Italics indicate thinking

Bold is for attacks

Excel's POV

"Other Vert should be around here somewhere." I said walking through the forest.

"Are you really gonna beat up your sister?" Linda asked.

"This one ain't my sister." I said "So I won't hold back a bit."

"You're finally here." A voice said as we rounded the corner "I was beginning to think you all chickened out."

"Why would I do that?" I said "I've wanted you out of the way since I got here."

"I've got this handled." I said walking forward.

"Do you seriously think you can defeat me yourself?" Fake-Vert asked.

"I know I can." I smirked.

"Wait hang on a bit." Neptune said running forward "Hey Vert you got any of those CPU memory things that I can use for Nepgear?"

Neptune explained the situation to Vert and asked her to give Nepgear a CPU memory.

"Nepgear…oh it seems your party is one larger. Hmm…" she started gazing at Nepgear "My, my…maybe you do pass my test."

"Whoa!" Neptune gasped "I think Vert's checking out Nepgear!"

"Maybe she swings that way." Blanc said.

"Yeah right." I laughed "My Vert…yeah never mind."

"My interests are purely platonic!" Fake-Vert snapped "But yes, I do have a few CPU memoires I may be willing to part with, for Nepgear at least."

"Yay!" the girl smiled "Thanks so much Vert."

Vert handed Nepgear the little crystal and it allowed her to transform.

"Alright I'm back!" she smiled.

"Oh good it worked." Noire said "Otherwise you'd have turned into a hideous monster."

"W-What?!" Nepgear gasped "Why did no one warn me!"

"You would have been fine."

"Turning into a monster." Linda said "Scary."

"Mission accomplished." Fake-Vert said "Now come Nepgear, come to your big sisters side."

"Huh, Neptune is my big sis."

"You used my item, so that makes us sisters now." Vert said "CPUs who get their memoires from the same Core as sisters."

"Since when is that a rule?!" Noire stuttered.

"I'm not sure it really is." Blanc told her.

"Nep Jr is my sister." Neptune whined.

"Wait a second, does this mean Plutia and I are sisters?" Noire said.

"Noire's my sister…wow~"

"Wait so I'm Plutie's little sister too?" Neptune asked.

"I think it's something like this." Noire said drawing a diagram in the dirt.

"I'm pretty sure you're more like a cousin." Neptune said "Wait where's Excel go, is he now like Nepgear big brother?"

"No one is anyone sibling!" I yelled "That is not my real sister, Nepgear is still your sister, everything is perfectly fine!"

"This is making my head hurt." Linda frowned.

"Vert is my big sister…I love her very much." Nepgear mumbled.

"She's been brainwashed!" Neptune cried "Nep Jr NOOO!"

"Neppy Junior~"

"Yes, I win!" Vert cheered "Now come Nepgear, help you big sister take out the trash."

"Change of plans, we're helping you fight." Noire said transforming "I don't like her attitude."

"Remember me to your grave Nep Jr." Purple Heart said.

"Hey I was gonna try and kill you guys!" Nepgear yelled.

"Oh dear." Iris Heart smiled "A traitor, she'll have to be punished."

"Everyone is transforming." Linda said "I'm gonna go hide behind that tree over there."

"That's a good idea." I said.

"I suppose I should transform as well!" Vert said being engulfed in a light "Now the, come at me."

"Tsk." I hissed "Her outfit is even skimpier over here, put some clothes on!"

"Hehe." She winked at me.

"Grr…damn you."

I transformed "You've kidnapped my sweet Nepgear and annoyed me for too long."

"I'll deal with the man myself." Vert told Nepgear "You take care of the rest."

"Why do I have to fight four by myself?!"

Vert shot forward and started to stab at me, I was able to parry her strikes with my weapon. When I would go on the offensive she was quick to strike at my openings.

Even in this dimension, her skills are so strong…back home I can't beat Vert…can I really win?

"HYA!" Vert started charging up her swings "Rainy Ratnapura!"

"HA!" I started stabbing forward, blocking her attacks.

The two of us slid back.

"You were able to dodge my attack…how?"

"Rainy Ratnapura…" I said "The strongest attack of Leanbox, did you think I wouldn't know it like the back of my hand?"

Vert and I locked up again.

"You know." I smiled looking at her "You're not half bad."

"I could say the same to you." She smirked back.

I broke her guard and pulled her against me.

"W-What are you doing?!"

"Technically you and I are not related…"

"Unhand me you buffoon!"

"WAH!" I heard a voice cry out "Excel help!"

"Nepgear!" I dropped the Fake-Vert and immediately flew to her side.

"Are you okay my sweet." I said holding her in my arms."

"I am now…" she smiled snuggling into me "That mean CPU wanted to whip me."

"Traitors need to be punished." Iris snapped "Slave drop her now!"

"I cannot do that." I said "It is my duty to protect the women of the world."

"You defy your mistress!" she yelled.

"I think you made her angry." Nepgear gulped.

"That's enough Plutia." Black Heart said flying over "The fight's over, we don't need you to hurt our own side."

"WAHHH!" I looked over and saw Fake-Vert was on the ground crying "It's not fair! You all ganged up on me!"

"You weren't paying attention." Purple Heart told her "It's your own fault."

"I always win!" Vert yelled "It's not fair!"

"Why is that the older ones always cry when they lose?" Noire said transforming back to normal.

"Don't bring that up!" Blanc snapped.

"That was soooo much fun!" Plutia cheered.

"No fair No fair No fair!" Vert cried "I demand a rematch!"

"No." we all said.

"WAHHH!" she cried harder.

"Okay well this is just sad." I frowned.

"You'll have to forgive me Nepgear." Vert said "You're big sister failed you."

"But Neptune won…" Nepgear commented.

"Lady Vert!" a soldier yelled running up.

"What." She glared "Can't you see I'm having a moment!"

"It's terrible news, people claiming to be the Seven Sages are attacking the city."

"What…why now!" Vert said trying to stand "OW I can't…"

Vert tried to get Nepgear to go but she was messed up to.

"I'll do it." I said.

"What?"

"It's not my Leanbox but it's Leanbox none the less." I said "I'd have a bad feeling if I just abandoned it."

"Dammit…" Noire hissed "Fine we'll help."

"Besides I have a score to settle with those guys anyway." Blanc sighed.

"T-thank you." Vert half smiled.

"Come on." I said picking her up and throwing her over my shoulder.

"What are you doing?!"

"You're not allowed to sit here while I do all the work, you're coming with me." I smirked "Linda!"

"Coming Sir!"

Later

When we got to Leanbox we found two members of the Seven Sages ransacking the city.

"Oh my God will you just shut up!" Arfoire snapped.

"Destruction builds such great comradery!"

"Didn't me blow that guy up?" Noire asked.

"Copypaste…" I hummed.

The witch and her robot partner continued their comedy routine, the rest of us just felt out of place.

"This bores me." Vert said transforming "Please remove yourself from my country."

"Hey old hag." A voice said "We're finished up around back."

"HA!" we all gasped.

"No way…" Nepgear gulped.

"What the hell…"

"It's a…"

"It's another Nepgear!"

This other girl had a leather jacket and leather skirt on, she had Nepgear's face, her hair was similar but had beads in it and she was dragging a sword behind her.

"Hey what are you doing with my face." The other Nepgear growled.

"Oh I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize!" Linda snapped.

I figured there was another Nepgear somewhere…but she's working with the Seven Sages?

"Hey." Fake-Nepgear put a hand to her ear "Get rid of this bitch."

The air felt quiet all the sudden.

"Watch it!" Linda pushed Nepgear away and swung her club, shattering an arrow in midair "Sniper…"

I looked off to the roofs, about a half mile or so away I was able to make out a figure on a roof. The was clad head to toe in a tight black infiltrator outfit, and she had a crossbow in her hands. Her head was covered with a ski mask and her eyes had some sort a zoom scope on them. The only identifiable trait was that at the top of her mask was a thick white ponytail.

"You missed idiot." Fake-Nepgear said "Fall back I'll take care of these fools myself."

I looked around, Neptune and the others were dealing Arfoire and Copy, leaving me, Nepgear and Linda to take out Fake-Nepgear.

"Hya!" the girl dashed forward and I was quick to block her "Well hey there cutie."

"GRAH!" I snapped my wrist and knocked her back.

"Take this!" Nepgear flipped forward and started exchanging strikes with the other version of herself.

"Hey brat!" Arfoire yelled "If you stole those damn things like I told you then get out of here."

"You're not my boss hag." She smirked "Stay in your own fight and help your robot boyfriend."

"TSK!"

"Nepgear let's do it!" I smiled.

"Right!" she said transforming.

I did the same and readied my trident. Nepgear and I shot forward, slashing aggressively, and crossing the Fake version up.

"Crossing Blades!"

The two of us slid to a stop behind her.

"GAH!" the woman hissed falling to the floor, clutching her side.

"You're beat beautiful." I said standing over her "I don't know what you stole but hand it over."

"HEH." She smirked "Oasis Waltz!"

Suddenly as if all her energy was back she jumped up and attacked Nepgear and I with a flurry of swiped.

"HAA!"

"GAH!"

The two of us fell to the floor.

"How…you were bleeding out." I hissed as my transformation broke.

"That's my secret." Fake-Nepgear winked.

She lifted her sword and got ready to bear it down on Nepgear.

"Skull Cracker!"

"WAH!" Linda jumped forward and slammed her metal club into Fake-gear's skull, causing the girl to fall back and forced something to fall out of her pockets.

"Nice save." I smiled.

"What do we have here?" Linda said picking the little baggie up "Hmm?"

"Don't touch that!" Fake-Nepgear roared.

"You fool!" Arfoire snapped "Don't let them take those Memoires!"

"You raided my Basilicom and stole the Memoires I stockpiled." Vert glared "Disgusting."

"Kill Her!" Fake-Nepgear roared in her mic.

"Venom Arrows!"

"Tornado Lock!"

"Flame Incinerator!"

Three different voices rang out and a flurry of spells appeared in the air.

"Linda!"

"It's up to me…might as well take a shot." She sighed throwing the bag into the air.

"I'm shooting for the fences!" Linda yelled hitting the bag like a baseball.

There was a flash of blinding light, when it cleared the spells were gone.

"No way…" I mumbled.

"She…" Nepgear gulped.

When the light disappeared a totally different person was standing where Linda had been. She had long gray hair tied into a ponytail, her skin was an off white gray tone, she was wearing what was basically just a gun metal gray bikini, she had a curvy boy similar to Black Heart, at her side was a large spiked mace, and on her back were two round wings.

"What the hell." Fake-Nepgear growled.

The girl looked at her hands "P…P…"

"Hmm."

"Please stop staring at me!" she cried covering her body "I'm so embarrassed "Please don't stare!"

"She's…bashful?!" We all yelled.

"Please I feel so exposed…don't…look at me please. I'm shy…"

"Great you went and made another one!" Arfoire yelled "That's it we're falling back."

"Of course friend!" Copypaste said rolling after her.

"Retreat." Fake-Nepgear said "That's an order."

When they left the rest of us regrouped.

"Linda…"

I looked at the girl.

"Please stop looking at me." She blushed.

"You took a risk, but it payed off." I smiled "Not bad…Grey Heart."

AN

Thank you for reading. Feedback is appreciated. Feel free to message me any questions or concerns.

I went back and forth for a bit about whether to give Linda the Grey Heart transformation, but in the end I just couldn't resist.

Also on the getting the True End front, I've picked up IF's Notebook and Compa's syringe, still need Nep's pudding and the three other items for the good end, and the 6 dungeons for the true end.

Till Next Time!