"WAIT... A... MINUTE!"

Noire jumped a foot into the air at Neptune's outburst. She had almost transformed into Black Heart and flown straight through the ceiling she had been so surprised by the sudden cry from Neptune! Now what was going on!? It had better be good!

At the moment, the pair of CPUs were relaxing in their bed, having wound up there due to... due to... Well, let's just say it was due to reasons. T-They were just practicing for the new game, that was all! It was not like that! That was a totally different scene, after all!

In any case, the pair of CPUs were relaxing in their bed when all of a sudden, Neptune had sat up in her bed, screamed so loudly that the entire country had probably heard, and had then started tapping at her phone with some kind of crazed fury, the likes of which Noire had never seen. Was it because she didn't have her computer right now? Was that it?

Rubbing her ears, which felt like they were pounding inside, Noire rolled onto her side and gave Neptune the dirtiest look she could muster — which was saying something considering the looks she had been giving her wife just a little while ago, though this was a rather different sort of "dirty" compared to those.

"What is it Neptune? I was trying to go to sleep... At least I think I was." Groaning, the Lastation CPU sat up herself, rubbing her forehead in frustration. It had been such a nice... however long it had been too. Time didn't exactly flow normally in non-canon anniversary chapters, especially considering this was the only segment connected to any of the others beyond mere mentions. Had it been hours? A day? Was she supposed to be tired or feel refreshed? She was so confused! She wanted to get back to the real story already! The people of Gamindustri were probably going to hate this for wasting so much of their time with a pointless chapter anyway, couldn't they get it over with already?!

"We missed one, Noire! This is super duper important, so hurry up and look! Forget about sleeping or being Pervy Heart for a minute and look at this!" Neptune held out her phone towards Noire, her arm going up and down and up and down and to be perfectly honest, in her sleepy state, the almost-completely-naked-but-for-underwear body attached to that arm was looking kind of hypnotic with the way Neptune was movi...

As her eyes began to focus on the image on the screen, rather than the hypnotic movements going on behind the phone, Noire couldn't even find it in her to deny Neptune's claim. Like a snake, her arm snapped forward and grabbed Neptune's wrist ("Kya! So bold! Now hurry and read!") to steady the bouncing CPU so she could properly read and look at just what the

"T-This is..."

That concept art... Those new character designs... That... Neptune looking person... Was this...?

"It's the next console game! Like, connected to the story! For reals!" Neptune cried out, the excitement in her voice evident as she resumed bouncing around as Noire gingerly removed the phone from her wife's hand.

"We're even moving up a console..." Noire whispered. She couldn't help but feel excited — they were paving the way for the next generation! This was seriously big news! How had they missed it during the first segment? ... And why was Neptune peering at her chest like that? Was it because of how that segment had ended? Flushing, Noire pulled up a blanket to shield herself from Neptune's eyes. "W-What? Stop that."

"You stop it." Ignoring Noire's protests, Neptune tugged the blanket down and began inspecting her body like Vert did her lewd figures ("I do not!" came an indignant cry from a few scenes away) rather than like how someone would look at such an intimate part of her wife. "And hold still! Since you're based on the consoles we're on and 'the consoles we're on' is being 'upgraded,' I'm trying to see if you got 'upgraded' too..."

"What?!" Shoving Neptune to the side, Noire pulled up the blanket once more and proceeded to wrap it around her as much as she could. "Why would that be how I get upgraded?! Maybe I'm stronger! Maybe my stats went up! Why does it have to be my chest?! Why did you look there first before anywhere else?!"

"I wanted the excuse to look." Neptune's reply was offered bluntly and without missing a beat, not even grinning about it — she just felt like she could say something like that! How was it that Neptune could always say such ridiculous things with a straight face?! Couldn't she at least wait until they were off screen or something? "Come on, you're no fun. Besides, it's not like it's nothing I haven't- Ow! Hey, be careful with that!"

Naturally, Noire's response had been to fling Neptune's phone right at her head.

"Idiot!" Making sure the blanket was secure, Noire looked down towards the mattress, now bare of any blankets to speak of, and felt her cheeks warming up. "You don't need an excuse, just don't be like this about it... Really, Neptune..."

Still recovering from the near-fatal wound Noire had caused her by throwing such a dangerous weapon, Neptune naturally had completely missed the fact that Noire had been all but jumping up and down dressed in absolutely nothing but an event flag moments earlier. Instead, she had resumed looking at the phone like nothing had happened. After all, this was some awesome stuff!

"You're just mad you don't get a sexy new design like I do. Even if it's not teeeechnically me... I am hot!" Grinning broadly at the picture on the phone, Neptune began tapping and pinching and tapping some more so that she could get the best possible look at this "older Neptune." At first, it was really exciting to see, but the more she looked at the pictures, the more her grin began to falter. "Though... She's not that good looking... I mean..."

Letting the blanket begin to slip off of her so she could lean over and get a better look, Noire raised an eyebrow as she watched the changes taking place in her wife. If she didn't know better... But no, no one would possibly think like that...

"Hey, at this angle, she kinda looks fat, doesn't she? Right? Right?"

Neptune wasn't feeling self-conscious of herself... because of a picture of a different version of herself... was she? That would be like getting jealous of Purple Heart!

"Yeah, now that I look at it some more, she's super ugly. Boy am I glad it's some chick from another dimension and not me they did that too." Neptune shook her head, setting the phone down dismissively and crossing her arms behind her head.

Noire couldn't believe it. She couldn't help but smile seeing Neptune acting like this.

Only Neptune would act like this over herself.

"I-I am too." Discarding the blanket completely, Noire slid over to Neptune's side and proceeded to wrap her arms around the CPU's waist. Flushing at such a bold move, Noire set that to the side to focus on Neptune — even if this scene wasn't "real," she wasn't about to her her wife feel like she wasn't good looking. "T-To me... She doesn't have anything on the original."

Despite her misgivings about that other Neptune now, if that was how Noire felt about the situation... Then, needless to say, Neptune found herself feeling significantly better after that. Smiling, Neptune lowered her hands to touch the pair that had wrapped around her waist and met in the middle, laughing to herself as she did. Noire certainly didn't feel bothered by what she was touching... Not that she had before. If she could act like that after seeing Neptune MK2...

"Thanks, Noire. I guess she doesn't look that bad if that's how you feel about it... N-Not that that's why I care or anything! I just didn't want my gajillion fans to think I was getting fat is all!"

Noire snorted. Now who was tsundere?

"You sure got over that fast. Now what are we supposed to do? This scene is pretty short as it is right now, isn't it?" Sighing, Noire shook her head. Leave it to Neptune to pull something like this — though she supposed it was really more her fault that this game had to get its own segment, really... Despite her words and even her exasperated expression, however, rather than pull away or leave in a fit of annoyance, Noire actually pulled her wife into her lap to rest her head on top of Neptune's. "Well, I guess I can't complain too much. It means you're finally growing up a little. Remember how bad you were in the main story? 'Help! Help! For some insane reason I think the amazing and smart and wonderful CPU I'm married to that couldn't keep her hands off of me last night might not think I'm attractive!' Would I have done any of that if I thought you were ugly? E-Especially when I... When I did that? Even if I was doing everything else because of how much I really loved you, even I have my limits. Seriously, Neptune... Use your head a little... Sheesh..."

Fighting back a grin at Noire's really really bad attempt to imitate her voice, not to mention her willingness to be so free with her feelings in front of her, Neptune decided to let Noire have her little (totally tsundere — yeah, she could see that earlier narration!) ramble and not comment, especially since she could just as easily comment on how far Noire had come too. She used to be just as flustery as IF was, but now look at her! Acting like Neptune was little more than a hug pillow meant purely for her benefit like this, talking about all kinds of raunchy things...

Noire had really started to let Neptune inside of her barrie... Waitwaitwait, that didn't sound good.

Noire had really started to open hersel... Nope, still bad.

Noire had really started to let Neptune past her defenses, hadn't she?

... Eh. Close enough.

It was kinda funny, now that Neptune thought about it. While getting in a relationship had made Neptune more sensitive about a lot of things, it had helped Noire become more open about a lot of things instead. Were they balancing each other out or something? That was kind of nice. It was also kind of annoying too, but in a nice way.

Settling down into her wife's embrace, Neptune closed her eyes, waiting for the usual fade to black. She wasn't expecting any last minute punchlines considering their state of dress, and she wasn't really in the mood to get down and dirty either. This was nice as it was.

Unfortunately, Noire was not a mind reader, nor was she reading the narration. As she finished grumbling ("... using the camera to look up your skirt...") about how she most certainly was attracted to Neptune and how Neptune had been fool to ever doubt it, she finally realized that Neptune actually seemed pretty content to be with her like this. Seeing that, she herself couldn't help but flush, realizing the humiliating thing she had just gotten finished doing all while Neptune had turned her into a nest.

Time for a convenient subject change.

"S-So... Now that that's settled... Neptune?"

"Huh? What is it?" Neptune didn't even bother to look up at Noire as she replied. She was way too cozy (in way too many ways) to care about anything else right now. She was sure whatever Noire had to say didn't require her moving anyway, and certainly not when they were undoubtedly heading for the scene changing any second now. Though if that were the case, maybe she should have pretended to be asleep...

Noire swallowed.

Was it too soon?

One way to find out.

"You wouldn't get mad if I asked you to... c-c-cosplay her once in a while, w-would y-"

"Noire!" Scratch that last thing. Looking up at Noire, who had thankfully pulled back just enough so she could look down at Neptune (had her chin still been where it had been, Neptune realized too late that she probably would have broken her nose...), Neptune frowned at her wife. "I am her! The only important difference is the size!"

"What?! I-I was just asking!" Feeling like a total fool, but in a position where she couldn't do anything to escape Neptune's scrutinizing gaze, Noire could only blush furiously and try to defend her question now that she had gone and asked it. Worst of all, she might have totally undone her earlier actions. "S-Stop looking at me like that! That doesn't mean I like her more! I-I mean it! Stop! Stop or I'll.. I-I'll prove just how much I l-like you more!"

Neptune stared at her with narrow eyes, the hurt on her face plain as day.

And then she cracked a smile.

Why that little...

"Awww, come on Noire, I was kidding." Relaxing in Noire's arms once again, Neptune lowered her gaze once more, resuming her earlier comfortable position. Since Noire had opened the door to it... The CPU grinned. A little honesty from her end couldn't hurt things either, could it? After all — it was "her" they talking about. "I mean, I think I'd go out with her. Look at that butt!"

"H-Hold on a minute, who cares about her butt, look at your butt!"

"What about my... Wait, did you just...? Why are you getting like that over it? I get me doing it, but..."

"S-Shut up! I'm going back to sleep!"

"'Kaaaay. By the way, I love you and your butt too."

"No one was asking!"