I want to let everyone know that this fic and future Neptunia fics in my Hyperdivergent Neptunia series will not acknowledge anything that happens in Sisters vs. Sisters. Not even the new characters because they don't exist in my series.

I know in the first chapter I said, "This takes place before Sisters vs. Sisters," but I didn't know much about what would happen in the story back then.

I also want to let you guys know that I tweaked the ending in the last chapter, so read that first before reading because the beginning of this chapter will make more sense.

TW: Ram has a PTSD panic attack in this chapter.


A Feeling For Her

Chapter 5

The Journey Begins


Lowee - March 6, 2018 G.C.


"Rom, Ram, it's time to wake up!" Blanc called out while walking to the twins' room. "Wake up, you—" She paused when she saw the two empty beds.

She forgot that her sisters weren't home. They were being held captive in Arcton. Sighing, Blanc turns off the lights and walks out of her sisters' bedroom so she can dress in her own room,

Even though Rom and Ram have been missing for a day, it feels like an eternity since Blanc last saw them. Oh, how she yearns to hug the two girls as if her life depends on it. She wants to tell them everything will be okay because she and the others will find them no matter how long it takes!

Actually, she's on borrowed time because Rom and Ram have to be rescued as soon as possible. She didn't know what Azna=Leb planned to do with her sisters and didn't want to waste any time finding out.

Blanc stopped to look at the clock on her wall. Her eyes widened with shock when she saw it was eight-thirty in the morning.

"Damn it! They're going to be here soon!" She dashed towards the bathroom to brush her teeth and wash her face.

Last night, Blanc suggested that everyone split up into groups and meet each other in Arcton. She initially planned only to have C-Sha be part of her group, but then Irem wanted—no, she decided to join the group.

Her reasoning? Apparently, the baseball player has a score to settle with Azna=Leb. Of course, Blanc couldn't blame her for feeling that way toward him, as she, too, wanted to see that bastard get locked up in prison again.

What she didn't understand was why Vert, of all people, wanted to join her group. She figured the Leanboxian goddess would like to join Neptune's group, as she is Nepgear's "older sister" for a week.

What is Thunder Tits' motive? Blanc thought while brushing her teeth.

She eventually pushed that thought aside as she had no time to dwell on such matters. Once she finished brushing her teeth, she rushed to her room to get her bag of packed belongings before heading downstairs to the living room.

Once she got there, Blanc stopped to catch her breath. Then, looking up, she saw her chamberlain Financier dusting a lamb. She was the only one in the living room, much to Blanc's relief.

I'm not late. Thank goodness. Blanc thought while panting.

"Good morning, Lady Blanc!" Financier smiled.

"M-Morning, Financier…" Blanc responded with a weak smile before sitting down on the couch.

The chamberlain continued dusting the lamb. "Did you sleep well last night?"

"Barely…" Blanc mumbled, lowering her gaze to stare down at her own feet.

The worries she had about her captured sisters never went away. It was planted deep in her mind like a seed. These anxieties even affected her sleep, torturing her with vivid nightmares of losing her sisters due to her own negligence. Her face grimaced, and her hands fidgeted at the ends of her dress.

"Don't worry, Lady Blanc. I know you'll find them!"

Blanc looked up to see Financier smiling at her. The goddess cleared her throat before speaking.

"T-Thanks, Financier!" Blanc tried her best to sound fine so that she wouldn't alarm her.

Suddenly, there is a knock at the door.

"I'll get it," Blanc got up from the couch to answer the door. As expected, it was C-Sha and Irem. However, she didn't expect C-Sha to wear that gaudy orange coat as she did four days ago on their horsebird hunting quest.

"Hey, Blanny. Are you ready to go?" C-Sha's voice was unusually flat, which caught Blanc off guard.

"Yeah, but… what's wrong with you?" Blanc asked.

"I have to wear this tacky jacket. That's what's wrong!" C-Sha grumbled, folding her arms.

"That tacky jacket is what's going to keep you from getting hypothermia!" added Irem.

C-Sha frowned. "But I'm not cold, and I look unstylish!"

"No, you look like you're properly dressed for the winter!" Irem retorted.

"I don't mean to interrupt, but… Where's Thunder Tits?" Blanc asked.

"Thunder Tits?" Irem tilted her head to the side, scratching it.

"She's talking about Vert," C-Sha explained. She then looked at Blanc. "I don't know. She said she was going to meet us at your place."

"Here I am!"

All three women turned around to see Green Heart flying straight toward them.

Speak of the devil. Blanc thought, watching Green Heart land before transforming into her human form.

"Sorry I'm late," Vert said while walking towards them. "I had some late-minute business I needed to take care of, but I'm here now."

"Great! Now we can finally go to Arcton!" Irem started to crack her knuckles while grinning. "I can't wait to give that red-haired punk a piece of my mind!"

Me too! Blanc thought, silently nodding in agreement.

She knew Azna=Leb had no business sending his two lackeys to kidnap Rom and Ram for petty revenge. He didn't even have a right to retaliate because it wasn't her or C-Sha's fault that the selfish bastard let his insatiable lust for power destroy his career and reputation. If there was anyone he needed to blame for his downfall, it should be himself.

However, knowing the former politician, Blanc figured he was too conceited to admit something. Why else would he go through all this trouble just to get back at her for something that's his fault? It's clear to her that Azna=Leb didn't learn a damn thing in prison.

"So how are we gonna get to Arcton, Blanny?" asked C-Sha.

"Hmmm…" Blanc started tapping her chin.

Although she has heard of Arcton, she has never actually been there. The only person she knew that went there was the former oracle Mina Nishizawa because she sometimes went there for trade deals. That said, Blanc did know that the remote town was located halfway across Lowee, which gave her an idea.

"Since Arcton is located in the northern regions, we should travel by train," Blanc explained. "It'll be much faster."

"Great idea! I know the best train station that can take us there!" Irem said with a grin, beckoning the other ladies to follow her.

I think that's the first time I've seen her smile. Blanc thought, blinking with astonishment.

Although she had only known Irem for a day, she had the impression that the baseball player was rather gruff and a bit forceful. In other words, Irem was almost the complete opposite of C-Sha.

It almost made Blanc wonder how the two were sisters. But, then again, she remembered Neptune and Nepgear are sisters despite their different personalities.


"One. Two. Three. Four…"

Ram was on the wooden floor, doing push-ups while her twin sister Rom was still sleeping. Like her older twin, she wouldn't usually get up this early in the morning (unless there were presents under a Christmas tree, but that's a different story).

However, if she was going to survive, she had to get up at dawn and exercise. It's the only way she can become strong like her older sister Blanc.

Ram has seen how her older sister crushed her enemies with her giant hammer despite her size and lack of muscles. The way she and C-Sha didn't give up even when they were surrounded by monsters like what happened three years ago.

If Blanc could overcome challenges that got in her way, then Ram could also. After all, she is the CPU Candidate of Lowee. All CPUs must know how to defend themselves when stuck in a jam.

I'm not gonna survive, no matter what! Ram thought while counting after each push-up she did. Blue optics gazed at the ground, focused and unwavering. I'm not gonna let jerks hurt me again! Not like last time…

The young girl abruptly stopped doing push-ups. She felt an overwhelming sense of dread in her heart, beating like a wild animal trying to escape her chest.

What's going on? What's happening to me?! Ram's eyes darted around the room, trying to figure out what made her feel this way. She wasn't even doing anything dangerous, just simple push-ups.

Her surroundings began to change as if things couldn't get any worse. It went from a light gray bedroom to a marsh with trees partially covered in moss and mist rolling along the stagnant water. Ram looked down and saw the ground was a circular black platform that looked all too familiar.

What the… Why I'm at the— Ram's thought was interrupted when she saw a long tongue heading towards her.

"NO!" Ram closed her eyes, summoning her staff and blasting at the tongue as it approached. She kept screaming, 'Get away from me! And 'Don't touch me!' even as it crept closer and closer amidst her fire.

Tears stream down her cheeks while quick breaths escape her quivering lips. Her heartbeat pounds harder as she tries to back as far away as possible with the staff in her hands.

A voice called out. "Ram! Ram!"

Ram opened her teary eyes to see Rom sitting in front of her. She darts her eyes everywhere, trying to take in everything in her current environment. Then, looking at her sister again, Ram lowers her staff with shaky hands.

"I… what… where…" She tried to say a coherent sentence, but everything happened so fast that she had to process everything.

"A-Are you okay?! What happened?!" Rom asked frantically.

"..." Ram stayed silent. She honestly had no idea what had just transpired at the moment. One minute she was doing push-ups, and the next thing she knew, she was at Atari Marsh, the same place where that meanie Trick…

She couldn't even bring herself to say it. She didn't want to think about it because it was such a horrible event.

"Rom… what…"

Rom began to explain. "I was sleeping when I heard banging. When I woke up, I saw you blasting at everything. You looked terrified!"

"It's okay, Ram…" Rom hugged back, rubbing a crying Ram's back. "I'm here."

Suddenly, there was a loud scream. "My Bedroom!"

Ram and Rom turned around to see Shun standing in the center of the room, gawking at the scene with disbelief and rage.

"Huh?" Ram looked around and noticed the blast holes she had made with her staff. Seeing those holes made the young girl more confused. If she didn't actually leave the room, then what the heck happened?

"Uh oh…" Rom mumbled quietly but loud enough for Ram to hear.

"What did you brats do to my fucking bedroom?!" Shun demanded, clenching his hands.

"Hey!" Hajime walked towards an enraged Shun. "What is—Sweet mother of nature!"

"W-We're not sure what happened," Rom said. "I just woke up to see—"

"I saw a spider!" Ram blurted. Everyone blinked at her, including her own sister. "I-I saw a big spider, and I got scared!"

"So you decided to wreck my bedroom to kill it?!" Shun fumed. "Why couldn't you squash it with a shoe like a normal person?!"

"She was scared. I mean, look at her!" Hajime pointed to Ram. "The poor girl looks like she's seen a ghost!"

"That's no reason for her to destroy my bedroom, Hajime!" Shun yelled, glaring at him.

Ram always thought Shun was like a grumpy old man, even though his face didn't have wrinkles and he looked pretty young. However, she has never seen him get this angry before. He wasn't that mad when she and Rom explored the house.

However, his temper was nothing compared to Blanc's. Provoking her was like sending the Hulk into a fit of rage! Not that it stopped her and Rom from coloring on Blanc's books and documents every now and then.

"Would you calm your tits? Then, we'll call the repairman to fix your room," said Hajime.

"I'm afraid you two can't do that right now."

Everyone turned around to see Azna=Leb standing at the doorway with his usual scowl.

"Why can't I get my room fixed!" Shun snapped, gritting his teeth.

"Because we're holding two CPU Candidates hostage," Azna=Leb answered.

"Why can't we just move them?" Shun questioned.

"It's too much of a risk," Azna=Leb answered. "Once my plan succeeds, you can get a repairman to fix this room."

Your plan won't succeed. Not while I'm here. Ram thought.

"Speaking of which, I have a private matter I want to discuss with you two," Azna=Leb beckoned his goons, who walked out of the bedroom to follow their boss, with Hajime closing and locking the door.

The twins immediately pressed their ears against the door to hear what the three men were talking about.

"What do you want to talk about, boss?" asked Hajime.

"As you heard from the news, the CPUs and Gold Third are heading to Arcton to rescue the girls," said Azna=Leb. "I need you two to stop Blanc and C-Sha from getting here before the assassin arrives."

"What about the other women?" asked Shun.

"Don't worry about that. I already sent some friends from the Revolutionary Army to the others," Azna=Leb explained. "All you two need to focus on is stalling Blanc and C-Sha."

"And how can we stop two superpowered women from getting here?!" Shun exclaimed. "We're just regular mercenaries, not miracle workers!"

Ram could hear the fear in Hajime's voice. It almost made her giggle, but she had to hold it back because she didn't want her kidnappers to know that she and Rom were eavesdropping on them.

"I think I have an idea," Hajime spoke. "We'll cut down a tree and put it on the tracks. That should stall them."

"Oh no…" Rom mumbled.

While her sister was worried, Ram wasn't. In fact, she had no reason to be concerned because everything was going according to her plan.

Backing away from the door, Ram went back to doing her push-ups.

"One. Two. Three. Four. Five…" Ram counted after doing each push-up.

"Why are you doing push-ups?" Rom inquired.

"So I can get stronger," Ram answered. "You should be joining me."

"Why?"

"Because we need to fight the assassin together."

"... What?!" Rom exclaimed. "Ram, have you lost your mind?! We can't fight an assassin!"

Hearing her say that made Ram stop doing her push-ups. She got up from the floor and looked at her twin sister with confused eyes.

"Uhhh, yes, we can. We're goddesses!"

"You're talking about going up against a murderer, Ram!" Rom stressed. "Besides, I thought you were going along with my plan?"

"I changed my mind last night," Ram explained. "I don't trust that Hajime guy, and you shouldn't either. For all we know, he could be lying to us!"

"But he let us keep Bubbles! Why would someone like that lie to us?" Rom questioned.

"So we don't try to try anything funny!" Ram retorted, frowning, putting her hands on her hips.

She had no idea why Rom was so quick to trust a guy holding them captive in one of the coldest towns in the nation. Blanc always told them never to trust strangers, especially crooks willing to kidnap children for a madman. It made her wonder was her sister that desperate to escape that she would listen to a criminal's empty promise?

"I think it's best we do whatever it takes to survive," Ram explained. "Then, once the killer gets here, we will fight back and show them what we're made of!"

Rom shakes her head from side to side before speaking. "I don't want to do that. It's too dangerous and will only worsen the situation."

"How?! We're CPUs, and CPUs are stronger than humans!"

"We're stronger, not invincible!" Rom pointed out. "We can still get killed! So why do you think Azna=Leb is doing all of this?!"

"..." Ram opened her mouth before closing it. She knew her sister was right about one thing: CPUs aren't immortal.

Did they live longer than humans? Yes, but they could still die, just like every other living being on the planet. However, this didn't deter Ram. If anything, it only fuels her desire to fight back, to stand her ground if it means staying alive.

"We should be focusing on escaping, not trying to fight," Rom continued. "I want to get out of this situation alive, and the only way that's going to happen is with Hajime's help."

She really is that naive. Ram thought before sighing. "... Whatever."

She continued to do her push-ups once again. It was clear to the young girl that it was up to her to get out of this mess, even if Rom thought it was too dangerous.

"Ram?"

"Hm?" Ram continued her push-ups, still gazing at the floor.

"What happened back there? Why were you so scared?"

Ram sighed and stopped doing her push-ups once again. This was going to be a long talk.


The Good Cones was the busiest ice cream shop Neptune had ever been to. People were clumped together like bees around a hive, and the sounds of talking and laughter filled the place. Lines at the counter were becoming so long that people had to sit at small round tables, which started filling up quickly. It was a miracle that Neptune and her group could even find a table.

Her younger sister Nepgear sighed. "I wish this place would hurry up."

"Relax, Nep Jr.! We won't miss the train!" Neptune reassured.

"Are you sure about that, Nep-Nep?" B-Sha looked around with concerned blue eyes and then at the older goddess. "This place is crowded."

"Of course, I'm sure!" Neptune gave the Gold Third member a warm smile. "The train doesn't leave until noon, and it's only 10:30!"

"That's only half an hour, Nepsy," Uzume said, unamused.

"Which is enough time to get some ice cream before heading to the train!" Neptune looked at Nepgear with a sly grin as if she knew something that her sister didn't. "Soooo…"

"S-So what?!" stuttered Nepgear.

"How are things going with you and Uni?~" Neptune giggled.

"Neptune!" Nepgear whined, her cheeks turning red.

"What? It's not like I'm asking you to share your personal information with strangers!" said Neptune. "I just want to know if Uni is treating you like a princess—"

"Neptune!" Nepgear buried her blushing face in her hands.

"I think you're embarrassing her," Uzume remarked.

Neptune didn't understand why, as there was nothing immoral about Nepgear dating Uni. However, their relationship is unusual because, according to Histoire, they are the first CPUs to date each other despite coming from two different nations.

This didn't bother Neptune, as she was pretty happy that her little sister had found her special someone. However, she still gave Uni the "If you do anything to hurt her" talk like all older siblings should. After all, Nepgear is her one and only little sister.

Nepgear sighed before she spoke again. "Things are going great between us. In fact…" She started to blush again. "We were supposed to go on a date this weekend."

"Ooooh!" Neptune stared at her sister with sparkly eyes, eager to know more about this date. "Where are you two going?"

"To a new restaurant in Lastation in Midgard City," Nepgear answered. "It's called The Silver Table."

"Silver Table…" B-Sha echoed. "I think I heard about that place from K-Sha. She wants to take Noire there someday."

"No surprise there," said Uzume. The redhead let out an impatient huff. "What the hell is taking them so damn long?! It's just ice cream!"

"You can count on Nep-Nep to pick one of the most popular ice cream shops in Lowee," B-Sha commented.

"How was I supposed to know this place would be super busy!" Neptune looked at B-Sha with wide eyes.

"I told you The Good Cones was busy before we walked in, though!" B-Sha pointed out. "But nooooo, you insisted that we go in and get ice cream anyway!"

Neptune frowned. She didn't know it was a crime to crave chocolate ice cream. Most of the time, she was a meme lord who always liked to start her day eating custard pudding for breakfast. Most people start their morning by drinking a warm cup of coffee.

A few seconds turned into several minutes. The worst part was that the four girls weren't waiting to get ice cream. No, they're waiting for the line to get shorter so Neptune can get her chocolate ice cream. With each passing second, she was beginning to regret coming to this ice cream shop.

"B-Sha, what time is it?" asked Uzume.

B-Sha took out her phone and turned it on to see the time. Her eyes widened when she saw the time, but she didn't utter a single word.

"B-Sha… What time is it?" Uzume repeated, but this time her voice sounded more worried.

"It… It's 11:35," B-Sha stammered.

"You can forget about that chocolate ice cream, Nepsy! We gotta go!" Uzume wasted no time dashing towards the door.

"Wait for us, Uzume!" Neptune yelled as she ran towards the exit, with Nepgear and B-Sha behind her. "Uzume!"

Uzume stopped where she was and turned around to see Neptune, Nepgear, and B-Sha standing in front of The Good Cones.

"What are you idiots standing right around for?! We gotta get our asses on that train before it's too late!" prompted Uzume.

"I have to look up the directions to get there first!" Neptune took out her phone to enter the directions to Lowee Station.

"Starting route from Noble Avenue." Neptune's phone spoke.

"What the goodness?! 12.2 kilometers?!" Nepgear gasped. "We'll never make it there in time!"

"Oh, yes, we will!" A bright light enveloped Neptune as she transformed into Purple Heart, whose voice was slightly deeper. "We'll just fly to the train station."

"Good thinking, Nepsy!" Uzume praised her as she transformed into Orange Heart. "If we fly super duper fast, we can get there in no time!"

"Um, guys?" B-Sha tried to interrupt, but the three goddesses didn't hear her.

Nepgear transformed into Purple Sister before speaking. "But the train station is twenty-three minutes away, and we only got…" She looked at the time on her phone for a brief second. "Twenty minutes to get there!"

"We'll get there," Purple Heart looked at her worried sister with blue eyes that radiated unwavering persistence. "You just got to believe that you will achieve."

"Believe?! I don't think believing is the issue here!" Purple Sister retorted.

"Guys!"

The three goddesses looked at B-Sha.

"I can't fly."

"Not even in your Gold Form?" Orange Heart asked.

"Nope," B-Sha answered.

"Not a problem." Purple Heart materialized her wing processors and levitated towards B-Sha. "I can carry you there."

B-Sha's eyes widened. "Y-You're kidding?!"

Purple Heart slightly tilted her head to the side. "How else are you going to get there? As you said, you can't fly."

"You got me there," said B-Sha.

"Hold this for me, Nepgear," Purple Heart gave her phone to Purple Sister before looking at B-Sha. Then, the older goddess slowly dropped to her knees and opened her arms slightly. "Climb on my back, B-Sha."

"A-Alright," B-Sha approached Purple Heart from behind and wrapped both arms around the older goddess's shoulders.

Purple Heart pulled her arms underneath B-Sha's legs to join her hands. Then, she straightens her knees, raising B-Sha up.

Purple Heart smiled at Orange Heart and Purple Sister. "Let's roll."

The three goddesses took to the sky, with Purple Heart giving B-Sha the flight equivalent of a piggyback ride. Through the corner of her eye, she can see B-Sha's dilated eyes.

"Are you okay, B-Sha?" Purple Heart asked.

"I-I'm fine! I'm j-just not used to…" B-Sha paused for a moment before smiling sheepishly. "Whatever you wanna call this."

"In 1 mile, turn left." The GPS on Purple Heart's phone said in a robotic female voice.

Purple Sister looked at Purple Heart and Orange Heart. "Did you two hear that?"

"Yep." Purple Heart responded with a nod.

"Loud and clear, Gearsy!" answered Orange Heart.

They took a sharp turn to the left. Purple Heart wanted to go as fast as possible, but she had to remember that she was carrying B-Sha. The last she wanted was to overwhelm the more petite woman with too much speed or, worse, have her fall to the ground.

She seems less nervous. Purple Heart thought, looking at B-Sha for a brief moment before looking straight ahead. Maybe I can speed up just a little bit.

As Purple Heart flew faster, she started to feel guilty about everything that had happened. All she wanted was chocolate ice cream before she went to Arcton with her sister and Orange Heart. Although she doesn't think ice cream is as delicious as pudding, she still likes to eat it every now and then.

Look where my ice cream cravings have gotten my friends and me. Purple Heart thought, letting out a remorseful sigh.

"What's wrong, Nep-Nep?" asked B-Sha.

"N-Nothing! I just got a lot on my mind," Purple Heart answered quickly.

Fortunately for the purplette, the GPS on her phone began to speak before B-Sha could ask more questions. "Continue straight and then turn right on Terrace Street."

"How many kilometers do we have left, Nepgear?" asked Purple Heart.

Nepgear glanced at the phone before answering. "About 9.6."

That's not too bad, but it could be better. Purple Heart thought.

The group continued flying through the cloudless sky for several minutes, occasionally turning right or left whenever the GPS told them to. Purple Heart was ahead of her team because B-Sha encouraged her to go faster, which was a good thing for the former. After all, the team had to get to the train station as soon as possible.

Purple Heart has never felt so lucky about being able to not only fly at incredible speed but also for long periods. Mainly because CPUs don't need to flap their wings like birds and other winged animals.

That said, it still took a lot of energy for a CPU to fly, especially for long periods like this. It was like how humans needed to rest after walking for hours. Purple Heart hoped her team could get to the train station before she, her sister, or Orange Heart needed a break from flying.

"Are we there yet, Gearsy?" Orange Heart asked, yawning. "Uzume is getting tired…"

Too late.

Purple Sister glanced at the phone and sighed. "We have 3.9 kilometers left."

"And what time is it now?" B-Sha asked worriedly.

"11:50," Purple Sister answered. "I don't think we will get there in time…"

Purple Heart knew her sister was right. By the time they arrive at the station, the train to Arcton would've already left. She could ask the person at the front desk if there was another train leaving for Arcton, but she felt they would give her two answers that wouldn't help. Either they would have to wait for several hours or come back another day if waiting wasn't an option.

Guilt gathers inside her chest, wrapping around her heart like a snake constricting its prey. She couldn't help but feel this situation was entirely her fault. Had she not insisted on stopping for ice cream, they would've already been on the train (or at least sitting inside the train, waiting for the vehicle to go).

Though as remorseful as the goddess felt, she couldn't give up. Two CPU Candidates are being held captive by two men working for a madman with a petty grudge.

Come on, Neptune! Think of something! Purple Heart thought, furrowing her eyebrows. She had to stop flying for a moment, which caught her sister and two friends off guard.

"What's wrong, Neptune?" Purple Sister levitated towards the older goddess.

"Yeah, why'd you stop?" B-Sha asked.

Purple Heart didn't answer those questions, too deep in thought of how she and her team could get to Arcton in another way.

Then the idea hit her. She lifted her head up and saw the confused looks on her sister's and Orange Heart's faces.

"I know how we can get to Arcton," said Purple Heart.

Purple Sister's eyes widened a little. "B-But we only got—"

"I know we got borrowed time. That's why we're not going on that train," Purple Heart explained. "We're going to get on the train that will take us to the town closest to Arcton."

"That's a brilliant idea, Neptune!" Purple Sister beamed. However, her smile quickly turned into a slight frown. "But we don't know the name of that town."

"That's why I need to talk to Blanc," Purple Heart reached her right arm out so she could get her phone back from her sister.

After getting her phone back, Purple Heart turned off her GPS before dialing Blanc's number. She placed her phone on her right ear, listening to the beeping sound, hoping Blanc would pick up.

Please pick up Blanc. Purple Heart thought.

It wasn't long before she heard Blanc's phone, much to Purple Heart's delight.

"Hey, Neptune. What is it?" Blanc asked.

Purple Heart figured Blanc was on a train because she heard people talking in the background. Thankfully, she could listen to Blanc at her end, but she wondered if the other goddess could hear her.

"I was just wondering, what is the closest town to Arcton?" Purple Heart asked.

"Venzor," Blanc answered. "Why do you ask?"

"No reason," Purple Heart responded with a sheepish smile. It was best her fellow goddess didn't know about the mishap. She thanked Blanc before hanging up on her.

"What did she say the name of the town was?" Orange Heart asked.

"Venzor," Purple Heart answered while giving her phone back to Purple Sister, who re-entered the coordinates on the GPS. "Once we get there, we'll take the next stop to Arcton."

"Sounds like a plan to me! Now let's get going!" B-Sha chirped, causing Purple Heart to chuckle.

With that said, the three goddesses continued their trip to the train station. Purple Heart felt her guilt melt away like ice cubes in the summer, feeling proud that she could avert the crisis by coming up with an alternate plan.

Venzor, here we come. Purple Heart thought, smiling.


"What did Neptune want?" asked C-Sha.

"Which town is closest to Arcton," Blanc answered. "So I said, Venzor."

C-Sha and her friends sat next to each other on the moving train, holding bags containing their possessions and various items they needed for the trip. Although it took them a while to get to the station, mainly because she and Irem felt they didn't have enough snacks. Fortunately, they were still able to arrive before the train could leave.

"Why in the world does she want to know that?" Irem questioned, scratching her head. "She needs to get her team to Arcton, not Venzor."

"Maybe her team missed the train and had to take a different route," Vert speculated. The three ladies turned around to look at the goddess.

"Huh," Irem uttered as she stopped scratching her head. "I didn't think about it that way."

That explains it, then. C-Sha thought while opening a small bag of potato chips. Before eating, she looked at Blanc and then at the potato chip bag. I don't think Blanny had anything to eat in a while. She must be starving!

"Hey Blanny, want some chips?" C-Sha held the bag out in front of her partner.

Blanc blinked at her. "Sure. Thanks, C-Sha." She was about to take the bag, but she suddenly stopped. "Wait, aren't you going eat that one?"

"Nah," C-Sha shook her from side to side. "You can have it. Besides, I got plenty of snacks in my bag."

Blanc took the bags of chips and began to eat them. C-Sha realized she was right about Blanc being hungry because her partner was practically scarfing down those chips.

"Whoa! You must've been really hungry!" C-Sha remarked but didn't hide the amusement in her voice. Instead, she reached for her bag to get another snack. This time, it was a chocolate granola bar with some nuts.

Blanc stopped and looked away. Her cheeks turned pink, which C-Sha thought was very adorable. Of course, she didn't say it out loud.

"I… I didn't have breakfast today."

C-Sha was about to bite her granola bar when she heard that sentence. She gasped and looked at Blanc with dilated gray eyes. "Blanny, you shouldn't skip breakfast! That's the most important meal of the day!"

"I know, I know," Blanc sighed. "But I was rushing. I didn't want to be late."

"C-Sha's right, though," Vert added. "You shouldn't skip breakfast. Here, have another snack."

"It's okay, Vert. I got it," said C-Sha.

"No, I insist," Vert reached for her own bag to get out a tangerine. "Besides, I got snacks that Blanc actually wants to eat."

"A tangerine!" Blanc reached over to take the tiny citrus fruit. "Thanks, Vert!"

"Of course," Vert smiled.

What the hell is that supposed to mean? My snacks are delicious! C-Sha thought, glaring at Vert before gazing at Blanc, who was peeling the skin off the small citrus before eating it.

C-Sha didn't usually let rude comments bother her. However, there was something about what Vert said that really got under the hunter's skin. The remark was bizarre because C-Sha didn't have any beef with the CPU of Leanbox. At least, that's what she thought until now.

What's her problem? C-Sha thought before taking a bite of her granola bar.

"Make sure you don't make a mess," Irem spoke, snapping C-Sha out of her thoughts. "You know how crumbly those granola bars are. Do you need a napkin? Let me get one so I can—"

"I'm 25 years old," C-Sha responded in annoyance, narrowing her eyes at her older sister. "I don't need you to be my mom anymore."

She could tell that comment caught Irem off guard because her sister jerked her head back slightly. C-Sha didn't mean to sound so snippy, as she knew Irem meant well. However, her sister should know that she is a grown woman who is perfectly capable of cleaning up her messes.

Besides, Irem's mothering isn't why she is so irritated. It was the snide remark Vert made a couple of minutes ago. The comment repeated in her mind like echoes in a dark cave.

"Besides, I got snacks that Blanc actually wants to eat."

C-Sha sighed heavily and looked out the window, watching the trees. She had more important stuff on her mind to think about than Vert's not-so-subtle insult.


And that's a wrap!

Neptune: Ooh! I can see that you implied-

Shhhh! Don't say that out loud! I haven't even revealed that information yet! DX

Neptune: But… you implied it already? O.o

Because I wanted to introduce it first! Besides, it's just a minor subplot.

Anyway, I'm sorry it took a month to write this. I had to prioritize my college schedule and schoolwork before writing! I try to upload monthly because it takes me a while to finish chapters due to ADHD (I get distracted easily).