On days like these, Vert is thankful to be a CPU. Because she's sitting on a sunchair on the balcony of the Basilicom. Smoking a neparette. She never considered vices before. That's because her gaming addiction was that escape.
With Nepgear dead, video games are no longer satisfying or fun for her. So she just decided to leave them there. After throwing the neparette on the floor. She crushed it under her heel. Vert sighed stood up. The pain of loss was something that was foreign. Now Vert understands something.
This is why she never accepted Chika as a sister. If Vert had let her oracle into her heart, Chika WILL pass. Yet, Nepgear was an immortal goddess, and she died. Vert never wants to go through this again. Having a little sibling die right in front of you, not being able to do a thing.
In fact, because of Kurome, a nickname Uzume came up with to differentiate the two. Honestly, Vert doesn't see a difference. They're part of the reason Nepgear is dead. Vert was an enabler, under the Whirlpool of Delusion.
Because of her inaction and weakness. Her younger sister to be was snuffed out. Her bright fire extinguished with a snap of the neck. Vert entered the Basilicom entering her office. "L-Lady Vert! I brought some paperwork-" Chika Hakozaki stuttered. Vert snatched the papers out of Chika's hands.
"You are dismissed Chika," Vert said coldly. "Lady Vert? Do you need anything? I can bring you food, water..?" Chika offered, trailing off to imply an etcetera. "What I need is for you to leave," Vert answered without looking at Chika. She slumped and left Vert alone.
"I'm so sorry Chika, but I can't go through this again," Vert whispered, her voice cracking. She regained her composure and began the monotonous process of paperwork. It hurt Vert everytime to act that way to Chika.
She has to, she can't open her heart again. She can't have a sister, she doesn't deserve to have a sister. Vert continued to write and sign her name. Every paper she completed, Chika's sorrowful and shameful expression. Chika is blaming herself, and Vert doesn't know what to do.
No, she knows exactly what to do. She just can't do it. Vert can't step up to be a big sister again. Because when Chika passes, that day will hurt so much more.
She keeps writing harder, Nepgear's terrified face on the verge of death flashed. It kept going between Chika and Nepgear. Then she broke her pen. Vert yelled and smashed her desk into pieces.
Vert stood up, breathing heavily. The papers fluttered across the room. She heard the sound of footsteps thumping. "Lady Vert!" She heard Chika, and some muffled words from Cave. "Leave me alone! Now! Or I will have you all drawn and quartered!" Vert yelled at the door impulsively.
After some muffled arguing outside the door. Crestfallen footfalls became quieter as the people outside her office left. Vert fell to her knees. Splintered wood and shattered glass digging into her legs. Vert picks up a shattered picture frame. It was a candid of the Candidates going out for lunch.
"Uzume, that bitch took you away," Vert growled. She opened her office window. Taking a pack of neparettes out of her inventory. She put one in her mouth, then she lit it with a bit of magic. She inhaled and breathed out a puff of smoke.
Days like these make Vert grateful that she's a CPU. Because while her anatomy is similar to that of humans. Because CPUs are made to work for their nation. Her body is naturally stronger, durable, more resistant to poisons, able to go for long periods without sleep or sustenance.
Because of this, she is immune to the adverse effects of smoking. Vert tried drinking, but ended up in an alleyway, passed out. Luckily Cave found her, so any possible assault was avoided. She moved from one vice to the next.
She looked at her lit neparette. Vert flicked it out the window, and sighed. 'I should visit the new casino. Maybe that might make me feel something, or help me forget,' Vert contemplated.
A holographic notification flashed in front of her. Vert took out her phone to see her girlfriend, IF, was calling. Vert cleared her throat, and answered it. "Hello Iffy darling, do you need something from me?" Vert asked with fake happiness.
It's not that she wasn't happy to hear from IF. It was hard to express it sincerely at the moment. IF is the only time Vert feels genuinely happy. Yet the possibly of losing IF has a vice grip around her heart.
Dates have become shorter and infrequent. Affection rare and half assed. Vert doesn't know if she could keep this up. "Well, can you come to Planeptune? I have an idea, I want to help you and Nep," IF asked.
"Iffy, I can't, being in the same building as that bitch. I can't, the need to strangle the life out of her is hard to resist," Vert said. "Come on, please, this is super important. Nep is my best friend, and your well, um, my, uh, girlfriend. So, can you come over?" IF asked again.
Before Vert could refuse, her phone was snatched out of her hand. "She's coming today, be ready for her arrival," The aloof S-Sha said to IF before hanging up. S-Sha tossed Vert phone back to her and then gripped Vert's wrist.
S-Sha dragged Vert out of the hallway. Gooman and Goolady rushed into Vert's office to fix it. "Hey! S-Sha! Let me go, right now!" Vert struggled and S-Sha let her go. The momentum caused Vert to fall flat on her face.
S-Sha turned Vert over with her foot. "I'm not interested in your complaining. You will get help, both E-Sha and I want you to get help," S-Sha crossed her arms and glared at Vert. Who sat up, and sneered at S-Sha.
"E-Sha! I am fine! Tell S-Sha to leave me alone!" Vert demanded. S-Sha's red eyes turned a soft green. Her militaristic and commanding demeanor shifted into that of an introverted schoolgirl. "No," E-Sha softly answered. Yet there was a firmness, she will not be influenced on this decision.
E-Sha gave control back to S-Sha, who reassumed her stance. "There is no hate, only joy. For you are beloved by the goddess. Hero of dawn, healer of worlds. Dreams of the morrow hath the shattered soul. Pride is lost, wings stripped away. The end is nigh," S-Sha quoted, something.
"What book is that from?" Vert asked. "I have no interest in remembering the name. It's act two of the book," S-Sha replied cryptically. "You forgot the name of the book, didn't you?" Vert deadpanned and S-Sha cleared her throat.
"Let's get you to Planeptune, I have no interest in seeing the person who saved E-Sha and I wallow like this," S-Sha held her hand out. Her red eyes switched to green. "Yes," E-Sha agreed with the other soul in her body. "You sound like lines from a self help book," Vert scoffed and took E-Sha's hand.
Vert took out her phone and sighed. Texting to IF of the approximate time of her arrival. "Don't come back until you get better. If you come back and you aren't better. I'll throw you out the Basilicom window, got it memorized?" S-Sha bid her goodbyes.
Vert gave a chuckle and went on her way to Planeptune. Despite all her instincts telling to just give up. She won't, she is the CPU of Leanbox after all. Besides, she a new vice, no, not a vice. Vert wants to open her heart again.
Everyone is heading to the main plot!I purposefully made Vert similar to Neptune. Because having the two people Nepgear considers big sisters running away from their problems was fitting.
Brainstorming for this chapter was tough at first. Because unlike Uni, or Ram and Rom. I didn't have a clear idea. So after picturing Vert smoking as an internal joke. Everything clicked.
Next time, we go back to Neptune.