Tune 8: Love Song
Nepgear walked by Charlie, Neptune, and Iris Heart and constantly glanced at Iris Heart. She looked up and down from her long hair to her heels, and sighed.
"Keep an eye on her." A deep voice told Nepgear.
"What has she done?" Another voice asked.
"Investigate, learn."
"Stay and-"
Nepgear shook her head once and took a deep breath. She looked down the street to see a small crowd of people in the distance with the police officers.
"Let's head to the Basilicom some other way." Nepgear whispered.
"Iris Heart uh, how'd ya get here with Charlie?" Neptune asked.
"We flew." Iris Heart replied.
"Yeah, she carried me here." Charlie said.
"Perfect! Uhm, you two can fly back and we'll just walk back from the way we came sounds good?" Neptune asked quickly.
"Hmm, okay Neppy."
Iris Heart held Charlie in her hands and launched into the air. Nepgear and Neptune stared up and watched them leave, then Neptune let out a loud sigh of relief as she leaned on a wall behind her.
"Man, that Iris Heart… I did plan on having a serious talk with her but I kinda ran out of juice. Ah well, there's always next time, let's get going Junior!" Neptune said.
"Your sister is getting lazy." A man's voice told Nepgear.
"You'll need to accommodate for that." Another voice said to her.
"Right, let's go home, Neptune." Nepgear said with a smile.
Nepgear quickly walked towards the police cars and they turned their heads to look at them.
"Welcome back you two. Everything's alright?" An officer asked.
"Mhm." Nepgear nodded.
"We took care of everything, y'all can go back in now!" Neptune said.
"What was in there?" The other officer asked.
"A large steal energy crystal." Nepgear replied. "And a man named Mephiles Frontier along with his assistant, Darince was seen here. I think they're responsible."
"So that's why Purple Heart asked about him." An officer said quietly while writing down on a notebook.
"Thanks for your help, we'll take things from here." The other officer replied.
"No problemo! We'll see you two later!" Neptune said.
Neptune and Nepgear smiled and waved at them as they walked down the street, then Neptune sighed and stretched her arms.
"Yeesh, getting stabbed really makes you tired huh?" Neptune asked.
"Oh right, how's your wound Neptune?" Nepgear asked.
Nepgear forced herself to look at the buildings to her right while Neptune walked at her left.
"I'm all good now, but I'm surprised he didn't like, stab my neck or something. Ya think he just missed or did he want me to live?" Neptune asked.
"I'm not sure."
Neptune looked at Nepgear and raised an eyebrow, then shrugged and continued to walk until they reached the Basilicom entrance. They climbed the stairs and entered inside to see Rei, Histoire, and Linda sitting at the round table. Linda was tapping her fingers on the table impatiently while Rei and Histoire were writing on sheets of paper.
"There you two are." Linda said.
"Welcome back, have you met with Charlie?" Histoire asked.
"Yup, thanks for the assist Histy." Neptune said. "You uh, mind if I take a little break?"
"Not at all, it must have been a difficult battle. Please, take some time to rest. I will tell you of our next plan once you come back downstairs."
"Got it, thanks Histy!"
Neptune smiled as she walked by the table and Nepgear sighed as she watched her go.
"Lazy goddess." A voice told Nepgear.
Nepgear shook her head and faced Histoire.
"You'll have to take her place." Another voice told her.
"Uhm, Histoire, what are you working on?" Nepgear asked.
"Rei is reading over documents from other departments, such as our guild and police." Histoire replied. "I am reading over requests from the general public."
"Get to work, you can do it." A voice told Nepgear.
"Ah, can I help?" Nepgear asked.
"Are you certain? I'm simply filtering, disposing of unnecessary questions that should not waste Neptune's time. Do you not want a break as well?" Histoire asked.
"Ah, well, nobody knows Neptune better than me and I'm not tired, honest." Nepgear replied.
"Good" A voice said.
"Good." Another voice said.
"Very well, then join us at the table." Histoire said.
Nepgear sat at the round table and Linda scoffed at her. She took the first sheet and glanced at Linda while doing so.
"Evil, she's selfish and has no purpose here. End her." A voice told Nepgear.
Nepgear groaned quietly and rested her head on the table with her hand over her head.
"Please, I don't need to hear this." Nepgear whispered.
"Why are you so quick to forgive her crimes against you, a goddess?" Another voice asked.
"Throw her in a pit with Iris Heart until she begs for a second chance."
"Too much mercy, have her executed."
"Neptune would prefer mercy, but it has costed hundreds of people before. Do not let her stress over that again, take on the responsibility yourself."
"You're a goddess, you have the right to make that decision."
"Uhm… Nep-Nepgear?" Rei asked.
Nepgear looked at Rei.
"Kill her too."
Nepgear slammed her arm on the table and rose to her feet. The other three looked up at her, then she sighed and faced them.
"I uhm… actually, I do need a break Histoire." Nepgear said with a forced smile.
"Certainly. Is everything alright?" Histoire asked.
"Yes, yes of course!"
Nepgear smiled and quickly backed away towards the stairs, then climbed up the stairs. She walked through the hallway and faced her and Neptune's room, blinked, then took a deep breath and walked past it.
"Good choice."
Nepgear entered into a different room with a big bookshelf and a table next to it. She sat down at the table and tapped on her watch, then stared up at the screen in front of her.
She tapped on a screen, sliding away documents and files, then expanded a section of the screen that showed IF in an alleyway facing a group of five people.
"IF…" Nepgear whispered to herself.
"Stay here kid, I mean it this time." IF's voice said from the screen.
"But-"
"Stay. Here." IF demanded.
Nepgear watched as Iffy's head was slightly visible on the screen. Iffy glared at IF as she walked into the alleyway. The group of people looked up at IF. Most of their clothes were clean and colorful. Some of them wore thick jackets, while others stood shirtless.
"Let me guess, you're here to stop us little miss?" A woman asked.
"Glad you get the idea already." IF replied.
"Fantastic… let me tell you something then, half of us had our grandparents killed by these damn monsters. The other half, their parents. Let's not waste anyone's time, leave or we'll beat the hell out of you."
IF glanced at Iffy, then glared at the woman and raised her arms in front of her.
"Let them fight. IF knows what to do." A voice told Nepgear.
"Go help her if you're really that anxious."
"Basilicom's orders. On the ground, or I'll put you there." IF said.
"Fuck the Basilicom, fuck the monsters, power to the people, we make the rules around here!" The woman shouted.
The group behind her raised their weapons up in the air and cried out behind her. IF glared at them and pumped her arms once, extending her black arm blades.
A white mouse covered in dirt and a few bruises came into camera view from behind one of the group members. The mouse crawled out the alleyway and behind Iffy.
"Monster racists. They deserve whatever comes next." A voice said.
"Do they?! They're doing Planeptune a favor."
"A goddess puts their people as priority first. And until White Heart announces a change to the law, that is final. You will not be blamed for killing monsters."
The woman rushed forward and jabbed her left arm at IF who blocked it, then attempted to kick but she dashed back and a man beside her swung at IF with his bat. She blocked it as well, sinking her blades into the wooden bat, but she was forced to push with both her arms and a man behind them punched the ground with his fist.
"Eat this you self righteous scum!" The man yelled.
IF dodged to the right instinctively, pulling her blades out the bat and a column of fire ignited from the ground. Another girl roundhouse kicked at IF's head while her back was against the wall and she blocked it with both her arms, however the baseball bat was swung at her torso.
"GAH!"
IF flinched and the first woman uppercutted IF, knocking her head on the wall. She quickly swung her blade at the woman forcing her to dash back, however she ran right back IF and punched at her. IF instinctively thrusted her other arm up, stabbing her blade into the woman's arm.
Nepgear flinched as the woman yelled in pain as she quickly pulled her arm off and backed away. IF stepped away from the wall and faced the group while the woman drank a Nepbull. The man beside her smiled and the other woman readjusted her baseball cap. The man who summoned the fire column punched his fists together, igniting them, and a man beside him clenched his fist and weeds growing from the ground extended roots onto his body creating a sort of armor.
"This one's on you Nep." IF whispered to herself. "You better raise the kids properly if I'm gone."
"Not yet IF." Nepgear whispered. "I trust you."
"Trust her?" A voice asked. "She's Neptune's friend not yours, at least go to her and ask her if she needs help."
"Go yourself, now. You're a goddess, do your job."
The fire man punched the ground again and IF dodged to her left. At the same time the man dropped his baseball bat from above and IF swung at it, parrying it and kicking the man back. As that happened the other woman kicked at IF's legs and then jumped up to knee IF.
IF dodged and retracted one of her blades, then started to throw a punch but she felt roots cling onto her shoes.
Before she could look down, a column of fire ejected out of the ground burning IF, and she screamed while quickly staggering backwards and putting out the flames on her clothes. She coughed as the man in front swung at her knee with his bat, however Iffy quickly dashed forward and blocked it with her own smaller arm blades.
"Gah I… thanks." IF said quietly.
"Really?" The man asked. "A kid? Man, the Basilicom really is accepting child labor. How psychotic."
"He's right." A voice said to Nepgear.
Some members of the group laughed as the woman from earlier threw at knife at IF. She quickly stepped out of the way and she heard the sound of glass shattering behind her. She then felt a buzz on her watch and she looked down at it.
"Duo link recognized. Proceed?" The voice from her watch asked.
"They're a duo unit?" The man and woman asked each other.
IF shook her head and pressed on her watch. A shock then shot through IF and Iffy's arms, then into their heads. They then both took a stance with their arms out towards the group in unison.
"Bah, doesn't matter." The woman said.
The other woman spun once, then dropped her heel down at IF who blocked it with her blades, then was about to cut at it however a baseball bat came to her face. She proceeded to slash at the leg causing the woman to quickly dash back and fall over while holding onto her leg, and Iffy jumped into the air and blocked the bat with her blades, knocking her into IF's torso and she quickly caught her in her arms.
The fire man punched at the ground, however IF threw one of her black blades at him stabbing into his shoulder.
"GARGH AH DAMN IT!" The man yelled.
Iffy quickly dashed forward and slashed at the man with the baseball bat who dashed backwards and swung at Iffy, forcing her to stop and step back once. IF ran forward and blocked the punch that came from the woman, then stabbed her while she attempted to dash back.
"Demon flames!" IF yelled.
She threw a fireball at the other woman who finished healing her leg wound and Iffy did the same, causing the woman to be ignited, then scream as she evaporated on the spot. The other members blocked the embers with their arms and stared at the spot where she stood.
"Holy…" IF said to herself.
"You're gonna die for that!" The man yelled.
"Damn it… damn you!" The man on fire yelled.
"No…" The man covered in roots said quietly.
The woman grinded her teeth and crushed the can of Nepbull in her hand. The man with the baseball bat swung at IF aggressively and she blocked it, however the bat hit her arm and she flinched from the impact. Iffy flinched as well, then she ran at the roots man who kept staring at the spot where the other woman stood, then quickly faced Iffy.
Nepgear continued to watch in silence with a grim, serious expression. Her eyes started to soften and her arms began to relax. She raised her fingers up to the screen, but slowly lowered them and continued staring.
The fire man finished healing his wounds and punched at Iffy who dodged backwards. The woman was about to stab Iffy from the back, however IF dashed right by the man ignoring him and punched her in the face knocking her unconscious. The fire man was about to punch the ground again, however while Iffy blocked a punch from the man covered in roots, she threw her blade at the fire man stabbing him in the leg, causing him to flinch.
"AUGH!"
IF ducked under another baseball swing and kicked him, knocking him against the wall, then she slashed downwards cutting the bat in two. The man attempted to block his head, however IF pulled her arm back and punched his torso causing him to flinch then knocked him in the head causing him to groan and fall to the ground.
Iffy hopped to the left avoiding roots and the fire man punched Iffy in the back. Iffy rolled onto the floor and IF flinched while dashing towards the fire man and slashing his arm while he attempted to block.
The fire man fell to the ground and yelled while holding his arm. The man with root armor stared at everything in surprise and raised his arms while the roots fell off his body.
"I yield, I yield, don't kill anyone else." The man exclaimed.
"What are you doing?!" The other man asked.
"Be- be quiet." IF threatened while taking deep breaths. "If- if ya know what's best for you."
"What's best for me? Like what was best for the PERSON you killed?! The living BREATHING person?!"
"Are you telling me you weren't trying to kill me?! Don't start pulling out double standards."
The man glared at IF who glared back, then he groaned as he dropped his head to the floor and covered it with his hands.
"I'm sorry… I'm sorry I didn't protect you." The man whispered to the ground.
IF took a deep breath, then walked by Iffy who also took in deep breaths. She pulled the other man's coat and watched a small metal symbol fall out. It was faintly green and it looked like a plant with the leaves and stem in the position of a cross.
"Mobius? Again?" IF asked.
"We were lower class workers at Mobius Corps. Some guys called us grunts, or goons, or cannon fodder, but we did our jobs and we got paid. You're lucky as hell he fired us when he did or we'd have an actual organized plan."
"More of you would have died."
"So what? Mr. Frontier actually cares about our asses unlike you."
"He cared about you, so he fired you so you wouldn't get involved, but you're getting involved anyway?"
"Yeah… we actually supported him and his goals and wanted to help. Even if all we could do was be some extra arms. Sounds familiar?"
IF blinked at the man, then looked behind her at Iffy who sprayed herself with quick repair spray, fixing her clothes. She looked behind Iffy to see police officers step into the alleyway and police cars waiting outside.
"We'll take it from here." An officer said. "Unless… you need to speak to him more?"
IF looked at them na, then sighed and shook her head while releasing her grip.
"Nah, I got everything. Unless he happens to know where Mr. Frontier is right now."
"You think we'd be out here if we knew where he was? We'd be with him building whatever the hell he needs." The man replied.
IF glared at him, saw the officer offer her a Nepbull. She took it and drank it while walking out the alleyway. She picked up her blade from the ground and cleaned the blood off while she saw other officers healing and bringing the other people into cars. One officer held the small white mouse while another was taking notes.
Nepgear lowered her head and knocked it on the table and swiped the screen away. She then slowly raised her head up and pulled out a different screen, showing a lit up hallway with a dark room, closed off by metal bars and mechanical legs could be seen inside faintly from the light.
"Get rid of her, she's a threat."
"Make the job easier for Neptune."
"At least keep an eye on her or put up a stronger cage."
Nepgear dropped her arms and head to the table again and pounded her arm on the table. She took a deep breath and sighed.
"Do not start getting lazy."
"You have more work to do."
"Take a small break if you have to, but Planeptune needs you to keep working."
"I need to get myself fixed…" Nepgear said to herself.
She stayed in the same position for a while, then heard a small cough coming from her watch. She looked at the screen, then saw Magic's face behind the bars, giving a small smile.
"Someone's watching, who could it be?" Magic asked. "Hmm…"
Magic's face slowly began to fade back into the cage.
"No use talking if I don't get a response."
Nepgear pressed a button on the screen and cleared her throat.
"This is Planeptune's CPU Candidate Nepgear. Basilicom Prisoner 1: CFW Magic, I would like you to answer some of my questions."
"Nepgear?" Magic asked. "I see. Ask anything, I'll answer. It will be your choice to believe me or not."
"How did you know someone was watching?" Nepgear asked.
"I designed the original cameras used for this building, I had blueprints of the new ones."
"Why did you so willingly come to the Basilicom?"
"Look at me, half of my body is made of cheap, replaceable, not even battle bot worthy material. Would I stand a chance against you?"
"What is your plan? No, first, how did you come back?"
"I don't know. I woke up in Gamindustri Graveyard and rebuilt my body. After that, I came here and began working on a hobby of mine."
"What hobby?"
"Engineering, mostly. You've seen my work place, haven't you?"
Nepgear stared with narrow eyebrows, then took in a deep breath.
"Keep asking more." A voice told her.
"What are you really planning, tell me! You tried to kill us before, what's stopping you now?!" Nepgear asked.
"I don't want to die again." Magic replied.
Nepgear stared at Magic for a while, blinked, then made a confused expression at her screen.
"That's… it?" Nepgear asked.
"What else is there? I failed, I died, I was given another chance. You won Nepgear, I'm not a sore loser. But I would like to try out this whole ordinary life thing."
Nepgear stared at the screen, looked to her left and looked down at the ground for a moment, then looked back.
"You can't trust her." A voice said.
"I can't trust… I can't trust you." Nepgear said
"That's fair, but then why do you trust Linda?"
"Put her behind bars too." Another voice said.
"It's because Histoire trusts her!" Nepgear yelled.
"I see. That's good."
Magic remained silent for a moment and Nepgear stared at the screen with one of her eyebrows raised. She then heard the door opening behind her and quickly turned around while turning off her watch.
"Goddess, you- there you are." Linda said. "The hell you doing in here for?"
"Show her Magic, see her reaction." A voice said.
"I said this a million times, put her behind bars." Another voice said.
"I- uhm, hello Linda I was uh… doing nothing."
Linda raised an eyebrow at her then sighed and rolled her eyes.
"Whatever. I just needed to find you. Go back to doing nothing."
Linda closed the door and Nepgear sighed. She rested her arms on the table, then placed her head on her arms.
"Let her know, she deserves the truth." A voice told her.
"She will turn on the Basilicom and try to destroy Gamindustri again, we have enough problems."
"Kill her, the amount of times she threatened the lives of a goddess is enough for multiple death penalties."
A small beeping sound came from Nepgear's watch. She tapped on a small blinking red dot and looked up at a screen of Neptune and Nepgear's room.
"Your sister is in a room down the hall not doing anything. Lazy ass…" Linda said to Neptune.
"Oh phew, if she ran off that would have been a problem huh?" Neptune asked. "By the way, did Histy tell ya about Magic yet?"
"Magic?! CFW Magic?! What about her?" Linda asked.
Nepgear turned off her watch and quickly jumped out of her seat and exited the room. She ran to Neptune's room and threw the door open, then bumped into Linda who was leaving at the same time.
"Ow! Oof, sorry!" Nepgear said.
"Out of the way!" Linda yelled.
Linda shoved Nepgear aside and ran down the hall and went into the staircase. Nepgear watched her leave, then looked at Neptune who tilted her head at Nepgear.
"Hey Nepgear, what's wrong?" Neptune asked.
"Did you have to tell her?" Nepgear asked with a tired expression.
"Oh uh, was I not supposed to? Whoops, sorry. You look tired, how about you take a rest and I go downstairs and deal with this?"
Nepgear looked at Neptune's smiling face and sighed.
"Protect and serve your goddess." A voice told Nepgear.
"Stay in here Neptune." Nepgear replied.
"K, something's definitely wrong with ya. I mean, guess having voices for that long probably isn't too healthy so uh, how about-"
Nepgear closed the door and took a deep breath. She gripped onto the knob tightly as she felt Neptune twisting and pulling from the other side.
"Hey! Let me out Junior!" Neptune exclaimed. "I'll jump out the window if I have to, I'll do it! Come on please? The bushes outside don't look very soft…"
"Trust me." Nepgear said.
"Oh alright fine. Go ahead."
Nepgear slowly took her hand off the knob, then as she turned the door swung open and Neptune latched onto Nepgear.
"Wha- Neptune!" Nepgear exclaimed.
"Gotcha! In ya go!"
"Wait hang on-"
Neptune pulled Nepgear into the room and jumped onto the bottom bunk bed with her. Nepgear groaned as she began to sit up straight, then she felt Neptune pulling her down and lying on the bed next to her.
"Listen Junior, we've been sisters for your whole life. I can tell when your little weirdo goddess voices are talking and when you're talking and clearly from your attitude I can tell something isn't right." Neptune said. "So lets rest up for a bit yeah? We'll solve everything later."
"But Histoire and-"
"And Underling and Magic and Planeptune blah blah blah none of that is as important as this thing right here in front of me!"
Neptune wrapped her arms around Nepgear more tightly. Nepgear stared down at Neptune who looked up at her with a smile.
"I gotcha alright? I'm right here, ready and willing." Neptune said.
"I see…"
Nepgear slowly began to hold Neptune in her arms and began to touch her hair.
"Histoire needs you right now." A voice told her.
"What are you doing? You have more important things to do."
"Bring her down with you if you have to."
"This is a waste of time, you're a goddess. Go."
"You have more time for this afterwards."
"What android needs this?"
"What goddess needs this?"
"It's been decided by all corners of Planeptune."
"You are our goddess, we need you active."
"Goddess or not you have to protect Planeptune."
"You have to protect Histoire."
"Do it yourself."
Nepgear held Neptune tightly and closed her eyes shut.
"I'll listen to this voice." Nepgear whispered.