Hello, hello. This' just something brief with a double intention - you can listen to my personal rambling at the bottom; not too much to say here since I jotted this out just now because I could.

Onward!

"You're right! Ohhh, Lady Neptune really does look her best when she's next to Lady Noire…! What a beautiful pair!"

While I'd not paid it much attention at the time, these words float around in my head quite a lot nowadays; a plaguing statement that I can't shake, much like the feeling that someone's been following me – but that's irrelevant to this, I think. Actually, yeah, I'm sure – it's not Neptune following me; that's a fact.

Pacing along the halls of Planeptune, I find myself with too much time on my hands before a public appearance tour of sorts to assuage tensions and fears after the issues with that entire other dimensional ordeal, and Gamindustri being nearly destroyed yet again, and everything that occurred in the interim. I must admit, it's been hectic – as hectic as always, so the lull is nice, but whenever these come, I find my mind traveling to places I can't ignore, and that's frustrating.

Sighing, I cross my arms and tap my foot against the floor impatiently. Gazing out of one of the windows, I'm actually simply waiting on Neptune herself to show up so that we can set out – Blanc and Vert are currently touring one of the other cities, so it's just us two. Our sisters are keeping close tabs on things in each city, so I'm not too concerned about strife or conflict this time around, though I've also asked Lastation to remain on high alert just in case – one can never be too careful, now can they?

I wonder if that statement's true; I've never really paid it any attention until now… Groan. I'm getting distracted again. I ought to be reviewing our destinations, preparing for possible problems, and enacting defenses to them, or possibly working on the next schedule for advancement for Lastation, or see if Planeptune needs some help with organization and some brief 'advisement' again on what they ought to do to remain up to date. No, it's not cheating, I'm merely looking out for the closest nation to prevent dissent from sprouting up. That's all!

…She always looks so perky around me, but could she not do that when I'm not around? I've never seen it… but then again, that'd make sense. I frown, and kick myself inwardly – I won't apparently be allowed to rest until I prove whether or not this proclamation is true or false. Clicking my tongue, I pivot on my heel and proceed down to the Goddess' office – a place I won't place Neptune's name onto, since she never uses it anyway. I think it's more for Nepgear or for show, more than anything.

Click, click, click.

Planeptune's color scheme is so damn bright and cheery, I'd find it hard to believe she isn't just a gigantic nitwit all the time.

Step, step, step.

It's probably very minute of a change, if anything. Akin to spotting whether Uni and I have slept or not, yet. A microscopic detail.

Tick, tick, tick.

It's not that important. I doubt I'd even have to ask; Nepgear's just going to state that it's a baseless rumor started by Neptune's fan-club's Vice Prez, or something. Me knowing exactly who might spread those rumors is coincidence, I tell myself.

Stopping at the door to the office, I can hear some frantic writing emanating from within. Placing my palm to the door, I knock with my spare hand. "Come in." Nodding to myself that this will be a brief and instantaneous exchange, I press forth and open the door…

"Nepgear, is Neptune more energetic when I'm around, or is that rumor false?" Damn it. Mouth moving on its own, before I can prepare a proper exchange.

She lifts her head up, her eyes blinking rapidly as she digests this inquiry, her expression rightly bewildered. I frown, about to apologize and backpedal in an attempt to salvage things, but, "U-uhm… If you would not mind, please repeat the question, Miss Noire?"

I smile awkwardly, nodding, shutting the door behind me. "I won't disrupt you for long, and I apologize for the intrusion, but a strange rumor has been floating around recently. Supposedly, Neptune seems… different when I am nearby, and I want to quell the rumor before it spreads – but I'd like to ascertain where it might stem from." Nailed it. I think.

Her eyes widen as she sets down her pen, gently knocking a balled hand against her open palm. "Oh! You mean how Big Sister glows when you're together?"

Blink, blink, blinkblinkblink. "T… There's validity to that claim?" I ask, somewhat in disbelief. Well, that answer wasn't anticipated.

Nepgear emits a sound of affirmation. "Big Sister always seems happiest when she can be around you; it's not the most noticeable change, but all of us in Planeptune are aware of it. Ah, it also ties in to why we know where she goes when she leaves the city," she explains, beaming warmly.

Concentrating on maintaining a neutral expression as best I can – and likely failing, but I'm going to put more faith in my deadpan than that – I nod slowly, massaging my arms with my fingers while they're crossed. "I… see. So then, when she's shirking her work, it's not Leanbox or Lowee that she goes to?"

She pauses, pursing her lips as she tilts her head, tapping her chin in thought. "Um… in the last fourteen trips since the start of the month, one has been to a place besides your Basilicom, and that was to a plain outside of Planeptune to rest in."

Narrowing my eyes, I start to question the validity of that 'Neptune's not the one following me' statement from earlier. I was sure it was someone else, but… "I see… Well, knowing helps – though I'm… er… unsure how to handle it."

Nepgear shakes her head, her expression filled with more warmth than five layers of blankets. Goddess, she's just too darn huggable. Ah, restrain yourself, restrain yourself; I don't want to be labeled the next Vert, especially when I have Uni. I should praise her later. "Pardon my request, but I would ask that you don't address it, Miss Noire. Big Sister seems to be deadset on it, and she looks so happy, so…"

Pursing my lips, I sigh, raising a hand to wave at her. "Ah, fine. I'll leave it be, I guess…" Coughing, I nod to Nepgear. "But, thank you for the quick response, Nepgear. I'm going to return to the main hall and wait for Neptune so that we can see this tour done with. Keep up the good work, alright?"

"Yes! Good luck, Miss Noire!" she chirps as I turn on my heel, departing to return to the main room, my mind suddenly a little more chaotic.

I wonder… if Miss Noire knows that her face betrays her thoughts and actions? Ah, but what a warm smile! Maybe I did the right thing…?

I glance down to the little phone sitting in my lap, Uni's face still in disbelief. O-oops, did I leave the microphone on?

…Well, I can't do anything about it now. Goodness, these sisters are so similar.

Rubbing the bridge of my nose, I sigh as I usher away all of the unnecessary thoughts bombarding me at this new revelation. As if my mind wasn't chaotic enough, then?

Ahead, I spot Neptune lounging lazily as she kicks her feet into the air while sitting on one of the couches located in the main entryway. Her face is a little bored, her posture slackened a tiny bit, her mind obviously elsewhere. Okay, notes taken; let's see…

"Ah, Neptune," I call out to her as I approach, her face suddenly lighting up like fireworks as her head immediately jerks toward me. She hops up, beaming, as she dashes over to me.

"Heya', Noire! Where were ya'?" she inquires, tilting her head to peer behind me. "Didja' get lost or somethin'?"

I smirk, shaking my head. "I'd never get lost when your Basilicom is this straightforward," I remark, studying her. Nepgear is… right, actually. Now that I'm paying it heed, her posture and her entire being is emanating just a tiny bit more enthusiasm, and it's not just because she has someone to pester. Feeling a small amount of warmth dust my cheeks, I cough. "Are you ready to start the tour?"

She cocks her head curiously, nodding, "Yeah! But, are ya' alright? You're lookin' a little off, and you're blushing a little. What, dazzled by my charm~?"

Rolling my eyes, I wave her off. "I'm… perfectly fine. I might never have been better, actually," I mutter the last bit as quietly as I can, watching her as she grabs my hand, grinning.

"Well, if ya' say so. Y'wanna' go play something after this?" she asks, and I smile softly.

"…Yeah, I'll take you up on that."

So, I woke up and I'm a bit beyond crushingly depressed - just gotta' be one of those days, I guess? Regardless, decided to spit this out to try and alleviate some of that, and it worked to a certain extent, so I'm a bit better now. I'll probably see more posted later today. That's about what this mostly stands as; letting you know I'm alive and still working on more updates, and keeping my own spirits up so that I don't become, as some friends took to affectionately calling it, a depresso espresso. Adorable name, terrible meaning, really.

Work's still going into part two of Scientific Curiosity - it's going to be a tad longer and wrap some things up, so it's dragging a little more as I'm putting considerably more effort into it than some of my other stuff, such as this one was mostly just fluffiness for the sake of it. It's not gonna' be a huge story or anything like that, but it'll be a bit on the longer side. Might do more with this one at a later date and just slap an update on it instead of adding a second shot with more fluff, but who knows?

Anyway. Lettin' you all know I'm alive and still gonna' be spitting more stuff out. Also begrudgingly waiting on whoever has it to get their stuff together and deliver me my LE of 4GO. 10 days late as of now, IFI and the USPS are looking into it on my behalf. Grumble, grumble, grumble.

Ah, and on a side-note; finally created a Patr and subscribed to Ge-B, so if you see more gushing or a sudden burst, credit it to that. Been contemplating which Nep artists to actively stalk and throw money at being able to stalk even more/commission work out of, decided to start there. Feels good, feels like an okay use of money. This series soothes my depression, so it'll be money well-spent, yeah?

Anyway, rambled enough. Just a bad day, I s'pose.

Tainted out.~