Chapter 52

[Kotomi]

Dammit… dammit! Three years and we finally were able to go investigate. But we still couldn't do anything!

The four of us went back to the Planeptune Basilicom, but it didn't matter as much. After the three years that passed the people don't believe in the CPU's as much anymore. The Basilicom members are still dedicated but the others that live in the city don't. Even at the Council meetings we couldn't discuss much. Shizuki never told me much, they usually talked about the Gamindustri Graveyard. I don't know how many times it took for Seymour, or "Shitmour" as I like to call him, to finally order an investigation. Even though Shizuki was second-in-command.

All of us were sitting in the living room on the couch, IF was looking down at the floor. "I can't believe it… after three years we finally found them but we couldn't get them out."

"At least we got Ge-Ge." Compa pointed out, Nepgear was sitting across from us on another chair staring at the ground.

"Nepgear… it's not your fault." IF tried to cheer her up but Nepgear shook her head.

"I wasn't strong enough… I tried to help Hikan… we all did. But we couldn't do much more."

"We mustn't give up." Histoire flew towards us, "We must find Hikan. If he wasn't captured then he's out there somewhere."

"Search the entire continent? That'll take forever!" I complained, I don't mean to be lazy. If Hikan is hiding from the enemy then he's in a really good hiding place.

"No… if we use the satellite system then we can find him. The ASIC still let Makoto use the satellites." IF reminded, "It's our only lead."

"If it can find Hikan then I'm all for it." I agreed. I can't explain it but… I just feel like I need to see him. Be near him.

"Then it's settled." IF said and stood up, "We'll head to Leanbox and see Makoto since Ozaki is…"

"Yeah…" I muttered, three years ago the ASIC pretty much went through the streets. They said that they were peaceful but Lowee fought back. They were all defeated and Lowee had heavy casualties. Ozaki felt like he was responsible for the whole thing, some were angry at him and left the army, some stayed by his side. But the Lowee army was disbanded and now they made a new army that took over. Seymour surrendered immediately after they invaded, Makoto and Shizuki settled it peacefully.

They still ran the councils but only if they were peaceful. Some way of showing peace really: capture the CPU's and then take their nations. I can't believe some of the people decided to put their faith in these new people.

The elevator doors opened and Shizuki ran into the room, she saw Nepgear and all of us and sighed in relief, "Thank goodness you're all alright." she said and hugged Nepgear.

"Yeah. We're fine." I replied and stood up, "But the CPU's are still there… Hikan wasn't there either."

Shizuki's smiled turned into a frown, "Dammit…" she said and then shook her head, "We got Nepgear at least. The CPU's were strong when they were together, the Candidates are the same right?"

"Yeah… all of us are able to work together perfectly. But since everyone doesn't believe in us much anymore…"

"Ah… that doesn't help us at all."

"We need to hope that Hikan is in Gamindustri somewhere." Histoire reminded, "IF and Kotomi will go to Leanbox and find Makoto. Shizuki… I hate to ask but…"

"I'll stay here and help out. I am second-in-command of the Council afterall." Shizuki said and looked at me and IF, "Be safe you two."

"Right." the both of us replied and walked towards the elevator…


IF and I were riding on her bike towards Leanbox, she was driving while I held onto her. "We haven't really sat down and talked as much have we?" I asked her.

"No. We really haven't. Although no introductions are necessary." She replied, "Do you remember anything else?"

I closed my eyes and thought as hard as I could. "...Nothing. I can't remember anything else. All I know is I'm supposed to do something… I can't remember what it is…"

"Shizuki said that you got some of your memories from a… glowing ball of light?"

"It sounds crazy I know, but that's what happened."

"I believe you. After we see Makoto and find out where Hikan, you should see if you can find more of those- what the hell?!"

IF squeezed the brake handle on the bike and we slid sideways. I looked and saw the nation of Leanbox but I don't recall having a bunch of guards waiting outside the nation with a wall. One of the guards walked towards us with an M16 Assault Rifle. He was looking at us with a serious gaze…

"What is your business in Leanbox?" He demanded.

"My name is IF. I'm a guild specialist, I came from Planeptune to check-up on the Leanbox guild at Lady Shizuki's request." IF answered, I'll admit it sounds weird hearing her use formalities for friends.

The guard stared at her for a couple seconds, "Very well." He said and IF started driving forward. "Hang on. What about her?" The guard pointed at me.

"She's… she's… ah…"

"We're lovers!" I blurted out and clung tighter to IF, "please don't take me away from her!"

The guard stared at us, IFs face was blushing furiously. "My apologies." He said and bowed, "I didn't mean to interrupt your date."

"T-That's right! We were going on a date in Leanbox!" I shouted, "Not many people know that we're together. We want to keep it a secret you know?"

"I understand." he said and stepped out of the way, he held his arm out. "Enjoy your time in Leanbox."

"Thank you. We will." IF said and drove forward. "Did you have to say that…?"

"It was the fastest thing I could think of!" I replied, "At least you went along with it."

"Just… please come up with something else next time." IF muttered and drove on.

We kept driving until we reached the Basilicom. Everyone still looked the same, they walked around on the sidewalks on the streets and were smiling up a storm. They didn't even seem to be the least bit worried about… Vert? Was that her name?

IF led me through the Basilicom up to the assistant quarters. She opened the air and gasped, "O-Ozaki!" she called out, Ozaki was sitting down on one of the chairs with his hand on his head. His blonde hair had grown longer and you could see a little blonde goatee on his chin. He still wore his fur suit.

He looked over and saw us, "Iffy…" he called out and looked back at the ground.

IF ran over to him, "I haven't seen you in so long! You definitely look different." she said and Ozaki glanced at her.

"Yeah. It's been a while."

I started to see a little color around Ozaki, the outline went blue and red… meaning he was angry and sad. He was sad that IF is here and seeing him in this state, and he's angry that the Lowee army was taken by the other forces.

"Ozaki." I called his name and walked up to them, "Don't feel upset about losing the battle."

He gritted his teeth, "I wish you wouldn't look into my emotions like that." he said and stood up, "I failed. I tried to hold those forces back with the Lowee army. But they beat us without breaking a sweat."

"When you fail, you try again until you pass." I stated, "I wouldn't try to argue with me; I'm a pretty stubborn girl. Hikan tried the same thing."

"You…" Ozaki muttered and sat back down on the chair and held his head. "Dammit…"

"Ozaki why are you here?" IF asked, "Aren't you supposed to be in Lowee helping Rom and Ram?"

"I was…" he said, "but they gave me two options: One, stay in Lowee and be arrested. Or two, be banished from Lowee… I went with two."

"What about Rom and Ram? What will they do?" I asked, I was worried about those two the most.

"They're fine. The Basilicom members told me that they wouldn't let anything happen to those two. Unless they wanted to suffer Lady Blanc's wrath"

"Alright… that's a burden off my chest." I said and we heard a door open. We turned towards it and saw Makoto walking in, his hair was a darker blonde color now and he had dark sports glasses on now. The scar on his face had gotten darker too, he still wore his jacket and vest under it.

"Ah." he said, "Good Afternoon IF, Kotomi." he greeted and sat down behind his desk, "what brings you here?"

"Makoto, we need to use the satellite system. We need to find Hikan." IF said, Ozaki looked over at Makoto. Who didn't switch his gaze.

"...I had a feeling that you would come here sooner or later." he said and opened a drawer from his desk, "Here."

He pulled out a piece of paper and held it towards us, IF took it and looked at the paper. Her face gave a surprised expression. "What is it?"

"..." she didn't say anything, she just handed the paper to me. I looked at it and felt like someone punched me right in the stomach. I looked at three main points:


Name: Hikan Masato, AKA, CPU Red Heart

Location: Unknown

Status: Nonexistent/Dead


Two things happened while I read the document, the first one was the incredible pain I felt once I read his status in my upperbody… but the second was what I felt in my head after I read the name. That name... Hikan… Masato…?

I held my head and almost lost my footing, why did the name Masato stick out so much…?

"Kotomi? You alright?"

"N-Not really… my head..." I muttered and everything started to go wavy. "What… is going on…?" I lost my footing and started to fall back, but Ozaki quickly lashed out and grabbed my arm, pulling me up.

"We need to let her rest." Ozaki advised and picked me up princess style. "Makoto, can she use your room?"

"Of course." Makoto replied and stood up from his chair, "Follow me." My vision didn't stay up much longer, I closed my eyes as Ozaki carried me towards Makoto's room...


[Yagi]

I was sitting on one of the many benches in Planeptune, it's troublesome that Judge let the Candidate get away but I'm not too worried about it. Hikan's gone and everyone feels safe even without the CPU's here. This sucks… I'm seventeen almost eighteen now… yet my height hasn't changed. At least my voice is deeper.

I held my hand over my right eye and placed it on the bandages. I closed my other eye… Mom… Dad… I got rid of him… I avenged you and the other villagers… finally after all this time.

I heard my phone go off and opened my eyes, I reached down for my pocket and pulled out the phone and looked at it… Uni… "Hey Yagi…? Can you come over to the Basilicom?"

I bit my bottom lip, it's been painful lying to Uni. She's a true friend just like my beast friend… Sometimes I wish I did name him but he turned down every name I would give out. But Uni… I held my cheek where she kissed me three years ago. She's been dealing with the nation since I captured her sister. If she finds out that I captured Black Heart then she'll hate me… I don't know why… but I don't want her to hate me… back when she helped me with those two goons, I was so pissed when they were going to take her… I almost killed one of them…

I sent her a text saying, "I'm in the area, give me a couple minutes and I'll see you soon." I stood up and looked at two buildings, I walked into the alleyway between the two buildings and looked around; making sure that no-one was around. I took a deep breath and vanished into the shadows, the cold darkness swept over me as I raced forward. After a couple seconds I arrived back in Lastation beside the Basilicom. I was so glad that no-one was around or that would have been a trip to the Graveyard…

I walked around the Basilicom until I saw the front of it and walked up the stairs and knocked on the door. The door opened and an old man looked down at me with a scowl on his face, "What do you want? We're pretty busy."

"I was called here by Uni. She wants to see me."

"...Fine, but don't disturb anyone else." he warned and walked away from the door as I walked through. I closed the door behind me and then walked towards Uni's room… I believe it was up these stairs… through here… there it is.

I knocked on her door and then it opened. I peeked my head through the door, "Uni?"

Uni was sitting on her bed with an assault rifle and rag in her hands, she was polishing it before looking up and smiling at me. "Hey Yagi." she greeted and I walked in.

"What did you want me for?"

Her face turned red as she looked back down at her assault rifle and polished it more. "Well… um…"

I walked closer and sat down on her bed. "Uni?"

"Promise me you won't tell anyone else."

"Of course."

"Well… I need help with some of this stuff." she said and pointed to the pile of papers on her desk, "Since Noire is still captured I have to fulfill the part of CPU while she's gone… but… I can't focus right."

"Alright, I'll help you out." I said, she looked at me shocked.

"Really?!"

"Yeah, why wouldn't I?" I said and walked towards her desk and picked one of them up, "Let's see what we can do shall we?"

Uni walked up next to me, "Yeah."


After about an hour and a half we finished all the paperwork. I was sitting on her bed with my head resting against the wall on the back.

"I can't believe we finished all that so fast." Uni said, I opened my eye and looked at her.

"You can get lots of things done fast with friends." I said and closed my eye again.

"Hey… Yagi?"

"Hm?"

"Well… I just wanted to know… if…"

I opened my eye and sat up, "If…?"

"You… don't have to wear those bandages anymore."

I looked away and held my hand over my bandages. "Not many people like to see what I have under here…"

"Yagi…" Uni said and looked me in the eye, "I... I... I don't care what you look like! Nothing will change what I think of you."

"Uni…" I muttered and closed my eye, "You're sure?"

"Positive." I reached behind my head and grabbed the knot that was in the back and pulled on it, loosening the knot and started to untie it. I circled it around my head and then pulled the bandage off, revealing my scar. I looked at Uni and saw her smile at me. It surprised me… she was the first person that didn't look at me disgusted… "Is this really what you wanted to hide?"

"Y-Yeah…"

"You idiot…" she muttered and I felt her arms wrap around my neck and pull me in close to her, "D-Don't worry about appearances… It doesn't matter."

"Uni…" I called her name again and felt tears drop from my eyes. "Thank you…"

"D-Don't cry on me!"

"I'm sorry… It's just… I've never met someone as nice as you before." I said, I pulled back with my hands on her shoulders, I don't understand why my heart is beating so fast.

Her face was blushing furiously, "W-Well… we're…"

I was about to say friends, but the scene back when Uni kissed my cheek flashed in my head… I want to say more but… "Uni… We've been seeing each other for a long time and… well… you never made fun of me or how I look… you were the first person that I felt this way about..." I ranted and she looked at me, without thinking I pressed my lips to hers. She shook on the spot and was surprised but then she returned it with her own kiss. "I… I love you…" I whispered making her shake even more.

"I...I… l-l-l-love… you too…" she said quietly, my heart grew warmer with each word she said… I feel happy but, at the same time, sad… I captured her sister… one of the others that she cares deeply about…

Uni glanced away from me for a second before returning her gaze, then she slowly moved closer and planted her head against my shoulder. Her shaking stopped as she let out a breath.

I looked away from her and looked at the corner of the room… did I mess up…?