In one of Leanbox's caves, Noire drove her rapier into a monster, finishing it off. She looked behind her to see Netherrealm in battle mode, leaning on the cavern wall with his arms crossed. "You could've helped you know," Noire scoffed. "I thought the almighty CPU of Lastation could do it on her own," Netherrealm replied sarcastically.
"Ugh, why did you even come with me if you don't like me?" Noire asked, putting her hands on her hips and tapping her foot impatiently. "Because besides fighting Momus, it's been boring here in Leanbox. When it gets all quiet, it makes me want to fight even more."
"I kinda missed it when we started out. Exploring Planeptune's caves nearly got us killed, but it was thrilling. I kinda miss that uncertainty, that life or death scenario. Where one wrong move and it's over. Now, we've grown and nothing is a challenge anymore," Netherrealm opened up to pass the time as they walked deeper and deeper.
"I suppose a born fighter like you would hate peace," Noire said and Netherrealm shrugged. "Was I born fighter? I don't know, or maybe I had to fight so early in my life that I tricked myself into thinking that. I couldn't tell you either way," Netherrealm replied in a stoic, distant manner. Not cold, but more apathetic.
They continued downward into the caves. Slicing apart any monster that went near them. Fighting is more of a chore than anything. YingLong, the two Killachines, Seiryū, Overlord Momus, all the miscellaneous monsters they fought, all of that gave the party some hefty EXP. To the point where they're now overleveled.
"You've been strangely calm for a while now. I'm used to you yelling and using vulgarities all the time. Be grateful at my inquiries," Noire said, trying to appear aloof and above her current companion. "Does it matter?" Netherrealm asked, turning around.
"Not particularly, but I am curious. What has gotten into you?" Noire asked, checking her nails. Netherrealm shook his head with scoff, before turning back around. "Hey! Don't you ignore me Netherrealm! Was it because Seiryū died?" Noire asked, indignant that Netherrealm ignored her. She went straight for the throat.
The two stopped their walk as Netherrealm turned right back around. His solid white eyes glowed in the dark cavern. His solid black skin and primarily dark armor made him seem almost unseen. The white eyes make him seem almost like a revenant of some kind. Noire crossed her arms, raising an eyebrow. Waiting for his answer.
"My little brother sacrificed his life for me. I had to watch him bleed out. I felt his skin become cold and pale. Seiryū died so I could live, but I was supposed to protect us," Netherrealm said in a haunting melancholy. As if he's not even there. Like he's reliving it right in front of him. "So yeah, i'm kinda beat up over it!" Netherrealm joked, his voice was laced with frustration and hatred.
"He killed Marvy, he butchered an innocent girl on international television. Yet he's praised as a hero by my own nation! While you cried over a murderer and madman!" Noire yelled at Netherrealm. He looked away, he can't respond or refute that. Seiryū became a monster, and he could've stopped it. Yet Netherrealm didn't, because he wanted to delay their inevitable duel for as long as he could.
His cowardice, his selfishness costed Marvy her life, and the lives of many others in Lastation. That's something that will haunt Netherrealm for the rest of his days. "I failed him, I abandoned Seiryū in Lowee one night. Leaving him a ticket to Lastation. I ran away because I didn't want the responsibility of being an older brother. Now, my chance to fix that died in my arms," Netherrealm said clenching his fists.
Noire didn't understand why Netherrealm felt this way. His brother was evil, that's all there is to it. Yet, she felt pity towards him. She didn't understand why. She's the CPU of Lastation, she should be above petty emotions. "What Seiryū did shouldn't burden you. You couldn't have controlled him, in the end, it was his decision," Noire said, her haughty gaze softened.
"Even though I hate what he did. I don't hate you, and you helped me a lot. Even though you hated my very existence to the core. For what it's worth, i'm sorry for what I said at the funeral. I hope we can continue to work together," Noire said cool and businesslike. She held out her hand for a handshake. Like how Netherrealm did before. "You got yourself a deal," He chuckled, grasping onto Noire's hand and shaking it.
!Bond Level Increase!
Noire: 2-3
They reached a circular area in the cave. Floating in the center is a disc. The same one that spawned Goroo and other monsters, the same one that helped give YingLong sentience. "Arfoire, she was here," Netherrealm muttered. "She's been ten steps ahead of us from the very beginning!" Netherrealm exclaimed, punching the wall. Causing small rocks to fall and the cavern to shake.
"Calm down! You'll cause a cave in!" Noire quickly grabbed his arm. Netherrealm breathed in deeply and sighed. The monster disc glowed as five monsters appeared in front of them. One of them being Goroo, and Netherrealm cracked his neck in preparation.
"Grab the disc," Netherrealm said to Noire. She became a streak of blue lightning in an instant. Netherrealm weaved past the barrage of punches all four of Goroo's arms threw at him. Netherrealm then caught a fist, and then a second one. The upper two arms raised up to crush Netherrealm. However, as they slammed into the ground. Netherrealm dissapeared into the shadows.
Netherrealm reappeared behind Goroo. Goroo was too slow to evade Netherrealm's wakazashi driving itself into Goroo's gelatinous back. This was the very same monster than nearly killed him back in Planeptune. This was the monster that took the combined efforts of him, Compa, IF and Neptune to dispatch. Now, Netherrealm has that same monster at his mercy.
Black particles slithered onto Netherrealm's blade and into the wound he put on Goroo. Goroo vibrated and spasamed as the particles grew and combined inside of it. Then a hand erupted from Goroo's head. One of Netherrealm's shadow clones crawled out of Goroo. The mess of jelly fell to the cave floor, and turned into pixels. "I win, fatality," Netherrealm said and then he grinded his foot where Goroo died before turning back around to give Noire some back up.
Outside, in the pastures of Leanbox. The sun was rising over a cave entrance. Suddenly, a Pervert-san flew out of the entrance. Rolling across the ground. It looked up to see Netherrealm flying towards it. Netherrealm's boot pulverized the head of the monster. Then it turned into pixels.
He turned to the entrance as Noire backflipped out of it. She thrusted her rapier towards the entrance of the cave. Her blue lightning burning the last monsters following them to a crisp. Netherrealm took off his mask, his shaved hair glistened in the sun. His violet eyes focused on the entrance. Noire put her rapier back into her inventory.
Netherrealm held up the monster spawning disc they retrieved. "Now what?" Noire asked. Netherrealm looked at his reflection inside the disc. To see a laughing Arfoire, mocking him for being behind her. "Netherrealm!" Noire cried out and Netherrealm looked at his fist. He crushed the disc into shards. Thankfully he wore gloves, or else he would have to be picking shards out of his hand.
He clapped his hands together like he finished taking the trash out. He heard the sounds of guns cocking. He turned to see Leanbox soldiers pointing rifles at him. "Netherrealm, by the order of the Archbishop! You are under arrest for conspiracy against Lady Green Heart!" The soldier said.
"What the hell?! Conspiracy?! The fuck is this?!" Netherrealm asked. "Stop talking heretic! Come with us peacefully, or we will use force!" the soldier gave Netherrealm the ultimatum. A dark, smokey aura leaked off Netherrealm and he put his hand on his wakazashi.
Until Noire put a hand on his shoulder. "Calm down, I'll get Vert and we'll work this out," Noire assured Netherrealm, who stared at her in silence. He then sighed and let go of the handle of his wakazashi. He then held his arms out with his wrists together. Handcuffs were slapped on his wrists and they dragged him away.
Noire ran away, she had to get to everyone. She had to tell them what happened. That Yvoire has betrayed them. She's the CPU of Lastation, she won't let anyone down.