Chapter 38

"WHAT DID YOU TWO DO!? WHY ARE YOU GUYS ALL BEAT UP AND STUFF!?" Neptune cried out.

Hikan and I scratched our heads. "Heh, that's a long story," I said. "Just don't worry about it. We're fine."

Neptune looked at us with squinted eyes. "For some reason, I can't believe that."

Sweat poured down our faces. "It's fine," I answered. "We just ran into a group of Dogoos."

"Hmmm," Neptune continued to observe us. "Well, whatever. You guys are weird."

She waddled off and we let out sighs. "At least we fixed our arms," I muttered.

Hikan nodded. "Yeah."

We had gotten back right when the moon had come up. Of course, I did end up healing Hikan and myself so it wouldn't look like we had gotten into a big fight when we got home. But the torn clothes and bruise marks didn't help.

He followed me to the kitchen. I pulled open the fridge and cast a glance at Hikan. "You know how to cook?"

He let out a chuckle. "Of course I do. C'mon, we better make something before the girls get down here."

"We should also take a shower before it's time to eat."

"Ditto."

"Um..." Histoire looked between Hikan and I. "Why are you two covered in so many bruises."

I slurped on my noodles. "*Slurp!* ... We went on a quest together and we were ambushed."

Nepgear, who was sitting beside me, caressed my cheek. "Are you two alright?"

We nodded. "It's okay. We just got jumped, but we're fine now."

"Still, you two look way too beat up to have just been surprised by some monsters."

"Yeah! ... *Slurp!* … You two are lying!" proclaimed a hungry Neptune.

"No we're not!" We stated in unison.

"Yes you are!"

"No we're not!"

"YES!"

"NO!"

"GO BUY ME PUDDING!"

"NO!"

I sat in my room with Nepgear. "Did monsters really attack you two or did something else happen?"

I scratched my head. "Um, can we please not talk about that?"

"Aww. But I want to know!"

I pulled her into a hug. "I'll tell you someday. Just not now, alright?"

She gave me a small smile. "Okay..."

"Do you want to sleep with me tonight?"

"Mhm..."

"Alright," I gave her a quick smooch. "But change clothes first."

"Alright."

Hikan's POV

I sat in my room looking out the window. I clutched my necklace. Tomorrow, I thought. Tomorrow I'll get to see 'her' again.

I climbed onto my bed and stared at the ceiling. I thought about Tolise's, or rather Lucifer's, words.

"Your will for fighting is what makes you strong. Not our stupid powers or weapons. Now, what is your will?"

I buried my face into my pillow. My will for fighting was what made me strong... I smiled. His will was not only to protect his loved ones and to stop the spread of Darkness but to also live a happy life with Nepgear. I shared a will similar to this.

"Whatever, that's a lie." That's what he had said.

I shook my head. It wasn't a lie. I did share feelings for someone and that had helped motivate me to get back to Gamindustri. When I had been transported to the other dimension and had spent some time there, I had learned that two boys there had cleared their world of Darkness and before they disappeared.

I knew that one of those boys had been Tolise and I had met him, but I didn't know anything about the other one. Maybe Tolise could tell me.

Before I could think more about it, I passed out.

Tolise's POV

Today, I was with Neptune and Noire, and we were heading off to Lowee. I asked Nepgear if she wanted to come with us, but she wanted to play with Uni, so I just let her be. We had told Blanc we were coming, but she didn't say anything.

We continued to walk through the crowds of people.

"So, what do you guys think Ms. Pissy Heart is doing?"

I shrugged. "Maybe she just didn't feel like playing with us?"

"Or maybe she's actually trying to do her work unlike you, Neptune," Noire snapped.

"Hey! We're all here to have fun not to do boring junk like work!" Neptune grinned. "Now stop being such a loner and actually play with us!"

"I-I'm not a loner! I just actually get my work done, unlike you!"

"But at least I have friends!"

"But I have the most shares of the two of us!"

I stepped in between them. "Hey, you guys can do this later. Let's just go to Blanc's place first, okay?"

"Fine!"

"Okey-dokey!"

"Hey! Look, Rom! It's that Turtle guy!" Ram pointed at me.

"G-good to see you, Mr. Turtle," greeted a quiet Rom.

See, at this age, I kind of understand why they'd mispronounce names, but for Neptune, it's just not right.

"That's right! See, your name IS Turtle, you're Turtle!"

I facepalmed. "I swear Neptune, I swear..."

Noire cast me a look of sympathy. "Don't even try. She's a lost cause."

"I'm not lost nor am I the cause of his real name being Turtle!"

Noire and I both turned to her. "YES! You are!"

She stuck out her tongue. "Bleh! You people are always so serious!"

"No, Neptune, you're just too easygoing."

"Whatever! We're wasting time!"

Ram tugged on my hand. "Yeah! C'mon and play with us!"

Rom pulled my other. "Let's play..."

While the girls played on a console, I thought about Blanc and what Hikan told me yesterday.

He had said, "I share similar feelings for someone else."

"…" He had told me that if I followed him today I could figure out. But I didn't follow him because I decided to hang with the girls. But now, I HAD to know!

I rested my head onto my hands and thought. "Hmm..."

Based on what his personality was like it was hard to tell. He was probably out with her today considering he said that if I wanted to know, I would have to follow him. Maybe his clothes?

He wore red and black clothes, with his main color being red. But what good would knowing his color do? What else did he wear? I haven't seen his comfort clothes, but he did wear a... snowflake... necklace...

"...!" I jumped to my feet. The girls turned to face me.

"Huh? Tolise, what's wrong?" Noire asked.

"Yeah man! Are you jealous that you haven't gotten to play yet?"

"Come on! We can let you use one of our controllers!" Ram offered.

Rom offered her controller to me. "Do you want to play?"

I shook my head. "No, I just have to go somewhere. I'll be back. Don't worry."

"Where are you going Mr. Turtle?" Rom asked.

"I'm going to go find Hikan."

The two girls jumped in surprise. "HIKAN"S BACK!?"

"Um... yeah. He got back two days ago," I said. "Why?"

Ram smiled. "He was so cool! He bought us stuff and played with us so much!"

Rom smiled shyly and giggled. "Hehehe. He read me books and played with us."

"Wow. He must've really liked you two."

"Yup! And he would always play with Blanc when we made her mad!"

"What do you mean?"

"Whenever we made her mad, Hikan would always take her out to do something with her."

"He was super nice," stated a shy Rom.

Ram scratched her head. "Come to think of it, Blanc hurried out today and said we could do whatever we wanted."

"That doesn't sound like Blanc at all."

"No, but whatever! Let's keep playing!"

The girls turned their attention back to their game.

I rushed out of Rom and Ram's room and back to the front of the basilicom. I found a basilicom member. "Hey! You!"

He turned his attention to me. "Yes, sir? How can I help you?"

"Can you tell me where Blanc went?"

He shook his head. "No, sir. Lady Blanc left and said she was meeting somebody for urgent business. She seemed to be in a rush."

"Thanks," I said before dashing out of the basilicom.

"Now, where to find those two..."

Hikan's POV

I walked down a narrow alleyway to find the building I was looking for. "Ah, here it is!" I pulled the door open.

I took in a whiff of the building's scent. This place brought back so much nostalgia. By the way, I'm not making a drug deal. I'm just here in a library to read. Yes, I'm breaking the Fourth Wall.

The last time I had been in this place, was right before the battle against Arfoire. I had been with Blanc and her sisters and we were just reading. I looked through the fantasy section. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized how much time I had spent with Blanc and her family. I pulled out a decently-sized book and went to check it out.

"Hikan?"

I looked over to my right. Wow, I wasn't expecting to meet her here so soon. "Blanc?"

She walked over to me and wrapped her arms around me. Her body was trembling. "It's... good to see you again."

I returned her embrace. "Same to you."

A/N:

If you didn't realize it, it was a Blanc who Hikan was going to see. But, I switched points of views more because I felt like it helped with the story. But that's all I got to say. So, thanks for reading and I hope to see you in the next chapter!