Netherrealm woke up in a hospital bed, his hand was bandaged up, and an IV drip was in his arm. His violet eyes locked onto a sleeping Compa in a chair. Draped over Compa's comfy looking lap is napping Neptune, IF sat in another chair, also asleep. "They wouldn't leave your side," a voice said in the doorway.
Vert entered Netherrealm's hospital room. "You all are something special if you changed Neptune this drastically," Vert mused with a soft smile. "What happened after I fainted?" Netherrealm asked. "We rushed you to the private infirmary up in the Basilicom. Compa treated your wound, poor girl exhausted herself doing this all by herself. Since my normal doctors were preoccupied with the guards Skoll-Hati and you attacked," Vert explained.
"And Kyoken?" Netherrealm asked. "Kyoken was carried out by her men. We're repairing the damage done by Kyoken and you. Don't feel at fault, she started that conflict. You tried to end it as best as you could," Vert explained with a disappointed look. Her concern for her people allowed Kyoken and her men to get away.
"So how long was I out?" Netherrealm asked. "Only three days, you lost a lot of blood, combined with the injuries you've sustained and your exhaustion from that fight," Vert replied. Vert sat on Netherrealm's bed and gave his shaved head a pat. "Don't worry us like that again," Vert said with a pout.
"'Us?' You worried about me?" Netherrealm asked with a chuckle. "Yes, you are Iffy's friend, and she would be sad if you died," Vert replied with a smirk, and she crossed her arms under her large, firm breasts.
"We had Yvoire interrogated after you were stabilized," Vert said and Netherrealm scoffed. "I got myself arrested just to smash that son of a bitch's face in," Netherrealm said disappointedly. "Really now?" Vert asked, both surprised and somehow not surprised.
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. Netherrealm glanced at the brush to see Neptune and Compa hidden away.
Neptune held up a printed picture of Yvoire. Written on it with a black sharpie was 'he blackmailed Iffy, take him down from the inside.' 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.
"Any idea what that was about?" Netherrealm asked. "When Iffy had told us that she was blackmailed. It's not my place to give the details on how. We met in the Basilicom and saw guards leaving. Neptune and Compa left, and they came back soon after Noire rushed back to tell us you were arrested," Vert explained.
"Fucking old ass son of a bitch. He's lucky you got to him before I did. Besides, even if I couldn't break out. I trusted that you and Noire would get me out," Netherrealm said and Vert giggled. "You are quiet the charmer," Vert complimented Netherrealm, however he looked away at that.
"Did I ever tell you why I hated CPUs?" Netherrealm asked. "No, I didn't know that," Vert replied. "I hate how you all fought in Celestia. Leaving us out to die. We had to form our own laws and everything while you just fought eachother. Then, Arfoire disguised as White Heart killed my friends and nearly me."
"Then you all come back and the red carpet rolls out. While we did all the work, and people died because of this whole Console Wars. My friends, my fucking family! Yet, now I see you do genuinely care for this world and it's people. I don't know what to think," Netherrealm admitted.
Vert hugged Netherrealm tightly, she looked like she was about to cry. "I could never imagine losing all of that. You are truly strong to have survived all that and come out a good person," Vert comforted Netherrealm.
!Bond Level Increase!
Vert: 1-3
Netherrealm reluctantly hugged back as a fully realized CPU has shown genuine care for the first time in his life. They seperated and Vert got off of his bed. Leaving him alone with his sleeping friends.
Neptune and IF, they are more than friends at this point. They stuck by him at low points and supported him to reaching a sense of happiness he hasn't had since he was a kid, before his fathers died. They are sisters in his mind, and he'll tell them someday. So after resting and recovering, the Multi-Platformers were getting ready to leave again.
"Be careful out there Ai-chan!" Deco said, kissing and embarrassed IF's cheek multiple times. Aksys hugged IF tightly. "Come back soon, okay kiddo?" Aksys asked and IF nodded. They fist bumped and IF waved goodbye to her parents as she boared the airship.
The airship took off from Leanbox and headed towards Lowee. Vert watched Leanbox shrink in the distance. IF hugged Vert's waist from behind. Vert held onto IF's hands and closed her eyes. The wind snaking through her hair and biting her exposed skin.
Neptune was chomping down on the pudding Compa made for everyone. Noire was yelling at Neptune to save some for everybody. Compa was trying to stop the two from arguing kindly. Before it got to the point where she picked the two so called goddesses up by their collars like cats. Neptune and Noire crossed their arms, looking away from eachother while pouting.
Netherrealm was at the gunwale, his arms over the bar. The sun was setting as he thought about what's coming next. He's going back home.
Valiant Heart...
Defeated again...
Netherrealm closed his eyes and let the evening air tickle his nostrils. The air was slowly getting colder as dark clouds were in the distance. He thought about how he'd never come back.
Your hopes and dreams now are fading away...
He could hear Arfoire laughing in the back of his head. The sounds around him drowning out. Making way for that arrogant, and cruel laugh. Ever since the caves, he has never forgotten that cackle.
Have you really found solace in the dark?
His grip tightened against the railing as the dark clouds began to swallow up the setting sun. The air had become freezing, and everyone had gone inside. Netherrealm stayed, as he remembered all the people he shookdown, extorted and harrassed.
I know your soul cries for another chance...
His breath was now shaky and getting faster as he remembered abandoning Seiryū because he was so scared of White Heart, and his own desire to escape the responsibility of being an older brother.
To stop fighting is a way to perish...
The sun has been blocked out by the grey clouds. The wind increased its intensity as snow fell onto the airship. The howling wind was all Netherrealm could hear, and he dared not to open his eyes.
Your hopes and dreams I can help to redeem...
Netherrealm's eyes shot open as the wind became the youthful screams of the Black Dragons. The cold mimicking how Seiryū's corpse felt in his arms. The emptiness in front of him, blinded by snow was how he lived for so long.
Valiant Heart, my soul will fight away...
Netherrealm let go of the railing and turned around. His footsteps somewhat shaky. As the snow and dark sky reminded him of the night he nearly died. The night he gained his powers and became a shell of a human being.
To make you see this world clearly again...
He trudged towards the door. Then he opened it and walked inside as the gale continued it's screaming. Yet the howling wind became muffled as he was assaulted with warmth. Compa was in front of Netherrealm holding a mug of hot chocolate.
Netherrealm took the mug and smiled softly. He sat down next to her, listening as Neptune was trying to tell a joke. These people are his anchors, his light in the crushing dark. Because of them, he could become a dragon.