CW: Brief mention of past torture.


A Feeling For Her

Chapter 2

Sisterly Advice


Lowee - March 2, G.C. 2018


"I didn't know you wore earrings," Blanc remarked. "Are they new?"

C-Sha's eyes widened a little. A small part of her thought Blanc would never notice her earrings since she rarely wore them. That said, she was glad Blanc saw them because she was hoping to impress her.

"Kind of," C-Sha answered, nodding her head and smiling. "My sister gave them to me as a gift last year."

"They look cute on you," Blanc said.

"O-Oh…" C-Sha stuttered. She usually took compliments about her looks in stride. However, whenever Blanc compliments her, she can't help but blush. "T-Thank you, Blanny…"


"Oh, Blanny…" C-Sha sighed while walking down the street. Even reminiscing about that moment made her cheeks red.

C-Sha was no stranger to love. She had her fair share of crushes when she was younger and even managed to date her high school sweetheart for a bit before they both agreed to see other people (they remain good friends, though).

However, there was just one problem with her current crush. It wasn't the fact that C-Sha was infatuated with a girl—she had already come to terms with her sexuality years ago. No, the problem was that her crush was also her best friend and partner.

C-Sha had never developed romantic feelings for her friends before. She'd never even felt that way towards S-Sha, who had known her since kindergarten!

"What am I going to do…?" C-Sha muttered under her breath, sighing again as she stopped to wait at the crosswalks.

These feelings couldn't be helped. C-Sha already took a liking to Blanc after they battled in the G1 Grand Prix tournament three years ago. What could she say? She always had a thing for girls (and guys) who can kick ass and take names.

As she got to know Blanc, C-Sha quickly found the goddess pleasant to be around. Sure, she had a temper and occasionally swore like a sailor, but that didn't overshadow her positive qualities. She was thoughtful, loyal, and kind of smart. Not to mention downright adorable, even when she was angry… sometimes.

C-Sha tried to figure out what to do in this predicament. She originally went to her fellow Gold Third members for advice but got mixed results. B-Sha and K-Sha meant well, but their "love advice" (if one could even call it that) was a little silly and impractical.

B-Sha recommended wooing Blanc with money and expensive gifts. Of course, there was no way C-Sha was doing that because she knew Blanc wasn't materialistic like Affimojas. K-Sha then suggested making a grand romantic gesture, like hiring a skywriter to spell 'I love you Blanc!' in the clouds.

S-Sha was the only one who gave her actual advice, telling her to just be herself. But even though it was good advice, it wasn't what she needed. Besides, she already felt comfortable around Blanc. She had no reason to pretend to be someone she wasn't.

With her closest friends unable to help her out in the way she wanted, there was only one person C-Sha could turn to.

"I just hope Remmy can help me out…" she thought aloud, walking across the street once the traffic light turned red.


Several hours later, C-Sha managed to get to the northern suburbs of Lowee. She wasn't surprised that Irem (or "Remmy", as C-Sha liked to call her) lived here. Many celebrities and wealthy entrepreneurs resided on the north side, with only some business people like her father living on the east side.

She strolled around the neighborhood, taking in the sights as she headed toward Irem's place. Although it was a clean residence with lovely scenery, C-Sha wouldn't have wanted to live here; unlike most of her relatives, she preferred a less flashy lifestyle.

Upon arriving at a red mansion, she walked up the doorsteps to ring the doorbell.

"Coming." a female voice said.

Thank goodness she's home. C-Sha thought, relieved.

When the door opened, a short brunette in a fluffy white robe with a scarred left eyebrow stepped out. The woman averted her almond eyes quickly, glancing back at the flatscreen television before shifting to her guest. While her sharp gaze remained, her face softened upon seeing C-Sha.

"Hey, Remmy," greeted C-Sha.

"Hi, C-Sha," Irem said, giving her a quick hug. "How have you been? Are you doing all right?"

"Well… kind of," C-Sha started. "You see—"

"Hold up, wait a minute!" Irem interrupted. She looked C-Sha up and down before narrowing her eyes at her again. "Chisato, get inside. Now!"

C-Sha slowly went inside the mansion, confused by the sudden change of tone. She was so used to being called by her nickname that hearing her real name felt weird.

Once C-Sha was inside the mansion, Irem shut the door and glared at her. "You've got some nerve walking around looking like that!"

"W-What's wrong with the way I look?!" sputtered C-Sha.

"What's wrong?!" Irem repeated, staring at her with disbelief. "Where are your hat, coat, scarf, gloves, and boots?!"

"I'm wearing a hat!" C-Sha retorted, pointing at her blue beret.

"You know I'm talking about a winter hat!" Irem huffed. "You must be freezing! Luckily, I have spare winter clothes for such an emergency!"

"But I'm not cold!" C-Sha protested, but Irem had already gone upstairs to her bedroom to fetch some winter clothes for her.

It wasn't long before she came back downstairs with them.

"Here's a nice warm coat, hat—"

"Remmy! I said I'm fine!" C-Sha crossed her arms.

"C-Sha, C-Sha. I'm only looking out for the well-being of my favorite little sister," Irem spoke softly while putting the coat, scarf, and hat down on the small living room table.

"Yeah, right. I'm your only sister," C-Sha pointed out.

"All the more reason for me to be protective," Irem said, smiling.

"Look, I didn't come here to get a tacky coat!" C-Sha huffed. "I… I came here for advice."

"Oh?" Irem uttered.


C-Sha sat on a burgundy leather couch, waiting for her sister, who was in the kitchen pouring herself a cup of coffee in her mug. Once her sister was finished, she came in and sat next to her.

"So, what seems to be the trouble?" Irem asked before taking a sip of her coffee.

C-Sha hesitated before finally getting straight to the point: "... I'm in love with Blanny."

"Lady Blanc? I didn't think she would be your type," Irem remarked, setting down her mug. "You're my sister, C-Sha. I will always love you, no matter if you're gay, bi, pan, etc."

"No, it's nothing like that," C-Sha said, shaking her head, although it did warm her heart to know that she had such a supportive sister. "It's just… Blanc is like a best friend to me. We've been through a lot together, from stopping Azna=Leb—"

C-Sha cut herself off. She'd forgotten she had to avoid saying that jerk's name around her sister.

"Azna=Leb…" Irem growled, clenching her coffee mug tightly in her hand, almost as if trying to break it.

"Uh oh…"

"That greedy, arrogant, selfish prick!" Irem yelled, slamming the mug on the table.

C-Sha jumped a little at the sound of her sister's raised voice. It reminded her of when she told Irem about being tortured in prison by the Revolutionary Army three years ago.

A small part of C-Sha regretted telling Irem about what happened. She could still remember the look on her sister's face. Her dilated eyes, flaring nostrils, and heavy breathing. At that time, C-Sha had known Irem would get mad, but she didn't think she would get so furious that guards had to hold her back from attacking Azna=Leb in court!

"T-Take it easy, Remmy—"

"When I think about what that red-haired scumbag did, I… I…"

C-Sha frowned at her sister's sudden stream of incomprehensible gibberish. "Remmy. You stopped using words."

Irem stopped and looked at C-Sha briefly before clearing her throat. "Sorry. Just thinking about what that bastard did to you pisses me off!"

"I know." She genuinely understood what her sister was feeling, as she would be mad if the same thing happened to Irem. However, she wouldn't lose her cool like her sister did. "But I'm okay now."

She patted Irem's leg in comfort, which appeared to calm her sister down as she was now taking deep, slow breaths.

"Are you okay?" C-Sha asked.

"You don't have to worry about me! I'm always fine!" Irem said, smiling as she finally calmed down. "Besides, we're supposed to be talking about your problem. Not mine."

"Right," C-Sha said. "As I was saying, I just don't want to ruin my friendship with Blanny."

"Ruin it how?"

"By making things awkward between us," C-Sha clarified. "What if I tell her how I feel and she doesn't feel the same?"

She lightly pinched the bridge of her nose while letting out a big sigh. "I don't even know if she's into girls."

"Hmmm… Did I ever tell you that Eizo and I were best friends?" Irem asked.

C-Sha looked at her with raised eyebrows. "Really?"

"We met each other in elementary school," Irem affirmed. She took a sip of her coffee before continuing, "Even when we were kids, Eizo has always been the yin to my yang."

"I know what you mean."

The chemistry between her sister and brother-in-law reminded C-Sha of how different she and Blanc were. While her partner was generally calm and quiet, C-Sha was more easygoing and playful. Despite this, they worked well together. They were even known as the "Golden Pair" in the Hunter industry!

"Wait a sec," C-Sha said. "How come I don't have any memories of Eizo?"

"You were only a baby when we met," Irem answered. "Plus, his family moved away to a different part of Lowee when we were still kids. By the time he moved back, I was playing baseball, and you'd just graduated from high school."

That explains a lot, C-Sha thought.

"We eventually reunited and started hanging out like we used to," Irem continued. She soon started blushing. "I… I gradually started developing feelings for him."

"What did you do?" C-Sha asked, looking at her with curious eyes.

"I eventually told him," Irem answered. "Turns out he felt the same way about me."

"I don't know if I could tell Blanc how I feel…." C-Sha sighed.

"You'll have to tell her eventually," Irem said. "You can't repress those feelings forever."

"I know, I know."

"Even if you confess, there is a chance that nothing will change between you two," Irem continued.

"You think so?" C-Sha asked.

Irem nodded. "Yeah. From what I heard, you two have a very strong bond. I doubt something like that can ruin it." She took another sip of her coffee. "That being said," she added, "don't feel like you have to make a decision immediately. Think about how you feel for a while before doing that, okay?"

C-Sha smiled. This was the kind of advice she needed to hear.

"I knew I could count on you." C-Sha smiled as she hugged her sister. "Thanks, Remmy."

"Of course!" Irem beamed at her in return. "Anything for my sister!"

"I gotta go," C-Sha said, getting up from the couch. "I promised to go horsebird hunting with Blanny."

"C-Sha."

"Hm?"

"Don't forget your coat, hat, and scarf," Irem said before taking a sip of her coffee.

"Fine…" huffed C-Sha. She reluctantly put on her winter clothes before heading out the door.

I hope Blanny doesn't think I look ridiculous.


Blanc was in the Hunters' Guild waiting for her partner to arrive. They were supposed to help a village that had been overrun by horsebirds. Although horsebirds were more difficult to kill than dogoos, she didn't mind fighting them since they weren't made of gross slime that could melt her clothes.

She sat in a wooden chair, fidgeting with her hands while staring at the marbled floor. No matter how hard she tried to think about something else, she couldn't shake off this feeling she had from yesterday. To make matters more frustrating, she still hasn't figured out what the feeling even was!

Get yourself together, damn it! You're just going on another quest with C-Sha!

"Hey, Blanny…" C-Sha sighed.

"Hi C—" Blanc paused when she looked up and saw C-Sha. "Um…"

This was unusual. She didn't expect C-Sha to wear such…

Well…

Blanc didn't think C-Sha looked ugly, as she secretly thought her partner looked anything but. However, she didn't expect her to look like she was ready to travel to Lowee's coldest regions.

Blanc could tell from C-Sha's expression that she was not particularly enthused to be wearing such an outfit. The woman was wearing a puffy orange coat zipped up all the way, along with a long brown scarf wrapped around her neck. A black beanie was on her head where her blue beret was supposed to be.

"Nice outfit, C-Sha," a hunter snickered.

"Shut up, Taka!" C-Sha hissed. She looked at Blanc, who just stood there, gawking at her. "You don't have to say anything. I know I look ridiculous."

"Um…" Blanc uttered, unsure of what to say.

Inside her mind, her four brain cells debated what to say in this unforeseen situation.

Damn! That outfit is ugly as hell! Blanc D remarked.

The three other brain cells at the round table glared at Blanc D with narrowed eyes.

What? Someone had to say it! Blanc D added.

And this is precisely why you're not the leader of this group! Blanc C sneered.

Hmph! Blanc D crossed her arms, frowning.

Guys, we have to come up with something polite to say! Blanc A stated.

Like what? Blanc B inquired. As much as I hate to say it, I agree with D. It's not the prettiest outfit in Gamindustri.

Just because C-Sha's wearing a homely coat doesn't mean she's ugly! Blanc C rebutted. I mean, look at her!

True, true, true. The other three brain cells agreed while nodding.

Hmmm… Blanc A pondered. I think I know what to say.

"I think you look great," Blanc said aloud.

"Y-You do?" C-Sha asked, blinking at her.

"Yeah…" Blanc muttered, rubbing the back of her head while trying not to blush or stutter. "I… I think you always look pretty."

C-Sha smiled, her cheeks turning pink. "Thanks, Blanny."

"Of course!" Blanc grinned.

Meanwhile, all four of Blanc's brain cells were cheering and applauding.

Crisis averted! Thank goodness… Blanc A sighed with relief.

Good job! Blanc B complimented, patting Blanc's A back with a pleased smile.

"Shall we get going?" C-Sha asked.

Blanc nodded. "Yeah."

She walked out the door with C-Sha, ready to take on the horsebird hunting quest with her.


Somewhere in Lowee, a red-haired man sat in a massive, otherwise empty office. The clock on the wall behind him ticked slowly, and each tick was amplified by the room's silence. The man slowly drummed his fingers on the surface of his wooden desk. His face was cold, and his dark eyes smoldered with anger as he sat in his leather chair.

He stared into the distance while waiting for his goons to return, unpleasant memories flashing in his mind. His face hardened as these memories replayed like a broken record that couldn't be fixed:

"Now, now, why don't you let us hear your side of the story, hm, Mr. Azna=Leb?" a hunter jeered.

"There are things we'd like to… ask you…" another hunter added before grabbing the redhead. "We'll have you come along… quietly…"

"This is ridiculous, let go of me! You ordinary weak people can't do anything without my guidance or management!" Azna=Leb raged. "You need to let yourself be controlled by me for the sake of your happiness!"

"Damn it, where are they!?" Azna=Leb slammed his fist on the table. "It shouldn't take this long to do one simple job!"

"If it's so simple, then why don't you do it, boss?" a gruff male voice asked.

Azna=Leb looked up to see two men wearing black sunglasses and fancy tuxedos. The stocky man who'd spoken first was leaning against the doorway, crossing his arms and frowning. The other man was much leaner and shorter than his partner, also frowning as he pushed up his sunglasses.

"Don't you give me any sass, Hajime!" Azna=Leb barked. "Where were you two?! Did you get them?"

"No," Hajime answered flatly.

"What?!" Azna=Leb thundered. "You'd better have a good explanation for your failure!"

"We couldn't get them because they were hangin' with a tall blue-haired lady," the lean man said.

After a moment: "Fine," Azna=Leb grumbled. "But tomorrow, you two better capture those girls! Am I understood?"

"Yes sir," the two men said in unison before walking out the door, leaving Azna=Leb alone with the painful memories that haunted him almost daily.


Hajime was the first to speak as soon as they were out of the room. "We're not getting paid enough to do this! I'm starting to think it isn't worth it!"

"What are ya talking about?" the lean man asked, looking at his partner like he was crazy. "A million bucks is worth it! Think about all the cool shit we can spend it on!"

"I know, I know…" Hajime replied. "He better have it, or else he will pay!"

"What makes ya think he doesn't have it?" the lean man asked.

"The man was in jail for creating the License System!" Hajime explained. "I wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't have the money, but I'll still be pissed!"

"And what if he does?" the lean man countered. "We could be filthy, stinking rich if we pull this off!" He rubbed his hands together as he grinned. "Man, just imagine all that cash!"

"I get it, Shun. You love money." Hajime rolled his eyes.

"What's wrong with liking money, eh?" Shun asked. "It can get ya all the nice stuff you ever wanted in life!"

"I just think you might be obsessed with money," Hajime chuckled. He couldn't help but be amused by how greedy his partner could be at times.

"More obsessed than that General Affimojas guy?" Shun asked, arching an eyebrow.

"Maybe not that obsessed," Hajime said, shaking his head, "but you could be if you keep up that attitude!"

Hajime and Shun walked out of the building as they went to their secret hideout to prepare for tomorrow.


That's a wrap!

Neptune: Not another cliffhanger!

Hehe! Anyway, I hope you guys like this chapter as much as I did! It was enjoyable to write, especially the ending.

Several people will be confused by my OC Irem and who she's supposed to personify, so I'll explain briefly!

Irem personifies and is named after a video game company called Irem (International Rental Electronics Machines). The name might not sound familiar to some, but some of their games might.

They created R-Type, Moon Patrol, Hammerin' Harry, and Kung Fu Master. They were also the creators of another popular game called Ninja Baseball Bat Man. In future chapters, you will see many references to that game in Irem's character.

I made Irem and C-Sha sisters because the companies they represent were both founded by Kenzo Tsujimoto. Kenzo founded Irem in 1975 but left the company in 1982 because he was blamed for declining sales. He would eventually establish Capcom in 1979, and the rest is history!

If some of you are interested, a couple of YouTube videos go more in-depth about the company. I recommend watching Perfect Reload's video, as he does a great job covering Irem's history.

Oh, I almost forgot! Blanc's brain cells are a reference to the inner monologue she had in Super Neptunia RPG. You will definitely see more of them in future chapters!

And another thing. I have a headcanon that Gold Third have actual names, and the -Sha in their names are just nicknames. Since C-Sha is the leader, she most likely came up with this nickname system, and the others just went along with it.