Purple Heart cut down the Plummet, and her sword disappeared into her inventory. IF was being healed by Compa. "Man, i'm out of practice," IF bantered. "Maybe we should've taken an easier quest," Compa said, taking the joke literally. "IF pulled her weight, unlike me, so I don't blame her," Purple Heart said. "Nep-Nep, you pulled way more than YOUR weight," Compa chirped with an innocent smile, that reminded Purple Heart of...
Purple Heart took a step back, her face turned into one of fear. Nepgear stood up after healing IF. Her sweet and kind smile never left. She walked towards Purple Heart. Nepgear tilted her head in confusion, then held her arms out for a hug.
Nepgear's neck snapped and her head twisted, yet she kept looking at Purple Heart. Her mouth was moving, saying something, but no sound came from it. In every direction, Purple Heart could hear high pitched screaming. The world began to feel nauseating and off balance. Like she could fall off the world at any moment.
"Shut up! Shut up!" Purple Heart shouted and pushed Nepgear away. The world was still, and normal again. The screaming was cut off, she could hear nature again. "Owie," Compa groaned, she was against a tree.
Purple Heart's goddess strength caught Compa off guard and sent her into a tree. "What the hell Nep?!" IF exclaimed, she ran to Compa. Who gladly accepted the help. "Iffy, Nep-Nep was seeing something. She looked so scared, and out of it," Compa said, trying to defend Purple Heart and assuage IF's anger.
'I..No, it's because of Uzume. She did this to me. She caused me to lose control and hurt my friend,' Purple Heart denied what happened and jogged to Compa. "Are you alright?" She asked and Compa asked the same question to her.
"Of course i'm fine, let's get out of here," Purple Heart quickly said. She stopped Compa's reply by grabbing her and IF's waist. Purple Heart flew back to Planeptune. She dropped them off on the sidewalk and flew up to the Basilicom. She landed on the Balcony.
She transformed back into her human form. Neptune's face was glistening with sweat. Her legs were shaky and eyes drooping. "Neptune!" Histoire called out and floated up to her. "Hey Histy, i'm back. Can I get some pudding?" Neptune asked with a tired smile.
Despite popular belief on NChan and other forums. Histoire is as tall as Neptune. Her legs are just super weak and brittle, causing her to have to float in her book. "Yes there is some pudding in the fridge. I wished to make sure you're alright," Histoire said as the two of them entered together.
"Course I am Histy, I am the main character! I'm always alright!" Neptune bragged as she went to her office. Histoire left to go get Neptune some pudding.
Sitting on her comfy chair. Neptune looked at the paperwork stacked on her desk. Her chair is the gaming chair she uses for her PC. She was too lazy to by a desk chair.
Neptune's desk is a chestnut desk. A pencil sharpener on her left. Along with some pencils and pens next to it. On her right are two picture frames that are facing down. Despite them being different pictures. Neptune can't look at them, because of one thing they have in common. Nepgear is in both pictures.
Neptune got to work right away. Histoire floated next to Neptune's chair with an unopened cup of pudding, and a spoon. "You look exhausted Neptune. Did you get ANY sleep?" Histoire asked in concern. She placed the pudding and spoon on the desk.
"Come on, Mom. I got about, maybe an hour? I'll be fine," Neptune waved her hand in dismissal. Getting back to reading and signing papers. "Neptune, why don't you take a nap. You've done years worth of paperwork in weeks. Since then, the only sort of breaks you've taken are life risking quests. I can take care of the paperwork for a bit," Histoire scolded her.
"Jeez, first you scold me about not doing my work. Now you're scolding me about doing my work. Man, you must love scolding me, Sadie 2.0," Neptune teased, sticking her tongue out.
"Neptune, that's not it and you know it. Yes i'm happy you're doing your work, but I don't want it to be at the cost of your health. CPUs can't do their work well if they're fighting to stay awake! Noire even indulges in a break, and she works the hardest!" Histoire exclaimed. Neptune mocked her with a hand puppet. Then got back to work.
"I never wanted Nepgear to die to cause you to do your work," Histoire said and Neptune stopped writing so quickly it caused Histoire to flinch.
Her smile left so quickly Histoire's fight or flight was kicking in. Neptune's face turned to Histoire. A cold and empty look in her eyes. Histoire was afraid about what Neptune was going to do.
"I'm sorry," Neptune croaked, tears brimming her eyes. Neptune sniffled and wiped her tears away. Histoire hugged her tightly. "Please, Neptune, get some help. You need help," Histoire begged. Neptune separated from her and gave a smile.
"I'm alright Histy. I gotta get this done ya know? I'll Nep this paperwork all up!" She said with a chipper attitude. She opened a draw and took out her head phones. Placing them over her head. She connected them to her N-Gear at max volume. Then hit shuffle, and began working.
Histoire slowly left, defeated. Neptune denied the prospect of help. She didn't know what to do. Neptune is technically her boss. She has the legal power to deny any suggestion, or request for her to get mental help.
The only reason Neptune listened to her in the past was for the nation, and to get Histoire off her back. Histoire can't force her to get help. She isn't her guardian, only an advisor, and leaders don't have to listen to an advisor's advice.
Histoire was in the empty living room of the Basilicom. Despite the cheery and bright decorations. It is anything but cheery and bright. Without Nepgear and Neptune's optimism. The place was just a graveyard.
A purple portal opened, and two girls fell out of it. One was Neptune, but older, longer hair, and a chest. She rubbed her head, and stood up. The other girl, was Uzume Tennouboshi, and Histoire's artificial heart stopped. She was afraid for Uzume. If Neptune saw what she perceived as her sister's killer. Histoire shook that thought out.
"Uzume?" Histoire asked, praying to the past CPUs of her beloved nation that this ISN'T Uzume Tennouboshi. "Hey Histy! It's been a while!" Uzume waved with a toothy grin. Histoire's heart sank, even if her speech patterns, and tone of voice are different. She knows for damn sure that's Uzume.
"Hi Histy! Do you know where Mini Me and Gearsy are?" Adult Neptune asked. "What dimensions are you two from?" Histoire asked. They shot eachother a confused look. "Have we been gone THAT long Big Nepsy?" Uzume asked. Adult Neptune shrugged.
"I know we're in Hyperdimension. I mean, it looks exactly like how I remember it," Adult Neptune said. "I'll go look for Nepsy and Gearsy, be right back," Uzume said as she went to find Neptune. 'Oh no,' Histoire thought and floated in front of Uzume.
"You need to leave, now! For your own safety!" Histoire warned, and Uzume laughed. "Very funny Histy," Uzume brushed past Histoire. She went to Neptune's office and opened the door. Histoire floated behind her.
"Hey Crosty, are we in Hyperdimension?" Adult Neptune asked her NepNote. "Yeah, we are in Hyperdimension. Just in an alternate timeline. The same dimension with differences from the main one," Croire explained. "Oh, so we should be able to get back to the main timeline easily?" Adult Neptune asked. "Yeah, we're not in an alternate dimension. It's much easier to travel to alternate timelines. So we can get there in the nexr jump," Croire replied.
Uzume saw Neptune sleeping at her desk. An empty, and turned over pudding cup. Headphones over her head, and playing music. Uzume reached to Neptune's shoulder, but Histoire grabbed Uzume's wrist. "Histy, stop, this isn't funny," Uzume said and used her other arm to shake Neptune awake.
Histoire quickly left, not wanting to be caught in what's about to happen. Neptune groaned and rubbed her eyes. She yawned and took her headphones off. "I was having a castle of pudd-" She groaned, and her eyes widened.
Neptune shot out of her chair, the chair fell over. She looked at Uzume with a suprised look. "Heya Nepsy! I'm back home!" Uzume waved with her usual smile.
Neptune could hear the sound of screaming. The world becoming staticky. In her eyes, she saw flashes of a happy Nepgear. Then, as quickly as that came. It vanished as Neptune a sheathed katana appeared in one hand. Uzume raised a brow and Neptune's face contorted into one of pure venom.
She yelled and the blade snapped out of her sheathe. Uzume's eyes widened as Neptune charged at her.