyes at once!"
The girls on the screen approached the grand finale, and... I'm not gonna say it was marvelous! N-Not at all!
They slowly steadied their breathing as they held each other close. Finally, they spoke actual words!
"That was amazing... I love you, Lindy."
"Heh... heh... Got revenge on ya!... That was fun." U-Uh oh...
While Gust didn't catch it right away, Nisa sure did. "L-Lindy?... U-Underling!?"
The alchemist eyed her friend strangely. "What about Underling?" She then looked closely at the two girls on the screen... She noticed the oddly colored skin and the spiked hair, which was green if she looked close enough... "Oh no..."
The two friends exchanged worried glances and screamed.
At long last, Underling returned to her room with a sandwich. "Hey, I'm back... Man, it took FOREVER to find this."
Nepgeo, quite nude, rested on her stomach while facing the foot of the bed, flicking through television channels. "Yo, Lindy, this place has some awesome videos! Look: 'Shizuma-sama's All-Girl Panic!', 'Kagami's Otaku Awakening', 'Kumakura Mariko: Friendship, or...', and 'Love Hotel Voyeur Room #13!' I'm in heaven!" Did you understand all that?
The villain sighed and placed the sandwich down on the bed. "That last one sounded kinda different from the rest... W-Wait, why are you even looking at those?"
The imposter flashed a playful grin. "Just scoutin' for something naughty to watch tonight~"
"... Why'd I even ask?" she sighed before hopping down next to her new lover. "Well, I better have a say in what type of perverted thing we watch... Let's see here." And the two became caught up in flicking through those... ahum, 'interesting' channels... for the moment.
A knock on the door snapped them out of their trance.
Linda immediately leapt up and pressed her back against the wall to the right of the door. "Hm? Yeah, who the hell is it?"
"Underling... Is that you? So this is the right room..."
"Flatty? How'd you...? Ah, whaddya want?" No answer after a few seconds, so the ASIC member rolled her eyes and opened the door to her room. "W-What the!?" She was immediately greeted with the sight of Nisa and Gust clad only in towels... I-I'm not staring!
In the background, the still-nude Nepgeo jumped onto her feet and dashed over to the visitors. "Hello~! Wow, Lindy, who are these cuties? Wait... you're Nisa, from that mind-screw yesterday! Howdy again!" Then, her eyes were drawn to the blushing alchemist, and she wiggled her fingers at her suggestively.
Underling sighed. "These are two of the brats who are always givin' me trouble... Um, so, why are you guys naked?"
The heroine's face was entirely red, and she thought of a way to properly deliver her qualms... Apparently, her best idea was to pull the villain close and whisper suddenly in her ear. "M-Me and little Gusty did... IT again..."
"W-W-W-Why are ya pullin' me so close!? A-And what the hell do I care about yer love life!? That's gross!"
But Nisa refused to back down. "That's not everything, Underlingy..."
Linda, blushing herself, could only shake her head. "Crap... W-Well, what else?"
In case you're curious, Nepgeo had begun introducing herself to the small girl during the confusion. "So, I'm Nepgeo! What's your name, cutie-pie?"
"Name is... Gust... Why are you staring so hard?"
"Teehee... because you're such a cutie, darling! Mmhmm, delectable lookin', too!"
"W-What does that mean? What do you want from Gust!?" Wacky shenanigans shall ensue, I bet.
Anyways, Nisa blurted out the first thing that came to mind: "Me and Gusty did naughty things... while watching a video of YOU, Underling!" The truth came out!
The ASIC member was clearly thrilled by this revelation, and wanted to kiss the heroine right then and there! "... WHAT!?" Haha, sorry, I lied; the tale, once fully sunk in, made her want to puke. "W-What video!?" She quickly turned to yell at Nepgeo. "D-Do you know anything about this!?"
The imposter, lovingly stroking Gust's hair, thought for a moment. "A video of you, Lindy? Kinky... I didn't know you were an actress... and in THAT industry..." The girl continued thinking, bringing her finger to her chin. "Hmm... No, that can't be it; wasn't I your first? Hehe... besides Magic, of course~"
"S-Shut up! I ain't never been on no video before!" What grammar was that? Guess the beta's not doing his job.
The heroine of justice glanced cautiously at her sidekick, who simply looked down at the floor. "Actually... it was a video of you two, t-together..." Underling and Nepgeo looked at each other, eyebrows effectively raised. "Little Gusty was channel-surfing, and found a movie entitled: 'Love Hotel Voyeur Room #4.' Um... it was one of THOSE types of films..."
This certainly caught the purple-haired imposter's attention. "Me and Lindy...? Oh damn, that IS our room number! There's a camera in our room!?" The flirtatious girl had a sudden thought, and quickly dashed back into her room and plopped right onto her bed... Er, isn't she going to look for the camera? Why's she flicking the remote...?
Linda went to question the same thing. "Geo, what are you-"
"Awesome!" she interrupted, her eyes literally stars. "Nisey and lil-cutie there, what's your room number?"
The heroine's eyes were confused dots. "R-Room number? T-Thirteen... why?"
"Heh heh... no reason~..." What's she planning...? She has her full attention on that television scr... Wait! Wasn't one of those movies called "Love Hotel Voyeur Room #13!?" Nisa and Gust watched "Room #4"... !?
It seems Gust came to the same conclusion as I just did. "Wait, so Gust and Nisa saw movie of Underling and Perv on TV... Put down remote!"
Too late; the imposter-Nepgear turned on the movie, cranked up the volume, and out from the speakers came these familiar words:
"Ooh! Don't hog it all, dear sidekicky! Give me some, Gusty! Give it to me~"
Nepgeo's tender mouth quickly twisted into an indiscernible smirk, and she eyed the embarrassed heroine with pride. Nisa and Gust, again, responded only with shamed red faces.
"Please give it to me, Gusty~"
Underling was too shocked to react, so she simply stared at the television screen from the door.
"Oh, Gust will give it to you, all right..."
...
Not only was this scene that followed explicit, but it showed the two "actresses" exactly what transpired the night before.
Nisa and Gust shared another troubled glance for a moment, and then began screaming again as they fled back to their room. Linda, also somewhat shaken to the core, ran off after them, not quite sure where she was headed.
And in the room, Nepgeo continued smiling. "Heh heh... I need ta record this! There should be a blank VHS tape lying around here somewhere; just gotta be!" She grabbed her sandwich, took a hefty bite, and began her search!
...
And that, dear readers, was the spark that brought the two heroines and the 'villainous duo' together...
THE ALCHEMIST AND THE HEROINE: END...?
...
Nepgeo would forever reflect on those days fondly... With Nisa, Gust, and Linda by her side, she had known happiness the likes of which she had never felt before. Now, the mere thought that everything was going to... CHANGE... well, that scared her more than anything. All the good times they've had... were those days long gone? Were they all destined to go their separate ways?
Would she be left alone... again?
As the sunset continued, Linda couldn't help but notice her girlfriend's dark demeanor. "Geo..."
"... Don't leave me, Lindy... I want to stay with you and Nisey and little Gusty f-forever... Please don't abandon me!"
It was the weakest the villain had ever seen the imposter... Well, second-weakest. Why was Nepgeo so horrified of Linda going away for a day or two? What bad could possibly happen in that short amount of time?
"This is important, Geo... I mean, it's not everyday ya get a letter outta nowhere from HIM..." Underling looked to the sinking sun, her brows furrowed with determination. "I promised her I'd do this... I need to save her, you know that!"
The fake Nepgear still disapproved. "Not like this! There's something fishy about all this, can't ya feel it? It's just... wrong."
"What's so fishy about it? He saved our lives before, so why shouldn't I trust him?"
"That's... That's not the point!" But the imposter really didn't know what the point was. Her head was a garbled mess of confused emotions right now. Linda couldn't leave... She just couldn't!
...Hm, but what is this letter they're talking about? And who sent it? A mystery indeed...
Well, let's find out, shall we?
PARADISE...
(A few hours before sunset)
"Shit, where the hell is he?"
Underling was frantically pacing back and forth in the hotel's lobby, clearly distressed. The attendant looked at her curiously, but said nothing. Yeah, thanks.
"C'mon, ya stinkin' rat... Don't do this..." Hm? Ah, I see...
Nisa chose that moment to make her, uh, grand entrance. "Ah, why, hello there Underlingy! What seems to be ailing you?"
The green-haired woman hastily attempted to hide her concern. "H-Huh? A-Ailing me? N-Nuthin' at all, nope! I'mma fine and dandy, you bet!"
The heroine... wasn't an idiot. "C'mon, Lindy, don't be like that! As a heroine of justice, it is my duty to help those in need, and that includes you too!" We've covered this already many, many times.
"... Crap... Fine, guess it wouldn't hurt..." Linda ran her hand across her face. "The rat's missing. I haven't seen him in days... He usually keeps to himself and stays hidden, but I feed him every morning anyways, and he hasn't been takin' his food at all... No clue where he coulda gone."
Nisa nodded at the perplexing tale. "I forgot Mr. Mouse was still part of our group." Is it her fault for not knowing, or the author's fault for not giving Pirachu more than a few brief mentions throughout this story? "Well, I shall help you find him! Though... we won't get very far with such little info to go by... But no worries!"
The villain couldn't help but smile. "Thanks Flatty..."
"Don't mention it, Lindy!"
So, the 'dynamic duo' vowed to scour around in the hopes of finding ASIC's... no, Gamindustri's self-proclaimed mascot.
... But the search, as you've probably guessed, was ill-fated from the start. As it stood, Pirachu was in no position to be found by his allies... as he was currently kidnapped... Or, er, rat-napped... Yeah, that's not a cliché joke in this day and age...
Fortune was on their side, though!... Kinda.
It was about half an hour later when Nepgeo got out of bed and heard a tapping on the glass door to the hotel room's balcony. "Hm? Lindy, that you? Ah, or maybe Gusty's sneaking in~?" The girl quickly put on her underwear (does this count as fanservice?) and tiptoed over. "Come on i... huh?"
On the other side of the door, the imposter was greeted to the sight of... well, nobody. Could it have just been the wind?
But no, it wasn't the wind... Tied to the balcony itself was a single sheet of paper, with a ton of words clearly written by a delicate hand. "What in the heck? Is this... a prank or sumthin'?" That second, a cold chill went down Nepgeo's spine; a horrible sensation, but she couldn't exactly piece together why.
Now anxious for some reason, she yanked the note out of its bindings and skimmed through the text. It was cryptically for Linda, which was odd in itself, and spoke of some problematic subjects... but perhaps the strangest point of all was who the hell sent it...
... Ah hell, the script's not gonna tell us who wrote it yet... Come on!
*sigh* Who gives a shit...
The purple-haired imposter's eyes widened. "L-Lindy!"
Frustrated, the villain kicked a nearby wall, and cursed as she rubbed her now-pained foot. Nisa's shoulders drooped in disappointment. "Not a single sign... What an elusive mouse!"
"Shit, now I'm wor-" Underling stopped herself before she could finish; why would she ever be worried about the rat?
The heroine slapped the ASIC member on the back. "Perk up, Lingy! I-I know he's fine!"
Ah, and here comes the alchemist. "No rat in bathrooms either. We should give up."
"Hmm... What do you think, Underlingy?"
Linda was silent, unable to come up with an answer. 'Damn that rat... Where'd his stupid ass go?'
"Lindy!" A voice suddenly came from nowhere, snapping the villain out of her confused thoughts. "Lindy! I found... a strange letter... It's for you..."
Underling cocked her head to the side. "A l-letter? Lemme see..." Her eyes proceeded to scan the note. The mysterious words, whatever they said, clearly had an instantaneous effect on her, and her brows furrowed. "... The rat's been kidnapped."
Nisa was (guess) shocked. "K-Kidnapped? What vile wretch would stoop to such low heights?" She looked in bewilderment at Gust, who simply shrugged.
That wasn't all the info the letter had to share, however. "Says here that he's captured by three idiots... I think that's what he means, at least... The hell? There's a rebellion going on? When the hell'd that happen? Well, the ringleaders of that have him." She looked up at her party members. "Guys... May I use your... help? Man, that sounds corny... But I need ya guys."
Gust recoiled for a moment, bothered by Underling's sudden vulnerability. The alchemist, a pro at hiding her true feelings after this year together, put on an unusual smile. "How can Gust be of service, Underling?"
The villain was earnestly surprised, her face reddening a slight bit. Before she could recuperate, the heroine jumped in as well. "I am always willing to fight for you! What is your request, Lingy?"
Even Nepgeo, despite being shaken to the core by the contents of the letter, nodded. "... Well, I can't be one-upped by Nisey or Gusty, so... command me, Lindy-baby! Tell me what to do!"
The three friends clumped around the green-haired girl, causing even more blood to flow to her cheeks. "T-Thanks, guys..." She bashfully rubbed the back of her head. "O-Okay, let's do this shit! The rat-napping bastards are hiding in some mountain range or something, near Haneda City... You all know where that is?"
Nisa and Nepgeo wore huge smiles as they exchanged a glance; they had nothing. Gust, however, was there to save the day! "Gust knows everything about Gamindustri! Leave navigation to me."
"Heh, awesome... You three need to head over there first thing in the morning. Make sure you're prepared for hell; they apparently may be leading an army."
The heroine cocked her head to the side. "Understood! But... us three? W-What about you?" She's taking this army part rather well...
In the background, Nepgeo cast her eyes to the ground.
Linda's eyes gleamed with determination. "I'm headin' to Lowee. I... have to repay my debt to someone... important..."
Gamindustri's upholder of justice wrapped her arms around both the villain and the alchemist, pulling them in for a huge hug. "Well then, we won't fail you, Underlingy! We'll storm in, get back Mr. Mouse, and return here safe and sound!"
"Yep! Gust keep Nisa and Pervert in line. Not to worry."
The ASIC member gleamed at her friends... perhaps finally letting it sink in that these three girls... were really her friends. In fact, it wouldn't be far-fetched to consider them family, would it? A warm feeling filled her like never before...
How trite.
So the plans for tomorrow were set; Nisa, Gust, and Nepgeo would walk right into the midst of the Yellow Bandana Rebellion, whilst Linda would head straight for the outskirts of Lowee. If all went well, Pirachu would be saved... along with, perhaps, someone most unexpected... What could possibly go wrong?
... However, dear little Nepgeo did not approve of the plan in the slightest; can you really fault her? Though, maybe it'd be easier to fathom if we actually saw what the hell was written on that frikkin' piece of paper! I saw an awful lot of neatly written words, but it was too far away to fully make out... Damn it!
... But regardless, the purple-haired imposter spent the majority of the day in something resembling a trance. 'Lindy... is leaving? No... C-Can't be! A-And then what? Nisey? Gusty? Will I... be alone?'
The bonds that these four now shared... Could time break even them apart? Cruel, cruel time...
PARADISE... LOST
...
THE VILLAIN AND THE IMPOSTER
And so here we are: present day, sunset. Nisa and Gust were busy preparing for the trek ahead, whilst Linda and Nepgeo spent their precious time together.
By now, though, the villain was getting somewhat peeved at her girlfriend's negativity. "*sigh*... What IS the point then, Geo? For one, maybe two days, you'll be travellin' with Flatty and Gust, so they're not goin' anywhere. And you know me; I'll be fine."
Still, the imposter Nepgear shook her head. "N-No... I..." The girl fell silent, trying to find anything at all to say. Meekly, she reached out to grasp Underling's hand. "... Lindy... I-I'm not good with... goodbyes..."
The green-haired girl raised an eyebrow, still bothered by this change in attitude. Why, Nepgeo hadn't looked this broken since that day almost a year ago, when Arfoire had tried to mentally break down her will and soul.
Before she could speak up, the torn imposter continued.
"I've... never told you about my parents, have I? Arfoire made me say some false things about them to you all, but... I never told you the truth..."
THE IMPOSTER
Now Underling grew even more surprised. "Yer... parents? Guess ya haven't... Though, I never really talked about mine either." Parents just aren't important in Gamindustri, huh?
Nepgeo looked tenderly at the beautifully illuminated clouds. "I... never knew my father; Mom always said he was a horrible man who abandoned us for the military or somethin'..." A sad giggle. "She was so young when she had me, b-but she did her best, y'know? She always put my needs before hers... It makes me sick when I think of that rotten bastard using her..."
Linda was silent; all she could do was tenderly rub the girl's hand.
Fake Nepgear continued. "We moved around a lot; Mom had some top-secret job. Never told me what it was... Probably was too young to even understand..." She took Linda's hand in hers, and lightly squeezed down on it. "She was always there for me. When my first girlfriend left suddenly, she comforted me... When I had too much homework, she'd try her best to help out... And even when I just needed someone to talk to, she was on my side... I loved her."
The green-haired girl saw where this was headed. Conflicted, her rushed mind made her hold Nepgeo's hand with two hands... Neh, I doubt I could've done better.
Still, the tale went on. "Then, one day, I went to school... and when I came back, she was gone... S-She had been getting sick, b-but I-I never expected..." She turned her head away, not wanting Linda to see her tears. When she was ready, she went on. "I-I miss her so much, Lindy... B-But I-I'm such a horrible daughter! Every day... I forget more and more about her. I'm forgetting her face, forgetting her voice... Pretty soon, I may not even remember anything..."
"Geo..."
"I-I never... got to say goodbye to my own mother... After everything she went through to raise me, I never thanked her..." Feeling somewhat dizzy, the imposter rested her head upon her girlfriend's shoulder. "'G-Goodbye' is such a permanent thing... I don't think I could've said it if I had the chance... T-That's why I don't want you to leave, Lindy..."
The ASIC member's eyebrows clearly displayed how troubled she felt; what should she do? "W-Well... This isn't goodbye. I... I could never leave you, Geo... So, no need for goodbyes!"
The imposter sniffled. "Lindy... That's the problem: W-What if we never get the chance to say goodbye? Things happen so fast... One snap of the fingers, and bam! Everything's different... forever."
"... Geo, I swear to you, I'll be back... Everything'll be fine." The villain suddenly put on a smirk. "One day isn't enough to do me in! I'm a fighter, babe."
The purple-haired imposter looked straight in her girlfriend's eyes, felt the warmth they exuded... and grew a slight smile. "... L-Lindy..."
The two shared a soft peck on the lips. "... We're gonna get through this, alright? Nothin' to worry about... Heh, though, I guess we really haven't been away from each other for a single day since meeting, huh?" Feeling nostalgic, Underling gracefully kissed her girlfriend's hand. "Best year of my life, Geo... And I promise you, nothin's gonna change! Hell, way I see it, things'll only pick up from here!"
"... T-Thank you, Lindy... I love you so much."
"Heh, love ya too." And the two held each other close, eyes focused on the sinking sun.
Everything was silent for a long while; two unlikely lovers reflecting on the entirety of the past year. They wouldn't trade in those memories for the world...
Eventually, the time to head back inside arrived. "C'mon Geo, how 'bout we watch something? Any suggestions?... And not the video of Flatty!"
The imposter smirked slyly, and stroked her chin in mock-thought. "Darn, there goes my first choice... Tehe, why don't we watch the one where Najica and Lila have to look at girls' butts to see if they are Humaritts? That one's a classic."
"Heh, fine, fine... Pervert. I'll set it up, then." And Underling went back into the room, leaving Nepgeo on the balcony for a moment longer.
Her eyes stared longingly at the clouds, the sun giving them that familiar heavenly glow. For a moment, her face distorted back into the sad shape it had been all afternoon. "Mom... I can't help it... I'm scared... I'm really scared. I-I can't lose them, too... I never want to forget Lindy's, or Nisey's, or Gusty's face..." The troubled girl clenched her fist, but continued gazing up at the sky. "Mom... I'm... still a good girl, right? I will... see you again, won't I?"
...
"Geo, ya comin' in? The opening theme's about to start!"
Linda's voice pulled the imposter out of her trance, and her face transformed back to its normal, cheerful self. "Comin', Lindy~!"
THE IMPOSTER AND THE VILLAIN: END...?
...
FAREWELL TO... THE LEGENDS
And the night came to its inevitable end... The morning had dawned, and the time for departure had arrived.
Gust had procured a ship from 'business associates' for the trek to Haneda City, and Linda was going to wait for a scheduled airship(?) to Lowee, I presume.
"Leave this to us, Underlingy! I shall show those scoundrels true justice!" The heroine hollered, pulling her friend in for a huge hug. Linda lightly blushed, and hugged her back.
"I don't know what I'd do without ya, Flatty... Stay safe, okay? The only one allowed to kick yer ass is me!"
"The same goes for you, too!... Though, I'd try to word the 'ass-kicking' part a little more nicely..." A soft chuckle, and then Nisa lifted her face to look directly at the villain. "Lingy... You may not realize yet... but you're becoming a true hero, you know that? At the very least... you're my hero, and Miss Nepgeo's too! Now, go give your duty hell!"
Underling blushed, failing at hiding her smile. "... I-I'm no hero, Flatty... but thanks, heh."
The two separated, and it was the alchemist's turn next. The small girl fidgeted somewhat-shyly, until Linda spoke up. "Ah, screw it... Give me a hug, ya little runt."
A subtle smile grew on Gust's face, and she wrapped her arms around her enemy(?). "Underling can count on Gust! I will keep Perv safe... as long as she doesn't try anything funny..."
"Heh heh... I know ya got this," the villain assured, needing to crouch slightly to hug back. "And hey... take good care of Flatty too, alright? I know how she feels about you, so you better take responsibility!"
The business-savvy alchemist's face flared red with embarrassment at the off-handed comment, but she lightly nodded, making sure the heroine couldn't see. "... Gust will always take care of Nisa."
The embrace ended, and finally, Linda turned to face her girlfriend. "See ya soon, okay? It'll be over before ya know it... Once this is all done, how 'bout you show me that other anime you've been talking about. "Striking Witch"... or, something like that?"
The imposter, tears forming at her eyes, violently hugged the love of her life. "O-Of course! T-That sounds perfect!"
"Heh heh... It's a date, then." The two looked deep into each other's eyes, and finally shared a deep kiss, halting the breath of the morning air itself. Even Nisa and Gust felt the warmth, leading them to share an awkward glance. However, the heroine quickly began smiling down at her sidekick, and lovingly pat her on the head. The alchemist attempted to look annoyed, but her smile betrayed her emotions.
...
The end of the kiss not only marked the end of the gathering, but also the end of the year-long fellowship these four girls had formed. With the longest time away from each other being the few days around Christmas, this separation was clearly a monumental occurrence.
But it was only for a few days... Soon enough, everything would be back to normal...
... Right?
...
The temporary farewells out-of-the-way, not another word was uttered as the three girls boarded the ship. Linda watched as her close companions were lifted off the ground, and shot off into the morning sky. Their destination: the battlefield of the Yellow Bandana Rebellion!
"... Good luck, guys. I love ya..." Now, anxiety and excitement causing her heart to flutter, the loyal underling of ASIC sighed and began waiting for her ride to Lowee.
FAREWELL TO... MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING
About an hour or two had passed, and still no ship. Figures...
Bored, Linda reached into her pocket and pulled out the letter that had set this whole plan in motion. Her eyes scanned the document yet again, still in shock over what it had to say.
... H-Holy crap! I-I can read it now! Yes, finally! Answers, woo!
The document reads, and I quote:
Dear Linda,
I pray that you are well, dearest Underling of our glorious organization. I know how strange this must be to hear from me after a whole year of silence, but I bring you some very important news, so hear me out! First and foremost, cute little Pirachu- he's been staying with you guys, if I'm remembering correctly?- has been kidnapped. The poor critter was out on a peaceful stroll when three duplicitous, larcenous buffoons abducted him! Those same individuals have staged a rebellion against the CPUs, and will be holed up in a mountain range northwest of Haneda City! Your friends must head there to save him...
But you, Linda, will not head to the rebellion; no, I need your help with something else. You must head to Iris Field, right outside of Lowee's capital. There, I will be waiting... I have figured out a way to save Magic, and free her from Arfoire's clutches forever. Together, I know this plan will succeed...
You must come alone, though! Only you and I can do this; no outsider must interfere! If you follow my instructions, then Magic will be yours... Trust in me, Linda! I saved you, remember? I know I've done some terrible things back in the day, but I've been working myself to the proverbial bone to repent! Please, I only wish to make it up to you and the world... With your help, I can achieve my retribution! If all goes well, I'll only need but a day or two of your time.
If you wish to not only save your dear Magic, but also aid me in my quest for peace, then you must act fast! Leave by tomorrow morning; any later than that will be no good! Send your friends to the rebellion to save our rat friend, and we will unite to free our commander of her spiritual bindings! I know you will make the right choice.
Sincerely,
CFW Judge
...?
Linda chuckled. "Heh, yer a mystery, Judge... I thought you didn't want anyone to say yer name? Guess this year's changed even you, huh?"
... What? WHAT!?
C-CFW Judge w-wrote that letter!? C-CFW Judge knows how to save Magic?
J-J-Judge sent Nisa, Gust, and Nepgeo right towards a battlefield!? Judge separated Linda from her new family!?
N-No! T-That can't possibly be true! I never... I-I mean, Judge couldn't have written that letter! He just... couldn't have! T-Trust me, I-I know!
So... what does this mean?
...
N-Nepgeo was right all along; something about this isn't right at all! There IS something sneaky going on!
L-Linda, no! It's a trap! LINDA! LINDA, can you hear me!? It's a complete and utter trap! Turn back NOW!
...