Me: "Hello again, readers! Another day, another chapter for the story."

Heero and Neptune: (Enter IC from Lounge) "And another chapter full of awesome!

Me: "Quite. But first off, I'd like to apologize to our readers that read the last chapter before I got a chance to look over it. For whatever reason, almost all of the texts was in bold, despite the fact that I used my normal style of writing. The problem should be fixed now, though now I worry it will happen to some of our chapters in the future. I mean, it's not a major problem, but it is kind of inconvenient."

Heero: "As long as a swift correction is done, it should not be a problem."

Me: "On to the main topic. I wanted to take care of a certain something that I'm sure our readers have thought that I've forgotten about."

Neptune: "Pudding day? To finish settin' up all those consoles you got in the Game Room?" (Grabs onto Heero's arm) "Our M Rated scene?"

Histoire: (Enters IC from Break Room) "Must you think about food so often, Neptune? There are more important things you should be focusing on right now. (._.)"

Me: "Pudding day is tomorrow, all the consoles in the Game Room are set up, and no. At this point, our readers know I'm constantly thinking about when and how I'm going to get you two… 'in the mood.' No it's something else."

Zero: (Suddenly appears in IC) "It has to do with me and the Gundam."

Me: "Right you are, Z! Now, we won't say any more on the subject, we'll just let the readers see for themselves. And on that note..." (Points to cast) "Go for it."

Heero, Neptune, Zero and Histoire: "HeeroUzuki does not own Mobile Suit Gundam Wing, Hyperdimension Neptunia, Super Robot Wars, or any work pertaining to any of these franchises. However, he does own the idea of crossing over Gundam Wing and Hyperdimension Neptunia."

Me: "Another painful reminder that I don't own any of these franchises. Let's hurry up and get back to work."

Me, Heero, Neptune, Zero and Histoire: (Leave IC)

Ch. 37 Zero's Hour

Within the body of water in the isolated area where the Wing Zero had remained dormant since first arriving in Gamindustri, Zero was analyzing piles of data rapid succession. The pace she was working at would put a supercomputer to shame, "The sooner I finish all of this the better. I can't very well provide ample support when there is work to be done, now can I?"

Zero was so busy with her data crunching that she failed to notice that there were two children near her location. The two children, a boy and a girl, were laughing andplaying tag or some such game. As the two chased one another through the woods on the outskirts of Planeptune's capital city, they eventually came upon the lake where the Wing Zero was hidden.

While trying to avoid being touched by the girl, the boy fell into the lake. It was only when the child fell in that Zero noticed what the Gundam's sensors had been trying to convey to her. The boy's playmate ran over to the edge of the lake and waited for him to reemerge from the body of water.

After a few seconds the child finally came out of the lake, coughing and gasping for air as he pulled himself out of the water, "Th-There's a giant monster in there!"

The girl took one look at the body of water her friend had emerged from before running off after him, not wanting to find out whether or not there really was a monster in the lake.

It didn't take a genius to figure out what was going to happen next, and it made Zero regret not paying attention, "This doesn't bode well..."

Xxx

It was the day following the party's successful rescue of Histoire. The group was on their way to the hotel where they were keeping Histoire, and along the way Neptune was arguing with Compa and IF. Apparently they were still quite upset with the CPU over what happened yesterday. Specifically, how she had taken a shower with Heero, "I still can't believe you, Nep-Nep. You got into the shower with Heero while we were out getting dinner!"

The brunette next to Compa wasn't going to let Neptune get off with a stern talking from the nurse in training alone, "Just because you're a goddess, that doesn't mean you can pull crap like this behind our backs."

Neptune was equally upset. While her fellow party members were mad that it happened, the CPU was mad that the moment was interrupted, "I'm the one who should be mad! Heero and I were holding each other and having a really romantic moment. But then you guys ruined it with that whole 'opening the door at the wrong time' anime cliche! Not cool!"

Evidently the girls weren't going to let this discussion drop any time soon. The reason Heero came to this conclusion was because they had been arguing about the topic of Heero and Neptune in the shower since last night, stopped only when they had to go to sleep, and immediately picked the argument back up that morning.

As the bickering went on, a familiar face crossed the group's path. Lady Black Heart appeared to be looking for something when she heard the girls arguing. Neptune and the others stopped their verbal fighting when they saw Neptune's former amnesia buddy and Lastation's goddess in front of them, "Hey, it's Lady Black Heart! What're you doing here?"

The raven haired CPU hadn't expected nor planned on running into the party, especially when she had come to Planeptune for a specific reason, "O-Oh, no reason. What about you guys? I didn't think I would run into you again so soon."

Neptune answered the goddess truthfully. After all, the party wasn't sure what they were doing at the moment themselves. They knew that Zero and Histoire had been collaborating and working on a plan that would enable them to deal with Arfoire, but had yet to hear anything on that front, "We're not doing much. Just waitin' for Z and Histy to tell us what to do next."

As the amnesiac goddess was conversing with Lastation's CPU, another of the four goddess was walking up the street behind the party. Lady White Heart had her nose stuck in her book 'Writer's Guide to Writing a Best Seller,' not really paying attention to anything else.

Lowee's CPU was so engrossed with the page she was on that she didn't notice that Heero was in front of her until she walked right into him. The sudden collision caused the goddess to fall on her backside and drop her book, "Oww! What are you doing standing in the way-"

Lady White Heart didn't finish her sentence once she got a good look at who she ran into. Heero turned to face the CPU as she scrambled to her feet. "I apologize. Had I been more mindful this wouldn't have happened."

The goddess quickly dusted herself and grabbed the book that she dropped before responding to the boy in front of her. "...No. I should have been paying more attention."

Compa noticed Lowee's CPU as she apologized to the Gundam pilot, "Lady White Heart is here, too? We didn't get a chance to say goodbye after we got the Key Fragment."

It was only when the nurse of training started talking to her that Lady Black Heart noticed Lowee's CPU. Lastation's guardian goddess was able to hide her disdain for the goddess of Lowee… but just barely, "What a surprise. I never expected you to come out of your room."

Lady White Heart happened to have a few choice words for the raven haired CPU, the vast majority of which was included swearing. Rather than risk making a scene with all of the civilians around, the goddess swallowed her words as she addressed the CPU of Lastation, "I could say the same to you."

Seeing two of the four CPUs in the same place was certainly a sight to behold, not to mention that the members of the party were the only ones in the know that Neptune was one of the CPUs, which meant that three of Gamindustri's goddesses were in one place.

This fact wasn't lost on Compa, who leaned over and started whispering to IF as though she wasn't already aware of this, "(Can you believe it, Iffy? There are three goddesses here! If Lady Green Heart were here, it would be like a goddess convention!)"

That certainly would have been something… but that was only IF Lady Green Heart showed up, which it was highly doubtful, seeing as their were already THREE goddesses there at that point in time. The odds of all four CPUs being on the same landmass were a million to one.

Before anymore words could be exchanged between the party members or the two CPUs, a growling noise filled the air that emanated from the girl's stomachs. They had been so caught up in their argument that they skipped breakfast.

All Neptune could think about at that moment was stuffing her face to satisfy her hunger, "Can we get something to eat? I'm starving..."

The group of girls had to agree with their leader. As much as they wanted to continue nagging the purplenette for her attempt to seduce Heero (or so they believed), they couldn't ignore their own need for sustenance.

Being the kind soul she was, Compa extended an invitation to have the two goddesses join the party for lunch, "Would the two of you like to join us? It would be rude not to at least offer."

While Lady Black Heart contemplated the offer, Lady White Heart had already popped up next to Heero, "...I wouldn't mind. What kind of person would I be if I refused such a gesture?"

Just one look at the small goddess and the boy she was standing next to was enough to tell Lastation's CPU just what she was after. Lady Black Heart stormed over to the two and stood on the other side of Heero, "I think I'll take you up on your offer as well. It wouldn't be very goddess-like if I didn't."

They may have projected a calm and demure exterior that was befitting of their status as the highest beings in Gamindustri, but underneath that facade was an animosity between the two goddesses that no one in the party could see. Both CPUs silently belittled one another as they walked down the street with the party to find a restaurant to have lunch at. "(Detestable little brat!)"

"(Stupid pigtailed bitch!)"

With her stomach leading the way for them, Neptune wander around the streets of the city until she settled on a place to eat, "Mmm… I smell burgers! We should definitely eat here."

Compa commented on their leader's decision to follow her 'instincts' when determining where they were to eat, "That's our Nep-Nep. Thinking with her stomach."

Lady White Heart rolled her eyes while muttering under her breath, "...What a dumbass."

The group took their seats at one of the tables outside the eating establishment as they waited for a server to come and take their orders. It wasn't long before a waiter finally came, at which point Neptune was trying not to eat the very table the party was seated at, "Gimme the biggest burger you got! With lots of fries and a big soda!"

Heero was about to order when Neptune decided to order for the boy. "He'll have the same thing I'm having."

Casting a look of annoyance at Neptune, the Gundam pilot allowed the waiter to take the order before going around to the others and filling out their orders, leaving as soon as the group's requests were written down.

It was a nice day out in the Land of Purple Progress with clear blue skies and no immediate threat of monster attacks on the city. The only thing killing the mood for Neptune at the moment was the fact that Lady Black Heart and Lady White Heart had occupied the two seats next to Heero, "So… quick question: how come they're sitting next to Heero? They're not Lady Green Heart so I'm not as mad, but..."

Lady Black Heart looked away as Neptune's scrutinizing gaze was focused on her, "It's just a coincidence that the seating arrangement turned out this way. It's not like I planned this or anything."

While the CPU of Lastation was trying to avoid looking at the purplenette, Lady White Heart had stuck her face back into her book, "...It's your own fault for not getting here sooner. First come, first served, right?"

Neptune wasn't too happy with the response she was getting from the two goddesses. If anything, it seemed as though the current seating WAS planned. Compa tried to assure the party leader that the two CPUs weren't conspiring against here or anything, "It was just a matter of luck, Nep-Nep. Any one of us could have been sitting next to Heero. Lady Black Heart and Lady White Heart were just really lucky, that's all."

Compa's words did little to console Neptune. Fortunately for the purplenette, it wasn't long before the server came back with the tall order placed by the group. As soon as her plate hit the table, Neptune immediately began to cram the burger into her mouth.

Heero looked down at his own plate of food, which was exactly the same as what was on Neptune's. The burger contained three patties with a slice of cheese atop each patty, bacon and lettuce. A pile of thick cut fries sat next to the burger, and for his drink, the Gundam pilot had a sizable cup of soda.

While the boy had eaten such food before, he didn't consume it regularly, nor did he eat so much of it at once. Heero just looked at the large burger on his place for a moment while the girls happily ate what was in front of them, "(...I should have just ordered myself. As long as I exercise enough to burn off the calories from eating this, it shouldn't be TOO bad.)"

Taking a hold of the stacked burger, Heero brought the sandwich to his mouth and took a bite. It took a moment for the teenaged soldier to chew the food down enough that he could safely swallow it.

As Neptune continued to wolf down her food, Lyrica had to point out her lack of table etiquette, "Neptune, there are goddesses here. Can't you show better table manners?"

Nisa looked over at the party leader to see crumbs around her mouth, "She's got a point. You're eating like someone's gonna take it away from you."

Neptune stopped eating to wipe her mouth before answering the complaints of the two girls, "Well, you guys didn't let me have breakfast, and I'm hungry."

Lady White Heart daintily ate one of the fries off her plate as the conversation dragged on, "...It's fine. I'm not about to let someone's eating habits bother me."

Unlike the rest of the group, Lady Black Heart had cut her burger into four pieces, trying to act like a prim and proper goddess… even though part of her really just wanted to eat the burger whole, "If I was so easily offended I couldn't be a goddess."

There was something about this moment sitting there with the chatty girls eating fast-food on a clear day like this that felt serene to Heero. It was… ordinary. It felt nice. The boy was only able to take one more bite of his burger before his helper reached out to him, "(You seem to be having fun.)"

Neptune had crammed a handful of fries into her mouth when Zero had started communicating with them. The purplenette hastily chewed and swallowed the fried potatoes in her mouth before greeting the disembodied voice, "Heya, Z! How ya doing? Are you hungry? We probably should have asked if you wanted something."

Lady Black Heart heard something, but dismissed it as the chatter of the pedestrians passing by. Instead, she focused her attention on the girl seated across from her and couldn't help but feel a little disturbed as Neptune appeared to be talking to herself, "Is she okay? Does she normally talk to herself like this?"

While it wasn't the first time Neptune had talked to Zero or Histoire in front of someone outside of the party, it was still no less awkward trying to explain it. Luckily, Red was someone that could break such news to a stranger and not feel awkward doing it, unlike most of the other members of the group, "She's talking to Z. She's Heero's helper."

The amnesiac goddess couldn't help but brag about her ability to hear the voice of the ZERO System while the others, safe for Heero, couldn't, "Yup. While you guys can talk to Histy now, Heero and I are still the only members of the uber exclusive Z club."

While Neptune boasted of this 'uber exclusive Z club,' Heero cleared his mouth before responding to his partner, "Did you need something?"

Zero's voice was tinged with worry as she spoke to Heero and Neptune, "Well… you two are across from an electronics store right now, correct? It might be better if you see for yourself."

The Gundam pilot couldn't understand why Zero wouldn't just explain what she needed. Although, the tone of the woman's voice lead Heero to believe that something was wrong.

Intent on finding out what the problem was, the Perfect Soldier stood up from his seat and walked over to the electronics store. Neptune took one more bite of her burger before getting up from her seat to follow Heero, "We'll be right back! Don't eat my food!"

The electronics store had an array of TVs set up behind the glass window at the front of the building. It was highly probable that whatever it was that Zero wanted them to see was going to be televised. After a few commercials a news broadcast came on that was reporting on live coverage of some area in Planeptune.

There were cranes positioned around a lake with workers and armed personnel standing around. Neptune didn't know what she was looking at, "So… what did Z wanna show us?"

It took Heero a moment to recognize the location where the reporting was taking place, but once he remember the boy had a pretty good idea what was going on… and it gave the boy reason to be worried, "They couldn't have found it..."

Unfortunately, Heero's fears were confirmed when the Wing Zero emerged from the body of water. There was a news anchor on hand to commentate the spectacle before the people. Apparently, the people involved thought the Gundam was some kind of never before seen monster.

The voice of the news anchor was overpowered by Histoire's own voice, who was communicating to Heero and Neptune via the method she had used to converse within them prior to her release, "(Neptune, Heero, gather the others and meet me here immediately! There is an urgent matter we need to discuss.)"

By the time Neptune had realized it, Heero was already two blocks away. The boy was obviously in a hurry based on how fast he was moving. Neptune hurried back over to the others and began to scarf down what food there was left on her plate.

Compa and the others had been watching the two since they left the table and Heero's sudden departure was cause for concern, "Nep-Nep, where is Heero going?"

The purplenette tried to speak, but realized that she was unable to say anything coherent with her mouth full of food. Once she swallowed her food, Neptune reiterated what Histoire had told her, "Histy wants us to hoof it over to her place, pronto! She's got something she wants to tell us."

Neptune was about to take off when she noticed Heero's unfinished burger. Glancing at the others to see if they were thinking the same thing, the amnesiac goddess gobbled up the burger intended for the lone male party member. IF watched Neptune devour the food that was meant for Heero, a look of disapproval forming on her face, "Neptune you pig. That was for Heero."

As was expected, the party's leader felt no shame in her actions, but that was attributed to her agenda, "But Heero wasn't gonna come back for it. More importantly, he took a bite out of it. You know what that means, right?"

It didn't take long for the girls to figure out what Neptune meant, as they soon began shooting jealous looks her way. "The early girl gets the kiss. Now c'mon you guys! Iffy, pay the bill for us."

Neptune took off in the direction Heero had gone, leaving IF feeling rather irritated, "Why do I have to pay for it?!"

Compa stood up from her chair and gave a polite bow to the two goddesses as the rest of the group left the table and headed down the street, "We're sorry we have to leave, but something's come up."

The nurse in training followed after her fellow party members as they headed for the hotel they were keeping Histoire. Even though they had no idea what was going on, the two CPUs had seen the look of distress on Heero's face as he sprinted down the street. Whatever it was had to be serious.

Lady Black Heart stood up from the table and began to walk away, "Well, I have an important matter to deal with. I'll leave you to… whatever it was you're doing."

It wasn't as if the CPU of Lowee was going to stay there. She only came along to see Heero, and since he was gone there was no reason for her to be there. Lady White Heart stood up and faced away from Lastation's CPU, "...Whatever. I had something I had to take care of as well."

Both goddesses went their separate ways to take care of their 'business.' As the two CPUs departed the restaurant, Heero was weaving through the foot traffic between him and his destination. Along the street the boy was following, Lady Green Heart emerged from one of the stores with a bag full of books, presumably manga. The goddess of Leanbox seemed quite content with the collection of books she had acquired, as was evident by the smile on her face, "I wasn't expecting them to have a sale today. I'll be able to start filling up that new shelf I asked for in no time if there's another sale like this."

The blonde haired goddess wasn't so absorbed with her bag of manga that she didn't notice the Gundam pilot running up the street toward her. Lady Green Heart was already happy from finding a smorgasbord of manga, so she was overjoyed to see Heero… without Neptune, no less. "This must be my lucky day. Good afternoon, Hee-"

Lady Green Heart stopped when she noticed that not only was the boy not paying attention to her, he seemed to be upset. Heero ran past the goddess, who could do nothing but watch as he continued down the street as fast as he could. Leanbox's CPU couldn't help but be concerned about the boy would had looked so distressed as he passed by.

It took Heero five minutes to get to the hotel and a little over ten minutes for the others. Once Neptune and the others arrived they immediately began to inquire about Histoire's summons, "What's the dealio, Histy? We were having lunch, y'know."

The fairy-like girl could understand Neptune's disappointment of having her lunch cut short, but the matter she had to discuss with the party was of utmost importance, "I apologize, however, we have a problem. I fear that Zero is in trouble."

Even though the majority of the group had never seen Zero for themselves, she had helped the party out more than once. As such, she was counted as one of it's members, and hearing that Heero's disembodied helper may be in a pinch was certainly alarming.

While they did want to help Zero, the party didn't know how they were supposed to find her in the first place, a fact that was pointed out by IF, "Z has bailed us out of trouble a few times, so I'm all for saving her… but we don't know where she is."

One of the determining factors in any rescue operation was whether or not the rescuers knew the location of the person or persons in need of rescuing. Since they had no idea where to find Zero, the party was already off to a rough start.

Thankfully, it wasn't as if they had nothing to go off of. During their travels to find the Key Fragments, all of Zero's communique were done through telepathy, or whatever it was that she had been using to convey information to them. Not once had she ever been physically there to tell them anything. "There is no need to worry. Zero is still able to communicate with us. ^_^"

"I don't know how much I will be able to help. I apologize in advance."

Neptune saw no reason for Zero to apologize about whether or not she could help the party with her rescue, "You don't gotta apologize, Z. If anything, Histy's the one who should be saying sorry."

Histoire was befuddled by the purplenette's claim that she should apologize, especially when she didn't know the reason WHY she should be apologizing, "...What do I have to apologize for? I have done nothing wrong."

The party's leader looked irritated with the fairy-like girl. "Don't pretend like you don't know. When we we're searching for the Key Fragments, you didn't help much at all. Z actually helped out. Now we gotta go look for Z, and she's gonna help out. And you'll probably be no help at all."

Considering the way Neptune put it, it seemed as though Histoire had no room to retort. Heero had exited the room and immediately slipped into the second room the group had rented. Once inside the Gundam pilot retrieved the black shorts he had put away in the dresser against the wall, then promptly ducked into the bathroom as he was sure the girls would follow after him once they noticed that he was no longer in Histoire's room.

It wasn't long before the first party member entered looking for the boy. Compa looked over the room for a moment before calling out for the Perfect Soldier, "Heero? Are you in here?"

Heero replied to the nurse in training from behind the locked bathroom door as he changed into his shorts, "Did you need something?"

Shortly after Compa had entered, the rest of the girlsfiled into the room. They needed to know what they were to do regarding the rescue of the team's disembodied helper. "We're going to go save Z, right? I mean, we do owe her for the times she saved us."

Nisa broke into another one of her heroic spiels as she expressed her intent to aid the party's formless helper, "Although she has not been with us in body, Z has watched over us in spirit. As a hero, I cannot ignore the plight of one who has assisted us time and again."

Hearing that the girl's had a vested interest in rescuing Zero was reassuring to say the least. Heero emerged from the bathroom wearing his shorts instead of his jeans and went to retrieve the binoculars in his backpack, "While I share in your enthusiasm and appreciate your willingness to help, we cannot mount a rescue operation just yet."

The girls were surprised to hear the boy say that they couldn't immediately go save Zero. They were sure that Heero would be all for going after his partner, so his answer was unexpected. Lyrica waited to see if any of the others would raise an objection before asking the Gundam pilot herself, "Why not? If Z is in danger shouldn't we help her?"

As much as he wanted to, Heero knew that attempting a rescue wouldn't be quite that simple. "I want to rescue Zero more than anyone. However, if we attempt a rescue now all of you will be put in significant danger."

While it was touching to hear that the Gundam pilot was so worried about them, it didn't change the fact that he had said that they were not going to rescue their party member and friend Zero. Heero could tell what the girls were thinking just by the expression on their faces, "Before any of you jump to conclusions, we are going to rescue Zero. We just cannot attempt a rescue at this moment."

It was unreasonable to think that the party could actually rescue the captive Zeroright after she was captured. The girls knew that, they just didn't want to accept it. But that begged the question: what exactly were they to do regarding their captive helper?

All of the room's occupants were silently contemplating the matter, but it was IF that came out with the inquiry regarding the subject, "If we can't save Z right now, what can we do? I don't like the idea of just sitting around doing nothing."

"Just because we can't attempt a rescue doesn't mean there's nothing we can do. Before we do anything we first need to know where Zero is being taken."

If attempting an immediate rescue was out of the question, then the only thing the group could do was gather information on the destination of their helper in distress. Once they knew that, they could begin planning a rescue. And as Histoire pointed out, Zero was still able to communicate with the party despite her current predicament, "Currently the convoy is traveling along the outskirts of the city limits. Clearly my 'escort' wants to keep any and all contact with the civilian populous to an absolute minimum."

With the knowledge that her captors were traveling outside the city, it wouldn't take too long to find Zero… It wasn't really hard to spot a giant robot after all. Heero was reluctant to let the girls come along for more than one reason, but knew better than to try and talk them out of it, "It would be best to head out now. The sooner we locate the convey transporting Zero, the sooner we can figure out where exactly they're taking her."

Neptune began to usher the party out of the room, "What're we waiting for? Let's hurry up and find out where the baddies are taking Z!"

Xxx

Just as Heero had thought, it didn't take too long to figure out the location of the convey transporting the Wing Zero. The party was standing atop a hill that overlooked a dirt road just outside of the capital city waiting for their captive helper to pass through.

Neptune tried to stay focused on the task at hand, but the lack of excitement caused the party's leader to grow bored very quickly, "The baddies are coming this way, right? I don't wanna wait too long."

The party was dealing with a particularly serious matter, which was why Compa was somewhat surprised by Neptune's lack of enthusiasm, "Nep-Nep, Z is our friend. Shouldn't you take this a little more seriously?"

To her credit Neptune was trying to stay focused, she just didn't like having to wait around so much. Thankfully the group didn't have to wait long for the convoy to show up. As soon as the group in possession of the Wing Zero appeared out from behind the vegetation Heero immediately got down on his stomach, "All of you, get down."

At the behest of their lone male party member, the girls flattened themselves against the ground. Heero looked over the armed escort through his binoculars, trying to find anything that would tell him who they were or see if there was an opening to get closer. "...Security is tight. And they appear to be unnerved, which is a problem."

Neptune had made binoculars out of her hands and was scoping out the group as well, "So these are the baddies that got Z? You sure we can't bust 'em up and rescue her?"

The Gundam pilot glanced at the party's leader as she tried to spy on the armed individuals before handing her his binoculars so she could actually see them. "That would only cause us more problems. We need a plan before we take action."

It was plain to see just how nervous the as yet unidentified guards were. Each one of them was frantically observing their surroundings, as if they expected something to jump out at them. The amnesiac goddess watched the frenetic group of people, curious as to what had made them so worked up in the first place. "What do you think these guys aredoing? They're actin' all weird."

Compa received the binoculars from Neptune and trained her sights on the armed individuals. The nurse in training couldn't explain the odd behavior of the guards either, "Hmm… maybe all of those people are looking for a rare item."

IF appropriated the binoculars from the nurse in training to get a better look at the individuals below, "I doubt that. I think those guys are part of Planeptune's defense force. But that doesn't explain why they look so nervous. What could possibly make them so scared?"

The answer as to 'why' the congregation of armed guards were so nervous came into view shortly after the brunette's inquiry. A fleet of trucks emerged from the forest and traversed the dirt road along with the defense force. It wasn't the number of trucks that was eye-catching, but rather what they were carrying.

Secured to the backs of the flotilla of trucks was the supposed 'monster' that had stirred up panic and was the reason for the groups change of plan, the Wing Zero. The Gundam's wings were still wrapped around its body, hiding most of its frame from sight.

While the sight of the mobile suit was nothing new to Heero, the same couldn't be said for the girls. They were at a loss for words upon seeing the metal giant… of course, it wasn't long before Neptune broke her silence, "Get a load of that thing they've got! It's super huge!"

Nisa looked like a goldfish the way her mouth kept opening and closing until she finally gave a verbal response, "As a heroine I've fought a lot of monsters… but none of them were THAT big."

As the girls tried to express their awe over seeing the Gundam, Heero tried to get down the hill they were on without being seen. He had to know just where the Planeptune defense force was taking his suit.

Fortunately for the Gundam pilot there was a line of bushes at the foot of the hill, so he had some place to hide once he made it down. Heero peered through the bushes at the convoy, making sure that he wasn't visible to the rattled escort. Neptune came down the hill shortly after the boy and ended up right next to him, doing her best to seem invested in what they were doing, despite not knowing what she was looking for, "So.. what're we gonna do? Do we beat 'em all up?"

The Perfect Soldier wasn't sure why the leader of the group would suggest such an action when it was clear that they would be placed in a very precarious situation if they were to follow such an idea, "It would be preferable if we could avoid combat with them. We have been dealing with monsters so far, and I'm hesitant to have you or the others fight against human adversaries."

"But we gotta do something! If we don't, they'll get away with Z!"

Heero immediately moved to cover Neptune's mouth as she started raising her voice, but he was too late. One of the guards had heard the purplenette and moved to investigate the bushes they were hiding behind, "Who's there?!"

The duo froze upon hearing the abrasive sounding voice of the approaching guard. Heero looked for anything he could use to help them get out of their current situation, but there was nothing. The bushes that they were behind was the only thing that could hide them, and if they tried to move the two would be spotted for sure.

Given their predicament it didn't seem as though there was anyway to avoid being spotted. Heero eyes fell on Neptune who had been watching the Gundam pilot as he tried to come up with a way out of their situation. Only one possible solution to their problem came to mind, "...I don't see any other way out of this."

Because the boy's hand was still over her mouth Neptune's response was muffled. Before she knew it, the amnesiac found herself on her back with her Destined Lover on top of her. The bushes the two were hiding behind parted as the unhinged guard investigated the disturbance. What he was greeted with was the sight of Heero and Neptune in a compromising position, "It's just a couple of kids. Are you even old enough to be doing that?"

Heero stood up and dusted of the front of his shorts, "I apologize. We didn't think anyone would come this way."

Neptune shot up from the ground and voiced her complaints over the sudden development, "You don't gotta apologize, Heero. If anything, this jerk is the one that should be sorry! We were having a romantic moment and he came along and ruined it! Is it too much to ask that I have some quality time with my Destined Lover?"

While it was nice that Neptune was playing along with the ruse, the Perfect Soldier was no less embarrassed that the purplenette was using that term around another person they didn't know, "(Not again...)"

"Destined Lover? The hell are you talking about? Whatever, you two need to get outta here."

Before the amnesiac CPU could voice her discontent any further, Heero grabbed Neptune by the hand and started walking away before they caused a scene, "Neptune. We should leave."

The party's leader followed after the Gundam pilot as they took off. Though they had not learned anything about the convoy's destination, Heero was thankful that they were able to avoid a potential disaster. Whats more, he couldn't have gotten out of that situation without Neptune playing along… not without resorting to violence, anyway.

Heero looked back at the amnesiac as she tried to keep pace with him. Realizing that he might be moving too fast, the Gundam pilot slowed down for Neptune. Neptune was fuming over the rudeness displayed by guard, "Rude much? When Destined Lovers are having a romantic moment, you don't barge in! I should sue for this!"

It wasn't clear to the Gundam pilot why the CPU was upset about what had happened. The whole point was to make it look like they were doing something intimate so the guard wouldn't get trigger-happy, but rather than point it out Heero decided to commend Neptune for acting out the ruse. "I'm impressed that you caught onto my plan so quickly. Your quick improvisation is also noteworthy."

"Well, it was pretty obvious. If we were really gonna have an M Rated scene, you would have at least taken me out for a romantic dinner. THEN we would go some place with nobody around."

A very Neptune answer to be sure, but Heero wasn't about to argue. It did just help them avoid a possible disaster. The purple haired girl grabbed onto Heero's hand as she led him back to the rest of the party, "Anyway, we should find Compa and the others. We gotta find out where they're taking Z!"

The duo didn't have to go very far, as the rest of the party traveled down the hill to meet them. Neptune's first thought was to ask the group of girls of they saw the rude display by the guard. "Did you guys see that bozo? He was really mean and he didn't even say sorry!"

IF's attention was fixed on Heero and Neptune's hands, which were still joined together, "Yeah, we saw. More importantly, how long are you gonna hold his hand?"

Neptune noticed the jealous looks she was getting from the party before latching onto the Gundam pilot's arm, "As long as I want to. I mean, we are lovers after all."

Another argument was going to ensue, and Heero couldn't understand why they picked now of all times to have one when they had a more pressing matter to deal with, "We won't be able to track Zero by following the convoy. Given the current mental state of the guards, they will likely shoot us on sight if we attempt to follow them."

Compa's concern of the party's disembodied helper only grew with the knowledge that they wouldn't be able to tail her captors, "How do we save Z if we can't follow them?"

The way things stood there was only one option available, and Heero didn't like it. "Our only option is to wait for them to arrive at their destination and wait for Zero to give us their location."

No one among the party liked the idea of waiting until after the defense force arrived at their destination with their captive member. Nisa was about to break into another of her heroic spiels when Lyrica slapped a hand over her mouth, as if she knew what the heroine was about to do, "Nisa, now's not the time for that."

While the Keeper of Justice was too wrapped up in her own heroic stew, the rest of the party could tell that Heero really didn't want to hear anything about how they needed to go after Zero. Not now, anyway.

Heero retrieved his binoculars from IF before heading back in the direction of the city without uttering a word. He was too busy thinking about how he was supposed to retrieve his Gundam and save his partner before someone decided to tear the suit apart.

Xxx

Until Zero was finished being relocated by her captors the party could do nothing but wait. Upon returning to the safe house, Heero dropped off what little he had taken for the attempted recon before leaving to roam the city in order to pass the time.

The more he thought about it, the more upset the Gundam pilot grew over having to wait to retrieve his Gundam. Just thinking about his machine being torn apart was irritating... and that thought could very well become a reality if he didn't recover the Wing Zero soon.

Heero was so caught up in his thoughts that he failed to notice Neptune calling to him until she was right next to him, "Wait up! Sheesh, I know you're upset Heero, but you don't have to ignore me."

Hearing the purplenette's voice brought the Gundam pilot back to reality. While she was upset that he had been ignoring her, Neptune seemed more concerned with the way Heero was acting, "Sorry… I'm trying to think of a plan to retrieve Zero. Unfortunately, all of them involve violence… I would even say excessive amounts when compared to how we deal with the monsters around Gamindustri."

If the party went through with one of the Gundam pilot's plans, it would result in significant damage to the facility they raided, as well as a severe loss of life to the guards protecting it.

Heero glanced at the purplenette next to him. Sure she had killed Jade on Leanbox, but that was a mercy killing. He was already doomed after failing to meet Arfoire's expectations regarding the attempted civil war, and he would have died a slow painful death. The boy knew what it was like to take a life, and he didn't want Neptune or any of the others to have blood on their hands.

While the two were walking down the street, Lady Black Heart emerged from a shop with a bag full of restorative items. The CPU of Lastation looked into the bag and checked its contents for a moment, making sure she had bought everything she needed, "...This should be enough. I won't have to worry about getting any more items until I get back to Lastation."

Lady White Heart emerged from a book store across the street as the goddess of Lastation took inventory. Therewere some rather thick books tucked under her arm, and the CPU carrying them seemed to be having slight difficulty in carrying them. Looking across the street Lady White Heart saw the raven haired CPU, still busy checking and rechecking her bag, "...Is that bitch still here? She should have gone home by now."

The moment she was finished checking her bag full of items the first thing Lady Black Heart saw was Lowee's CPU. A frown graced the goddess' face upon seeing the girl she held in disdain, "She's still here. Shouldn't she have left already?"

As the two girls glared at each other, Lady Green Heart was walking up the street. The CPU of Leanbox was oblivious of the two goddesses and their glaring contest, focusing only on the bags of anime, manga and video games in her hands, "I wish every trip to the anime expo was this productive. If only Heero could have joined me. That would certainly make for a perfect day."

Among the chatter of the pedestrians, one voice stood out that drew the attention of the three CPUs. Neptune was keeping pace with Heero, a worried look on her face as she addressed the boy, "But we gotta do something! We can't just let the baddies have her!"

Heero was walking with a frown on his face, his eyes cast down to the ground as he thought about his captive partner, "I realize that. No one wants to save Zero more than me, however if we try to go after her now, the others will be put in significant danger… or we will incur a great deal of collateral damage."

Even though they had no idea what was going on, the three goddesses had seen the distressed look on Heero's face earlier. Whatever it was that had elicited such an expression from the boy was still bothering him.

Lady Black Heart and Lady White Heart had both thought about consoling the Perfect Soldier, but Lady Green Heart beat them to the punch, much to their ire, "I don't think I've ever seen you look so upset."

The duo came to a stop upon seeing the blonde CPU in front of them. Shortly after Lady Green Heart had made her presence known to the two, Lady Black Heart and Lady White Heart rushed over so the goddess of Leanbox couldn't seduce the boy.

Naturally, Lady Black Heart tried to keep her composure in front of Heero, despite the fact that the three girls responsible for giving her so much trouble were right there, "I hadn't expected to see you two again so soon. You ran off so suddenly, I thought something was wrong."

Lady White Heart wanted to toss a witty comment at the ebony haired goddess, but pushed back the thought in favor of focusing on the Gundam pilot, "...You seemed quite upset. I hope nothings wrong."

Remembering what they had been talking about before the CPU of Leanbox interrupted them, Neptune began flailing her arms in comedic fashion, "There's something seriously wrong! Heero's helper was kidnapped by some really bad dudes! We can't help her until they've taken her back to their evil lair."

While they didn't know what had caused Heero such discomfort before, the three Hearts had not anticipated that the reason would be quite so serious. Lady Green Heart covered her mouth in astonishment, "How barbaric. I knew that there were those who could act uncivilized… but to think there were individuals who would act in such a manner. Honestly, such behavior is atrocious."

The CPU of Lowee was at a loss for words. She wanted to console the boy, but wasn't sure what to say to make him feel better, "...That's pretty heavy. Will you be alright?"

Heero was still just as upset now as he was upon finding out that Zero had been captured. It seemed as though nothing short of rescuing Zero was going to brighten his mood, "I'll feel better once I known where Zero has been taken."

Before any of the goddesses could reassure the Gundam pilot that everything would work out, Compa and IF approached the group. The nurse in training had been concerned about Heero since he had left the safe house mere seconds after the party returned from their unsuccessful reconnaissance of the group in possession of the Wing Zero, "There you are. You should really tell us where you're going next time, Heero."

Unlike the pink haired nurse, the first thing IF noticed was the collection of goddesses in front of them, "Lady Green Heart? You're here, too?"

Leanbox's guardian goddess turned her attention to the brunette, offering only a forced smile to the girl. Lady Green Heart would have been happier to see IF, had she not learned of the Perfect Soldier's predicament, "I came to Planeptune for the Anime Expo. However, I've just learned of the rather serious situation Heero is in."

It wasn't just Heero's problem. Zero's capture was a problem for the entire party. Out of all the female members of the group, Neptune was the one that was affected the most, "It's super serious! We gotta save Z!"

Lady Black Heart eyed the amnesiac with suspicion. Whenever the matter of Heero and another girl came up, Neptune was know to be irate and uncooperative, "Why exactly do you want to help this girl so much? You get mad every time another girl gets involved with Heero."

"Because Z has helped us out a bunch of times! And she's not trying to steal Heero from me. Not only that, but she's actually helping me get close to Heero."

The girls just looked at the purplenette, not sure they heard her correctly. A girl was actually HELPING Neptune to become closer to Heero? It seemed as though every girl that became associated with the Perfect Soldier personally ended up falling for him… in some way. The idea that another girl that knew of the boy would willingly help Neptune was absurd.

Lady White Heart couldn't help but voice her skepticism, "...What makes you so sure that she's actually trying to help you? She might just be using you to get close to him."

Neptune could understand where Lowee's CPU was coming from. After all, she thought that the manifestation of the ZERO System was interested in the boy as well. It wasn't until after her conversation did she learn of the relationship between Heero and Zero, as well as learn that she might in fact be closer to the Gundam pilot than she thought, "Well, Z comes from the same place as Heero, so if she was gonna put the moves on him she woulda done it already. Besides, she knows stuff about Heero that nobody else does. She even told me that Heero really likes me."

Everyone stared at Neptune as she blurted out what Zero had told her. Heero looked away from the others as an invisible blush coated his cheeks, refusing to acknowledge what the Zero System had apparently told the amnesiac, "I've gotten use to you. That doesn't necessarily mean that I like you."

Seeing the boy act in such a manner was enough to tell Neptune that Zero was right, and Heero was just being a little stubborn. "He's still a little embarrassed about it. I'm sure if I tell enough people about our love, Heero will stop denying it."

The girls weren't really bothered by Neptune proclaiming that Heero liked her. They were certain that the Gundam pilot didn't so much like the purplenette as he simply tolerated her. No, what got their attention was that Zero, whoever she was, knew much more about Heero than anyone else and was sharing that information with the CPU of Planeptune.

Compa couldn't hide her jealousy over the fact, as well as the fact that Neptune had not bothered to tell them about what Zero knew about the boy, "How could you keep this a secret from us, Nep-Nep?"

IF was just as miffed as the nurse in training, frowning at the purplenette over her transgression, "And just when were you going to tell us about this?"

Despite the pressuring of the two girls, Neptune gave an unapologetic look as she replied to them, "I wasn't. I've got access to info about Heero. Why would I share that?"

As the three girls argued amongst themselves the three Hearts stared off into the air, the wheels in their heads turning. A girl with intimate knowledge on Heero, who wasn't interested in him the same way they were had information that would make it easier to get closer to the Gundam pilot's heart. Surely if they were to help rescue her, this mysterious Zero would be willing to divulge any information they wanted regarding Heero.

Unlike the girls in his immediate vicinity, Heero was focused on the matter of retrieving his Gundam. The Perfect Soldier cast a brief glance at the sky, which was slowly turning orange. It was getting close to sundown, and the party still had not been contacted by Zero to find out where she was, "(I'm beginning to run out of patience. The longer we have to wait, the more likely Zero will be dismantled when we find her.)"

By this point, Heero was no longer able to hide his concern over his partner. Neptune saw the worry on his face tried once again to reassure the Gundam pilot that they would find their disembodied ninth party member, "Don't worry, Heero. I'm sure Z will call us any second now so we can plot a jail break!"

The teenaged soldier was about to dismiss the idea as wishful thinking, when they were suddenly contacted by the very entity they were talking about, "I hope I'm not interrupting. I just wanted to inform you that the convoy has finally arrived at it's destination."

Hearing from Zero brought a smile to Neptune's face. "See? I told you!"

Lady Black Heart looked around for a moment, unsure of what she just heard, "Did anyone else hear that?"

It wasn't just Lastation's CPU that was looking for the source of the disembodied voice, but Lady White Heart and Lady Green Heart as well, "...I heard someone. It sounded like a woman."

Neptune looked at the goddesses in disbelief. Before, only Heero and herself had been able to hear Zero, but now it seemed that the three CPUs before them could also hear the party's helper, "Wait, you guys can hear Z, too?!"

While she was unsure of what she heard, Lady Green Heart decided that the only way to find out if she was in fact capable of conversing with Zero was to… talk to thin air, "Excuse me, but would this happen to be the 'Z' that Neptune is referring to?"

There was a momentary pause before Zero responded, "It is nice to meet you, Lady Green Heart. Or rather, I suppose this isn't technically a meeting as I am not there to converse with you in person. My name is Zero, but feel free to call me by the nickname Neptune gave me."

The three Hearts definitely heard that. Once more the CPUs observed their surroundings, but saw no one other than the civilians going about their business. Lady Black Heart questioned how it was possible for them to be hearing the disembodied voice, "This doesn't make any sense. Are you invisible or something?"

"No. I suppose you could think of our current line of communication as telepathy. Considering that you are only now able to hear me, I believe there are only two possible explanations for this sudden connection. The first is that it may be due to the fact that you are on the landmass that I am on. The second… may have something to do with Heero."

Heero wasn't sure why he would have anything to do with the three CPUs suddenly being able to communicate with Zero, "What exactly are you talking about?"

Zero deliberated whether or not she should continue with that line of thought before deciding to keep it to herself for the moment, "Nothing. I'm just thinking out loud."

It was certainly strange to be talking to a person that wasn't physically there, but Lady White Heart was more intrigued than disturbed, "…So Neptune wasn't crazy after all. You're supposed to be Heero's partner, right?"

If she had actually been there, the goddesses would have seen the manifestation of the ZERO system nod her head. "That's correct. I provide Heero and Neptune with support when I can."

Having established that Zero was real and not just someone that Neptune came up with, Lady Green Heart was curious as to what kind of relationship there was between the woman and Heero, "Pardon me, Ms. Z. I realize we have only just met… but I would like to know what sort of relationship you have with Heero?"

"What sort of relation-" Zero had to stop and thinking for a moment about the question before realizing what the CPU of Leanbox was really asking. "Ah, so that's what it is. Rest assured, while Heero and I may be close, we don't have THAT kind of relationship. You are free to pursue a relationship with Heero if you so desire. I will even give you my blessings on the matter."

As far as she was concerned, any and all worries the goddess of Leanbox had regarding the mystery woman and her connection to Heero had been quelled. A smile spread across Lady Green Heart's face as she accepted Zero's gesture of goodwill, "Wonderful! I think you and I will get along just fine."

Compa and IF had been watching the CPUs as they conversed with their disembodied helper. Seeing others besides Neptune and Heero conversing with Zero made them feel a little left out, "The CPUs can hear Z as well… I'm kinda jealous."

IF chalked up their ability to communicate with Zero to the goddesses being… goddesses. She wasn't sure whether or not there was something they had to do or have to converse with their helper themselves, "Cheer up. We couldn't talk to Histy before, and look how that's turned out. Maybe we'll be able to talk to her soon, too."

Wanting to get the conversation back on topic, Heero addressed his partner regarding her current whereabouts, "Where are you now, Zero?"

"It would be too difficult to try and explain it to you myself. I will relay all of the information I have thus far to Histoire. I'm sure she will be able to discern my location."

The Perfect Soldier dismissed himself, heading straight for the hotel Histoire was taking residence at. Neptune was about to run after the boy, but had enough common sense to bid farewell to the goddesses before doing so, "We got a jail break to plan, so… see ya around!"

Compa quickly bowed to the CPUs before following after the pair. IF felt it necessary to apologize for cutting their meeting with the goddesses short, even though they were trying to save their friend, "Sorry about leaving so soon. But we really have to go."

After saying her goodbye, the brunette took off after her fellow party members. Lady Black Heart hadn't really been paying attention to the Guild member, her thoughts focused more on the newly established communication between herself and the individual that may very well know all there was to know about Heero.

The goddess of Lastation couldn't deny that she knew very little about the Gundam pilot, but hearing about Zero's current predicament gave her an idea, "Hey… Z. Hypothetically, if I were to help you with your problem… would you… maybe tell me about Heero?"

"I don't see why not."

Lady White Heart was immediately suspicious of the raven haired girl's intentions, casting a scrutinizing look at her fellow CPU, "...Just what are you planning?"

Lastation's CPU looked away, refusing to make eye contact with the CPU of Lowee, "Nothing! It was a hypothetical question. It's not like I'm going to go out of my way to save someone I don't know. I have more important things to be doing anyway."

Lady Black Heart took her leave, which left Lady White Heart and Lady Green Heart. Lowee's guardian goddess was certain she knew what the CPU of Lastation was up to, and she didn't like it. The way she saw it, Zero was her golden ticket to becoming closer to Heero and she was not about to let any of the other CPUs monopolize that, "You know everything about Heero, right?"

"Just about. Why do you ask?"

The CPU turned around to leave. She had heard all that she needed to. "...No special reason. I have something I have to take care of. Excuse me."

With that, Lady Green Heart found herself alone. The blonde haired woman gathered her bags of books, games and anime, taking a moment to address her new source of information on the boy she was infatuated with, "I cannot make any guarantees… But I will see if I can't do something about your current problem."

"I would appreciate any assistance in this matter."

Leanbox's CPU departed for parts unknown while the group of four reconvened with the rest of the party at the hotel. Everyone was anxious to hear the news relating to Zero's whereabouts, none more so than Heero and Neptune, "Z said you would know where we could find her, Histy. Hurry up and tell us where she is!"

The had congregated around Histoire as she tried to find Zero's location based on the information given to her, "Please give me a moment. I have to make sure this is the right location. If I send you to the wrong area, Zero may find herself in even more trouble."

They couldn't rush Histoire, not when Zero's safety depended on it. After a minute off going over the information provided to her by the ZERO System, the fairy-like being found what the party was looking for. "I've found where Zero is being held. It's a base used by the Planeptune defense force outside of the city limits."

Neptune began to head toward the door, expecting the party to follow after her. "If we know where Z is, then let's go get her! Those creeps can't just do what they want with our buddy!"

It was nice to know that the amnesiac goddess was so enthusiastic about charging in to rescue Zero, but it was imperative that she take a moment to consider the possible ramifications of charging into a government owned facility. IF took it upon herself to stop Neptune before she did something they all would regret, "Nep, we're talking about a government facility used by the defense force. We can't just walk in there. If we do, we'll get in all kinds of trouble. We need a plan."

This wasn't the first time that Neptune was forced to stop what she was doing because the group needed a plan, but that didn't make it any less annoying. Compa was the first to inquire about a plan to rescue their captive friend, "What do we do? I've never gone anywhere that I wasn't supposed."

Unlike the nurse in training, Lyrica was more concerned with what they were trying to get out of the base, "Let's put aside the fact that we're trying to sneak in someplace we're not supposed to. Z is in that giant robot, right? There's no way we can get out without being seen. We're going to get in trouble anyway."

The songstress made a good point. Even if they evaded detection until they found the Gundam, there was no way to get it out without drawing attention to themselves. What made it worse was that the situation Lyrica was describing was based on the assumption that they somehow got passed all of the security leading to the Wing Zero.

Just thinking about what they would have to go through once they actually arrived at the base was making Nisa's head hurt, "Isn't there something we can do to make this a little easier? It sounds like we're gonna have a lot of trouble as it is."

Heero looked out the window to see that the sun would set shortly. There was only one real option available to him, "Trying to think of a plan now won't get us anywhere. Everyone should turn in for the night, and we'll plan a rescue first thing tomorrow morning."

The girls exchanged glances with one another. They didn't want Zero to have to wait too long to be saved, but Heero had never offered up a bad idea before. The party retreated to their room across the hall to prepare for bed.

One by one the group of girls fell asleep, eventually leaving Heero as the only member of the party that was awake. Once he was certain that the girls were all asleep, Heero turned off the lights in the room and headed out the door.

As soon as the door was closed Neptune sat up in her bed, whispering into the air so as not to wake the others, "(Wow… you were right, Z.)"

"It was quite easy to figure out what Heero was going to do. Now before you run off after him, it might be best to wake up the others and wait a few minutes before following him."

Doing as she was instructed, Neptune went around the room waking up the other party members while Heero walked the short distance to Histoire's room. The Tome of the goddesses was still awake, as if she had anticipated the boy's arrival, "So you're going alone?"

A brief nod was the Gundam pilot's response to Histoire, "I don't want the others to get hurt because of my oversight that led to this situation."

Histoire observed the teenaged soldier for a moment. He was bound and determined to rescue their mutual partner. "I will not try to stop you. I only ask that you be careful."

Heero turned to leave, focusing on the task at hand. "I can't make any promises... but I'll do what I can. If Neptune and the others wake up before I get back, I'll leave it to you to explain things to them."

Xxx

It was midnight on the Land of Purple Progress and the lights of the city could be seen for miles. A few miles away from the city, a military checkpoint leading to the base operated Planeptune defense forces was devoid of life. The guards on duty were all lying on the ground unconscious, having been knocked out mere moments ago.

Heero was running across the short strip of dirt road leading to the front gate of the base. Although the gate was open, the Perfect Soldier ducked behind the concrete wall so as to observe the security inside the facility.

Making sure not expose himself, Heero peered out from behind the giant slab of cement to see what he was dealing with. As he observed the guards and security devices around the base, a voice from behind inquired about how they were getting into the government owned facility, "So, what's the plan?"

"Security is rather lax around the entrance, but is tighter in the back. It's safe to assume that's where Zero is. If we can-"

The Gundam pilot stopped in mid-sentence when he realized that he was supposed to be the only one there. Turning around, Heero found Neptune standing behind him, along with the rest of the party.

Obviously, the Perfect Soldier hadn't expected the girls to show up and he was a little upset that they were there. "What are all of you doing here? You should be back in your room sleeping."

Even though the boy seemed angry, the girls knew that in reality he was just concerned for their well-being. The twin braided swordstress in front of the boy answered his question regarding why they were there, "Z told me you would try something like this. So I woke up the others and we followed you here."

Heero wasn't sure how he was supposed to take that news. He was trying to keep the girls from getting into danger, and he was certain that Zero knew this. Before he could even attempt to talk the girls out of coming along, Compa offered up the party's explanation for their involvement, "You shouldn't try to take on everything by yourself. We're a party!"

IF gave her own explanation that seemed just as apt as Compa's 'we're a party' reason, "We haven't met her ourselves, but Z is our friend too. We have just as much right to be here as you do, Heero."

"You might as well give up. These girls are quite committed."

It was clear that the group of girls weren't going to be talked out of helping with Zero's rescue. Heero didn't know what to think about this development at first, but now… he was glad they were here.

Nisa's attention was fixed on three individuals that had made their presence know only after the girls had shown up, "So… does anyone know why these three are here?"

The party directed their attention to the trio Nisa was referring to. Standing a short distance from them were the that the girls had labeled as the 'Neptune Stalkers;' Black Heart, White Heart and Green Heart. WHY they were there was anyone's guess, but the natural conclusion the group had come to was that they were after Neptune or Heero.

Black Heart avoided eye contact with the party as she knew they were suspicious of her… and it was unsettling having so many hostile eyes on her person, "Well… I heard that Heero's friend was in trouble, so I thought I would help out."

Not wanting to sound like she had ulterior motives, Black Heart immediately attempted to convince those around her that she was there simply to assist in finding Zero… in her own way. "D-Don't get the wrong idea! I'm not here because I want to. It's just that I still owe Heero… I have no intention of being indebted to him forever."

While Black Heart was rather roundabout with her reasoning, White Heart was more blunt, "All I know is Heero's friend is in trouble, and he needs help. If I left it to you asshats, she would be doomed. Enough said."

The girls weren't so sure they could trust the small girl on the grounds that she was very rude. Green Heart was more sincere about her desire to help the Gundam pilot, "I wanted to talk to Heero earlier, but when I saw his face… He looked as though he had just lost his best friend. I couldn't possibly ignore Heero when he was clearly so distressed."

It was no secret that the party thought little of the stalkers, but the girls would be lying if they said they weren't nervous about what they were going to attempt. Sneaking into military bases wasn't exactly normal for adventurers, and they were going to attempt to walk out with the biggest thing there. They needed all the help they could get… even if it meant getting it from these three.

Lyrica had been hiding behind Nisa and Compa as soon as the three women had shown up. Between the plan to infiltrate a government owned facility and the appearance of the trio of stalkers, the songstress was more than a little rattled, "A-Are we gonna be okay? W-We'd better be okay! E-Everyone, take deep breathes."

The blue haired vocalist looked as though she was about to hyperventilate. Compa tried to calm down the nervous wreck of a girl, "There's no need to worry, Lyrica. We met the goddesses earlier. It must be a sign that we will succeed."

How that was supposed to reassure the group was beyond them. Hell, only four of the party's members actually met the CPUs earlier, and one of them was a goddess herself. It was then that the nurse in training posed a question to the group. "Since we got to meet the CPUs today, why don't we each tell the others what goddess we believe in?"

IF cast a questioning look at the pink haired girl, wondering why she wanted to ask such a question of the others, especially now of all times, "Compa, we don't have time for this! Besides, I'm not gonna answer that question."

It was certainly a random question to be asking at that point in time, but it may have been Compa's way of trying to cope with the situation. The pink haired girl looked over at Heero, who had turned his attention back to the security measures beyond the gate, "I know you haven't been here in Gamindustri that long… But which goddess do you believe in, Heero?"

Everyone turned their attention on the Perfect Soldier. While IF said they didn't have time to be answering such a question, they were curious about the boy's view of their world. Even the girls unaffiliated with the group were interested to hear his answer.

Heero had not expected Compa to turn the question on him. The question of what goddess he believed in? If it weren't for the fact that they knew next to nothing about him, he could swear that this was a bad joke.

Gods and goddesses… higher power… the Gundam pilot doubted their existence and power. If they really existed, if they were really as powerful as people claimed they were, war wouldn't exist, he wouldn't have lost his parents… he wouldn't have killed that little girl and her dog, "...I don't believe in any of them."

The Gundam pilot's answer was unexpected for more than one reason. With the exception of the CPUs themselves, everyone that inhabited Gamindustri believed in one of the guardian goddesses. It was eye opening to hear the Perfect Soldier say he didn't believe in any one of them.

Before they had a chance to inquire, Heero saw an opening in the security and slipped through the gate. Taking it as a sign that they were ready to begin the operation to save Zero, the collection of girls followed after the boy.

There weren't many guards around the gate which made it easy enough to find a hiding place away from the cameras watching the perimeter. Taking a moment to observe their surroundings, Neptune commented on the lax security in the immediate area, "There doesn't look to be too many guards here. If security is concentrated around Z, that might be a problem for us."

It didn't take a genius to figure out just how it was a problem for the party. They wanted to avoid a confrontation with the guards, as it would surely not end well for either the group, or the defense force. Not only that, but Zero may be put at risk as well.

Nisa grew ever more concerned about the possibility that the party may have to face human opponents instead of monsters, "As a heroine, my job is to fight against the monsters that threaten the denizens of Gamindustri. I'd rather not have to fight against the people I'm sworn to protect."

Heero could understand the concerns of the girls. That's why it was imperative that they avoid being seen until they found Zero, "Despite what you might think, getting out of here will be the easy part. If we can evade detection long enough to reach the Gundam, I can pilot it out of here. I just hope they haven't started dismantling it… or learned how to produce mobile suits."

The girls couldn't help but look upon the Gundam pilot with confusion. He was using the terms 'Gundam' and 'mobile suit' again. Neptune inquired about the boy's use of vocabulary, "You and Z keep using those terms. What exactly is a 'mobile suit'?"

This conversation was bound to come up sooner or later. Thankfully they only wanted to know what a mobile suit was… and possibly a Gundam. There was no getting out of it, so Heero decided to answer the question. "A humanoid mobile weapon. It's typically operated by a human pilot, but there are suits that exist where an AI is given control."

It was a brief explanation, and one that the girls were able to follow… Even Compa seemed to get it. But that still left the question of what exactly this 'Gundam' thing both Heero and Zero talked about. "Okay, I'm following you so far… What is exactly is this 'Gundam' you and Z keep talking about? Is it related these mobile suits in some way?"

"The Gundam is a high performance mobile suit. It uses a great deal of advanced technology, and right now it's the most advanced piece of hardware here. If it is dismantled, and the people of this world learn how to mass-produce them… there is no telling how many people will die as a result. Even the monster attacks would be a preferable alternative."

A terrifying thought to be sure. Were these mobile suits so powerful that they made monster attacks seem tame by comparison? If that was the case, then it was even more important that the group get to this 'Gundam' before it was disassembled and it's secrets made known.

After a group of guards left their post, the party moved out from behind the large container they had been using as cover. For ten minutes the group moved about the large base searching for Zero and the Gundam that, if dismantled and mass-produced, could spell disaster for Gamindustri.

One thing the group learned was that Lyrica had a real talent for avoiding detection. There were moments when the party was sure that the songstress would be caught, but not only did she avoid being spotted, she found a way to get in places that she really shouldn't have been able to. It was a fact that IF had to point out, "You know, you have a real knack for this line of work, Lyrica."

The cerulean haired songstress poked her head out of a manhole that she ducked into to avoid a passing patrol moments ago. Lyrica had a sheepish smile on her face as she looked up at the Guild Moderatist, "Y-You really think so?"

Red had been observing her potential wifey the entire time, finding her ability to evade detection rather charming, "You're like a female spy or something, Lyrics! Have you considered doing this kind of stuff for a living?"

Lyrica immediately panicked over the prospect of suddenly being a spy. She was a nervous wreck as it was, there was no way she would last as a spy, "N-N-No! I don't wanna do anything that dangerous!"

Gust quickly covered Lyrica's mouth so that her shouting wouldn't draw the attention of any of the nearby security guards, "Please keep quiet. Party has made it this far. Gust does not want to be found now."

Heero could see the hanger that the Wing Zero was being kept in. Unfortunately, there was constant surveillance in and around the hanger, and it didn't seem like there was a way in that didn't involve the use of explosives, "I was expecting security to be tight… but this could be a problem."

Neptune looked over at the hanger that the boy had been focusing on. It didn't take the sword maiden long to figure out what the problem was, "There are too many of them. If we try to get any closer they will undoubtedly spot us."

There was no way for the group to get any closer without being spotted, and every guard in the base would be after them once that happened. Having come this far, Black Heart wasn't about to quit, "You're just gonna give up? We've come too far for that!"

Without explosives, someone or some people would have to distract the guards while the rest of the group slipped into the hanger to retrieve the Gundam. Green Heart scanned the party, noting that because Heero himself was needed to get the Gundam out of the hanger, some of the girls in the party would have to put themselves at risk, "We need a distraction. Someone has to get the attention of the guards and lure them away."

White Heart had a feeling such a plan would be required, but she wasn't about to volunteer herself, "Well, who's going then? I'm not gonna do it, and I sure as hell don't envy whoever pulls the short stick here."

Before the party could actually discuss the matter the sirens around the base came to life. A loud an obnoxious noise emanated from them, garnering the attention of everyone inside. Compa was thrown into a panic as a result of the sudden loud noise, "Wh-What's going on? Did they find us?"

IF took notice of the erratic movement of the guards. It didn't seem likely that they had been discovered, "I don't think so. We've avoided all of the security cameras, and none of the guards have spotted us yet."

The party wanted to know what was going on, but didn't want to expose themselves just yet. They waited until a passing guard asked about the current dilemma, "I was in the guard house taking a nap. What's going on?"

"Monster's are attacking at the front gate!"

Neptune watched as the two guards departed for the front gate. Something about this development seemed off, "This seems a little too convenient. Someone must have planned for this to happen."

As the base garrison hurried toward the front gate, a familiar individual dressed like a witch slipped into the hanger where the Wing Zero was being kept. The woman didn't get in without Heero noticing, "I have a good idea as to who is behind this."

The Gundam pilot took off in the direction of the hanger before any of the girls could stop him. It wouldn't have matter either way, as the entire security force was focused on dealing with the monster threat.

Inside the hanger, Conversation… or rather, Arfoire approached the Gundam that was strapped down to the ground. The oddly dressed woman observed the metal giant for a moment to see if it would stir, but received no response, "Strange… I don't remember creating such a monster. Well, it doesn't matter."

Arfoire pointed her glaive at the mobile suit. "Arise and do my bidding!"

Seconds passed after the woman commanded the Gundam to move, but nothing happened. Arfoire was quickly losing her patience with the metal giant, "...Why won't you obey me?"

"Because it doesn't belong to you."

The awkwardly dressed woman looked over her shoulder to see Heero standing just outside of the hanger glaring at her. "It's mine."

Shortly after Heero revealed himself to Arfoire, the rest of the party arrived. A melodramatic laugh escaped the woman's mouth as she turned to face the group, "Haaaah ha ha ha!It seems a couple of rats got in. I suppose I will have to deal with you my-"

Arfoire wasn't allowed to finish her sentence as she was doused with water. The disgruntled troublemaker turned to her left to find Lyrica with an empty plastic bucket in hand and an expectant look on her face. "Why must you insist upon constantly doing that?!"

Even though they had been through this more than once, there was still something about the display that IF found humorous, "How many times have we been over this, Lyrica? I don't think she's gonna melt."

The cerulean haired girl tossed the plastic bucket aside while watching the fake Evangelist for any sign of melting, "She will eventually! She has to!"

Black Heart wasn't sure of what to make of the display. The woman before them was clearly there to get in the party's way, but the comical way in which the situation was being handled made it difficult to take her seriously, "Is this normal for you people?"

White Heart had been questioning the scene before her as well, "Is this some kind of running-gag for you guys or something?"

While it seemed abnormal for the three 'stalkers,' Compa, like the rest of the party, had come to view it as the norm, "We've had all kinds of things happen to us. You get use to it."

Unlike the rest of the girls, Neptune saw no reason to waste time talking with or about the display before them, "We can't afford to waste any time here. The rest of you can go deal with the monsters. Heero and I will take care of her."

Nisa broke into one of her heroic speeches once the matter of fighting monsters came up, "Leave it to me. As the Keeper of Justice, it is my sworn duty to rid the world of all monsters!"

IF started pushing against the heroine's back as the rest of the party followed after her, "That's great to know and all, but do you think maybe you could wait before dropping the heroic spiel?"

After the group of girls departed, Neptune's gaze shifted to her right and found that the three women were still there. The amnesiac cleared her throat before addressing the trio, "You three were supposed to go with the others."

Green Heart cast a quick glance at the sword maiden before returning her attention to Arfoire, "And leave you alone with Heero? I think not."

It was only now that the fake Evangelist was able to see just who had been among the party. Seeing the three girls in the same place as Neptune with no sign of a fight breaking out was alarming to Arfoire, "What's going on? Why aren't all of you fighting?!"

Black Heart crossed her arms as she looked away from the three other girls near her, "I'm only here to repay a debt. If it weren't for that, I would've dealt with them by now."

Similar feelings of animosity were coming from White Heart as she glared at the back of Black Heart's head, "The feelings mutual. I don't give two shits about these bitches, but Heero needs my help."

Green Heart's only visible motion was a sideways glance at the three girls, "Normally, I wouldn't facilitate with the three of them. However, given Heero's current situation we have agreed to a temporary truce."

It seemed that despite holding one another in contempt, Neptune and the trio of stalkers were willing to put their differences aside for the sake of the Gundam pilot. Arfoire couldn't believe it, "(This has to be some kind of trick. They must be waiting for the others to drop their guard. That has to be it!)"

Heero armed his GN Sword while glaring at the fake Evangelist, "I will give you this one chance to retreat. If you don't, I will kill you."

Another overly dramatic laugh escaped Arfoire as she pointed her glaive at the Perfect Soldier. "Idle threats will get you no where, boy. I'll figure out how to get this thing to move after I've disposed of you!"

Seeing as a battle was unavoidable, Heero took the initiative and charged at Arfoire. The sound of clashing metal reverberated through the air as the fake Evangelist's glaive collided with Heero's blade.

Just as the fake Evangelist was about to launch another attack, Neptune emerged from behind Heero and swung her sword at Arfoire, forcing the fake Evangelist back. Neptune was about to continue her assault when she sensed an attack coming from behind her.

Following her intuition the sword maiden jumped out of the way just as a familiar axe head flew through the air and struck Arfoire in the chest. The impersonator was sent flying into the wall of the hanger, and White Heart couldn't help but feel a sense of irritation as she looked at Arfoire, "...I don't know who you are, but just hearing your voice reminds me of a certain Evangelist… It's pissing me off."

Neptune frowned at the small girl as she berated Arfoire, "I knew we couldn't trust you. The moment I wasn't looking, you tried to hit me."

The axe wielder dismissed Neptune's complaint. "Hey, you were in the way. And I wasn't about to ask."

After prying herself off of the wall, Arfoire dusted herself off and prepared to attack the group again, "(This must be a joke… a mistake! They can't possibly be working together!)"

As the fake Evangelist kept telling herself that there was no way Neptune and the three strangers would actually cooperate with one another, Green Heart descended upon her, "I see no reason to waste any more time on you. Leave or perish."

With the green haired lancer's sudden attack, Arfoire was forced to defend herself instead of attacking like she originally planned. Green Heart's furious raid prevented Arfoire from preparing a counterattack and she nearly landed a direct hit on more than one occasion.

Having to be put on the defensive only served to infuriate Arfoire, who wanted to consign the group to oblivion and claim the Gundam for herself. "You insolent… you are delaying the inevitable!"

Before the fake Evangelist could rant any longer, Black Heart's large blade cut into her exposed back and launched her across the hanger floor. Green Heart lowered her lance as glanced over at the snow haired girl, "I never would have imagined that I would actually have to cooperate with the three of you. It's a rather unusual experience."

The sword maiden from Lastation let out a huff as she focused her attention on Arfoire, who was still picking herself up off the ground, "Don't get use to it. If I didn't owe Heero for earlier, I wouldn't be here."

Arfoire was fast becoming winded. It was clear to her that the four women she was fighting weren't just putting on an act. They were actually working together, albeit reluctantly. The fake Evangelist turned her scornful gaze on Heero, who was waiting to see how she would react to her situation, "(The four of them… all four goddesses are working together… because of this boy?!)"

Neptune proclaimed the groups obvious victory to the battered Arfoire, "You have no hope of winning. I suggest you surrender."

The fake Evangelist focused her attention on the purple haired goddess. She wanted nothing more than to beat down the woman before her, but given the situation that was not going to happen. "You win this time. But I will be back!"

With her eventual return announced, Arfoire retreated before she could sustain further injury at the hands of the group. Heero disarmed his weapon while directing his attention to the only item of interest in the hanger… the Wing Zero, "Any more of that would be a waste of time."

The Gundam pilot didn't even take one step toward his mobile suit when he felt his arm being enveloped by a soft sensation. Looking to his right, Heero found Green Heart next to him, holding onto the boy with both of her arms, "Now that she's been dealt with… why don't we go look for that friend of yours?"

Immediately, Black Heart and White Heart looked upon the lancer with scorn, and the axe wielder was the first to voice her disapproval over how close she was to the boy, "What the hell do you think you're doing, Thunder Tits?!"

Green Heart waved off the foulmouthed girl, not wanting to waste any time on her, "Nothing you should be concerning yourself with."

While Black Heart had a feeling that the green haired woman would do something like this, she was no less angry, "You go to hell! Just because you helped with one fight doesn't mean you can start clinging to Heero!"

Unfortunately for Green Heart, her bliss was momentary. Heero was abruptly pulled from her by Neptune, who escorted the boy over to the Wing Zero, "Now that we've found what we're looking for, we don't need anymore help. Heero and I will find our friend, and leave. The three of you should do the same."

Ignoring the protests of the three girls behind them, Heero and Neptune approached the Gundam that was strapped down by ropes. Such flimsy restraints could never hold down a mass production mobile suit, much less a Gundam. Perhaps the Planeptune defense force felt it was working because the machine had not moved even once.

The sword maiden next to Heero examine the metal giant, pondering how they were to get to Zero, "Are you sure Zero is inside this… Gundam of yours?"

"Rest assured, I am here. Just… not in the way you might think."

Heero climbed onto the Gundam and headed for the cockpit of his suit, while Neptune continued to observe the machine. Once on top of it, Neptune was able to get a clear look at it's face and noticed the striking resemblance between it and the transformations Heero had been using. "It's face looks a lot like those from your transformations."

The hatch of the Wing Zero had only just opened when the swordstress made this discovery, "That's not the only similarity."

Heero disappeared into the cockpit and began the process of starting up the Gundam. Neptune hovered over to the open hatch and peered inside, watching as the boy typed away at the buttons on the panels before him, "How long will it take for this thing to move? I'm worried about the others."

Having finished a systems check of the Wing Zero, the Perfect Soldier responded to the sword maiden. "It won't take long. It might be best if you moved to a safe-"

The boy was cut off when Neptune suddenly dropped into the cockpit and sat down in his lap. Clearly she was curious about the inside of the machine, "It would be just as fast if I stayed here with you. Besides, I'm curious to see just what this Gundam of yours is capable of."

Although slightly annoyed, Heero didn't bother arguing with Neptune. If nothing else, he could keep an eye on her in here. Zero's voice could be heard much more clearly inside the Gundam than when the two were outside, "I see you will be accompanying us."

Neptune could hear the disembodied voice right next to her, but she didn't see anything but the interior of the cockpit. "Z, is that you? Where are you?"

"It's as I told you. I'm here. Just not in the way you are thinking."

The sword maiden was about to inquire about what Zero meant when the screen in front of her came to life. The words 'Genetic on Universal Neutraly Different Alloy-nium Mobile suit' appeared for a brief moment before it displayed what the mobile suits main camera could see.

Heero began the process of moving the Gundam, causing the cockpit to rock slightly, "Hang on."

The three girls watched as the Gundam began to move, instinctively backing away as it's wings unfurled and slowly sat up, "Oh dear. I don't think we should be standing here."

Black Heart, White Heart and Green Heart darted out of the hanger, not wanting to be there when the Gundam finally stood.

Outside of the hanger, Compa, IF and the rest of the party were fighting off the droves of monsters entering the base. The entire base garrison had retreated moments after they had started fighting the monsters, deeming the location a lost cause.

Beads of sweat ran down the side of IF's face as she cut down another monster, "There's no end to them...!"

Nisa had disposed of three monsters when the brunette had stopped to catch her breath, "None of these monsters are strong, but their numbers are a problem."

It seemed that for every monster the group defeated, three more came to take their place. At the rate things were going, they would be overrun in no time. Compa knew the situation looked grim, but held out hope that Heero and Neptune would come through for them, "We just have to hold out a little longer. I'm sure Nep-Nep and Heero will be here in no time."

Just when it seemed like there was no hope for the girls, the sound of the hanger falling apart grabbed their attention. Where the hanger had once been, a giant was now standing. The Wing Zero's eyes flashed for a moment, signaling that it was now combat ready.

Black Heart stared up at the towering mobile suit, unsure she could believe what she was seeing, "THAT'S what we came here for?!"

Green Heart was momentarily at a loss for words. While the machine looked big from what she saw, the lancer had not expected it to be quite this big, "It's rather intimidating..."

Even White Heart couldn't believe her eyes, "Fucking hell… that things huge!"

The Gundam's presence was quite intimidating to those on the ground. Neptune could see the group of girls that comprised the rest of their party, as well as the monsters that were about to surround them, "They appear to be in trouble. I don't think the others can last much longer."

Heero came to the same conclusion as the sword maiden. Unless something was done immediately, the party would start to see casualties, "We just need them to move out of the way."

Pressing one of the buttons on the panel next to him, the Gundam pilot's voice echoed over the Gundam's loudspeakers, "Compa, you and the others need to move out of the way."

Compa was surprised to hear the Perfect Soldier's voice from the mobile suit, "H-Heero? Is that you?"

Shortly afterward Neptune's voice was heard from the Gundam, "There's no time, hurry!"

Deciding to save their question for a much less dangerous situation, the group of girls quickly ran away from the horde of monsters. With none of the party members in the way, the Gundam could deal with monsters without endangering the group."

The machine cannons on the mobile suit's clavicle opened and spewed a hail bullets at the menagerie of monsters, tearing through them in no time at all. As Heero observed the monsters, he had enough presence of mind to factor in the distance between the base and the capital city, "We can't waste time dealing with all of them. The longer we stay here, the more likely the Planeptune defense force is to return."

That was a problem for more than one reason. If the party was still there when the defense force returned, they would undoubtedly be interrogated about what had happened. Not to mention that there was the possibility that they could be blamed for the attack on a government owned facility. With that in mind; their only option was to clear out enough of the monsters to allow the rest of the party to escape.

Neptune scanned the hordes of monsters before deciding that the main gate was their best option, "We should clear out the main gate. It will give the others the best chance of getting away."

Drawing one of the beam sabers from the pylons attached to its wings, the Wing Zero swung the beam weapon at the group of monsters assembled at the gate. Each and every monster in the way was vaporized by the powerful beam weapon.

A second volley from the machine cannons was enough to clear a path through the main gate for the girls to make their escape. Heero shouted at the Compa and the others as they watched the one-sided battle, "Run! Now!"

Shaking off their shock and awe, the collection of girls ran through the gate and proceeded down the road back to the capital city. Only once the others had gotten away did Heero begin maneuvering the Gundam to ascend into the sky, "I need to find a knew location to hide the Gundam..."

The wings of the Wing Zero beat against the night air, its numerous thrusters propelling it into the sky. Shortly after making it off the ground, the mobile suit quickly took off in search of another hiding place.

Green Heart observed the aftermath of the Gundam's attack before turning her back to the other two girls, "My only reasoning for coming here was to help Heero. I don't see myself helping either of you any further. That said, I bid adieu."

White Heart shouted at the lancer as she disappeared into the night, "Yeah, well I didn't exactly enjoy having you around either! You suck ass when it comes to fighting!" The axe wielder shifted her gaze to the snow haired from Lastation. "And don't think I've forgotten about you."

Black Heart was equally displeased to have worked with the girl from Lowee, "Just get lost already. As much as your lack of discipline gets on my nerves, I will honor our truce. Just remember… that truce ends once the sun comes up, so you better not show your face to me afterwards."

With no other words to convey to the sword maiden, White Heart took off. Black Heart took one last look at the visage of the Wing Zero, "Well, I'm sure with this I've repaid my debt to Heero. This makes us even."

Not wanting to waste any more of her time, Black Heart took her leave before any more monsters or the Planeptune defense force showed up.

Xxx

Me: "Finally done. Chapter 38 is finished."

Heero and Neptune: (Enter ACCC) "Whoa. This chapter was kinda heavy."

Heero: "A number of the readers were concerned that you forgot I brought an actual mobile suit with me."

Me: "I'm fully aware. I was working another chapter when I remembered that we still needed to bring the Wing Zero back for other story reasons. And before anyone says anything about us being gone… We're never gone. We just have to shift focus from time to time."

Zero: (Appears in ACCC) "Hopefully this will appease the readers until the next chapter."

Me: "It should. We're bring back an old friend we haven't seen since chapter 2. Also, I was wondering if anyone could provide me with a list of Histy's emotes, or a site I can find them. Otherwise, it's gonna be a real bitch trying to type up her lines." (Looks at watch) "We should probably wrap this up so we can get back to work on the other chapter."

Zero: "I will handle this task." (Turns to readers) "Please read and review this chapter, and look forward to the next update."

Me: "Time to get back to work."

Me, Heero, Neptune and Zero: (Leave ACCC through Left Entrance)