Author Note : you might find Neptune is slightly OOC, but I can assure you she's not. only time (more chapters) will tell.
well, without further ado thank you for Kurogems 1208 for Beta testing. and stay safe !
"Ugh..." Noire wakes up, her vision is still rather blurry. She tries to look around, and she starts to notice that the purple loli is nowhere to be found in the living room. "Neptune?"
She notices that Neptune's wheelchair is beside the couch, but the girl herself is not using it, so where did she go? She remembers that Neptune's lower body can't move. Yet.
There's something in the air, Noire can smell it. It seems like somebody is cooking. 'Maybe it's Compa.' That's what she thinks. But then, where is Neptune, she wonder...
Did Nepgear take her something? Or-
"Oh, you woke up already?" Suddenly, a soft mature woman's voice can be heard, stopping Noire daydreaming. "Good morning my Master, how can I help you?"
"Whattt - WHAT ARE YOU WEARINGGG?!" Noire is shocked to find Neptune, or now Purple Heart, in a super skimpy Maid costume. It's skimpy because it's not designed for an adult, but rather a middle schooler. "TRANSFORM BACKKKK!"
"Right away ma'am." Neptune transforms back into her human form, but she can no longer stand properly. Her feet start shaking, she can't keep her balance any longer.
"Neptune!" The Lastation CPU quickly runs towards Neptune and catches her before she hits the floor. "You idiot, what were you thinking!?"
"I... thought... no - no - I want to be the one who serves for once and not the one who's served." Neptune says with a somehow saddened smile.
"Neptune... you know you don't need to do that, well not to me anyway ~"
"I... (*groan*)" Without further talking, Neptune transforms back to her Purple Heart form, and suddenly begins to pick Noire up and carries her bridal-style.
"WHAAA- HEY!" Noire screams in surprise, she's certainly not expecting this. "Neppy! Put me down!" She says in embarrassment because of how Purple Heart is carrying her now.
"Look at you, calling me Neppy so naturally~ Don't worry, Compa's not home. so you can call me that~" Purple Heart says with a smile while carrying her to the couch.
Noire gives up and covers her face with her hands in embarrassment.
Not long after, Neptune puts Noire down on the couch, then she bows down towards Noire, causing the black hair girl to ask : "What are you doing now Neppy?"
"Pardon me, Master. I am going to get you a breakfast and snacks, please wait here." Purple Heart then turns around and goes back to the kitchen. Noire scratches her head out of confusion, she didn't have a clue of what is going on, or what's in Neptune's head.
"Geez, what is on her mind this time... I am... not hating it though..." She says to herself, making sure that Neptune can't hear what she just said.
'Arggh, my legs are still... stiff and shaking even in this form. Gotta go fast!' Neptune's legs are still numb because of them still in the process of recovering. But she still insists doing this 'Become a Maid' plan she has.
2 Hours ago.
"Compa! Compa!" Neptune walks in while yelling.
"Hmm? Yes Nep-Nep?" Compa's eyes widen when she sees Neptune walking with her own feet. "Howwwwieee? Nep-Nep, how can you standdd?!"
"Yeah, I know right? This is amazing but - whoaaa!" Neptune suddenly losts her balance and falls down, but she transforms almost instantly and gets back up. "Sorry to cause you so much trouble Compa." Says Neptune in her Purple Heart form.
Compa notices that Neptune's legs are still shaky and it looks like she's about to fall anytime now.
"Nep-Nep, please sit down here, trying to act tough will not help you with your medication." Compa asks Neptune to sit on a chair on the kitchen. "It's okay Nep-Nep, I know you are not the Nep-Nep that I know but you are still.. a Nep-Nep! So that means you are my friend! And friends help each other!" Says Compa with a big smile.
"Oh Compa, you're just like my Compa back home, and now I really want to meet your Neptune." Says Purple CPU.
"Well, all I know is that she is not in Planeptune now, maybe she goes to Lastation... oh!" Compa just remembers something. "Falcom came here yesterday... she said something... something..." Compa can't remember what Falcom said. "Ah, don't forget your medicine Nep-Nep! Take this tablet too!"
"She did? But why-" She remembers about being asleep beneath the tree with Noire yesterday. She thinks Falcom came to her when she was asleep. "Oh... Nevermind. I am sure it's just news from Nepgear. I'll just... going to finish my medicine..."
"Nep- Nep? Sorry, but I need to go back to the hospital again, there's some patients that need my help..." A pause. "And I found this Maid Uniform that I used back in middle school event. I already washed and cleaned it up so you can wear it Nep-Nep!"
"I do like a middle schooler in my human form. Anyway, thanks Compa." Replies Purple Heart.
"Don't worry about it Nep-Nep! Here-" Compa shows her old Maid outfit. "There it is! But I still don't know why you need it?"
"I... want to repay Noire's kindness, and you too, and everyone else that helped us..." Says Neptune in her smooth and mature voice. "I'm planning to try to make a small feast enough for you all my new old friends, so could you please call everyone to come here tonight?"
"Okay! I'll call our neighbor friends!" A pause. "But...Nep-Nep? You can cook?" Compa is curious.
"Well... umm... not as good as you of course, after all you're the best chef in Gamindustri right?" Neptune starts praising Compa.
"Aw Nep-Nep, you're making me blush... I want to be the greatest nurse in Gamindustri! But I don't know about being a chef... hehe..."Compa looks at her clock on the wall. "Oopsieee! I have to go Nep-Nep! You can open the refrigerator, or grab something from my garden in the back for your ingredients! Bye bye!"
"Alright, take care Compa, I'll be careful." Purple CPU waves her hands. When Compa's out of the house, Purple Heart turns to the kitchen and says to herself: "Alright, time to put my amatuer cooking skills to the test!"
Present time.
"Neppy? Did you make this all by yourself?" The Black haired CPU is surprised by the variety of food she brings and serves. "I mean, didn't you always...make purple goo when cooking something?" It's slightly offending but it's the truth.
"I understand that you might have doubted me, considering I have never been able to cook something edible enough..." Purple Heart says with a low tone, she is offended after all, but it's understandable since Noire didn't really know she worked very hard to be able to cook. "Let's just say... I've tried to make several things and I ended up with that cake."
'Awww, that's an ouch for me, but she doesn't know I tried really hard not to blow up the microwave or my kitchen, or Compa's.' Thinks Neptune.
"That cake... so you really did make it all by yourself... I'm really sorry Neppy..." Noire feels bad saying that, but she somehow imagines cooking alongside Neptune... just two of them, she really wants to know if she has improved and changed her habits after the last time they met. And Noire remembers seeing Neptune training hard in that forest, so there might be more things she doesn't know about her best friend after all.
"It's okay, it's been a while since the last we saw each other, so it's understandable, my Master..." Neptune calls Noire her master again. "Which one do you want to taste first?"
Maidtune (or Nepmaid) offers Noire some delicacies. There are porridge, chicken soup, omelete and some kind of tea. just the right kind of breakfast.
"Maybe this one?" The black haired girl points to the porridge, she thinks it would have the most savory aroma. "Let me wash my face and hands first."
Not long after.
Noire comes back from the bathroom and sees Neptune in her human form panting hard. She is really pushing herself, but why?
"Neppy?"
"Ah oh!?-" Neptune immedately transforms to her Goddess form. "Please sit down besides me Master."
Noire quickly sits in the couch besides her. "Neppy, please don't push yourself! Just please transform back." Noire can't help but to see Purple Heart's chest about to pop out because of how tight the maid uniform is, since it will only properly fit on Neptune's human form, after all. "Please, you chest is going to burst out!"
"Hmm? Don't you like when it's op-"
"TRANSFORM BACKK NEPPYY! STOP CALLING ME MASTER! THIS IS NOT R-18 ISLAND!" Noire screams from the bottom of her lungs.
The purple CPU flinches and immediately transforms back. "Sorrry! I've said this before, the author can't write a lewd detail so -" Neptune stops and realizes something: Noire's nose, it's leaking something. something red...
"That's not helping! What is-" The Black CPU notices the weird look on her friend's face, and soon realizes she's having a nosebleed. She quickly hides it from Neptune. " AH !?... Pretend you did not see that!" Noire is really embarrassed and quickly goes back to the bathroom to clean it up.
"Noire..." Neptune says under her breath, she is equally embarrassed. 'Noire really likes my CPU form huh...' Thinks Neptune.
Not long after.
"Open wideeee...~" Neptune is trying to feed Noire, making her blush. She can eat this by herself, why her friend bothered to feed her is something she couldn't understand, but Neptune's expression is so sincere that she's afraid that she will hurt her friend's feeling if she rejects it.
"... Ahhhh *chomp*." The Lastation CPU finally eats it, to her surprise it's actually pretty tasteful, near chef level of taste. It exceeds Noire's expectation, making Noire question if this is the same Neptune that she knew.
"Ummm... ahh this is kinda embarrassing, but it's not bad right ?" Neptune fidgets her fingers like her sister Nepgear does when being nervous, she really wants to know what Noire thinks.
"It's pretty good, I have to admit it. You are making breakfast better than I am." Noire can't hold it, she needs to ask. "It's.. so unlike you though, are you sure you're not Nepgear switching mind with Neptune?"
"Ooof... that's a lot of damage." Neptune's feeling hurts, but she'll survive. "That actually hurts my feelings, Noire. I know you must have a lot of question, but let me feed you while I explain it to you ok? I won't take 'no' for an answer."
"Ahh, sorry... Neppy." Noire apologizes, as Neptune starts feeding her again.
"Well, first of all, I want to make a small party this night, to repay everyone's kindness, so I become a maid. Second, I borrowed this outfit from Compa, it's from her middle school... maybe you're wondering 'why a maid'. Well because like I said, I want to be the one who serves for once." Noire looks like she's about to say something but stop herself from doing so.
"Third, I can only walk properly when in my CPU Form. Gearsy must have worked hard to gain this much Share energy to recover me, so as everyone else who helped us. So I want to arrange a small 'thank you' party." Noire's stunned that she hasn't really thought of a way of repaying everybody's kindness. She just accepted that she didn't need to. But knowing Neptune having found a way makes Noire feel glad.
"And last one, I ... kinda look cute in this outfit right? And I know you think my Goddess form is super hot so-"
"ARK!" Hearing that makes Noire almost spit out her food and chokes, coughing multiple times.
"Oh no! Drink this!" Neptune hands out the tea that she made earlier, and Noire gratefully drinks it. "You okay?"
"*Cough* ye- yeah, I am fine." Noire looks back at Neptune's face and gives her a 'don't worry' expression, but maybe looking directly on her face might not be a good idea right now.
'Actually, she is kinda cute, I mean, she always cute right? And her CPU form is... pretty- ahh what am I thinking!?' Noire's mind gears up when she looks directly at Neptune.
"Ah... you scared me ya know?" Neptune blushes for some reasons. "Sorry, I should've been more careful, I'm really REALLY sorry Noire..." She feels guilty all of sudden.
"It's fine, it's not your fault Neptune, but for now..." Noire doesn't really know if Neptune already ate her own food or not. "Let's eat together instead, okay?"
After that they are eating in silence, it's not long before they finish the food, and Noire takes the dishes up...
"Wait Noire, let me do the cleaning." Neptune really wants to be a maid for Noire for the entire day.
"No, you did good with the food and now it's my turn to help. And besides, it's not a good thing to let a person who can barely walk carry fragile objects." Noire gives Neptune a faint smile. "You stay here okay? I wouldn't take long."
As Neptune watches Noire go, she can't help but think she's... too dependable, unlike Noire. She thinks Noire is far more better than her, and she has been thinking about it more often now.
'Maybe I'm just too tired staying too long in my CPU form... yeah, that's it.' Concludes Neptune... or so she thinks. 'Or maybe I am just inferior? How can I impress her? Why am I thinking about this? This isn't like me.'
"Neppy? Hey, Neppy?" Unnoticed by Neptune, Noire is calling her by nickname. "Hey! If you still ignore me I won't call you 'Neppy' anymore."
That's enough to bring Neptune back to reality
"Ohh oh? Ah, yes, Noire?" Neptune replies unconsciously.
"You're doing that again, what is wrong with you? *sighs*" The Black haired girl wonders why her friend is like that. "Let's take a bath first alright? But please don't transform! Got it!?" She recalls 'that' moment a few days back.
"But why? It's sexy and I have a big boo-" Neptune pouts and teases Noire at the same time.
"NO! It's... too much for me, okay?" Noire says it with her eyes closed as she turns away, not wanting to see Neptune's reaction. But she couldn't hide her blushes.
Moments later
"Noire, you don't have to help me, this is my job." Neptune really wants to do this herself.
"I insist." Noire says to Neptune. "You don't need to do all this maid thing Neppy, and you certainly don't have to cook for all of us alone, we can do this together."
"But but!"
"No buts. I have made up my mind, if anyone wants to show some gratitude, it has to be both of us. They saved both of us right? Not just you, so I need to step up too." Noire says with an assuring smile.
Neptune wants to retort, but she knows that her best friend is right, and gives up.
"Urgh, I guess I can't argue with you eh?" The purple CPU gives out a defeated smile. "Oh well Noire, I want some new cooking skills anyway! Let's do this!" Neptune suddenly pumps up.
"Well I am pretty sure I am far more better in cooking in general than you~" Noire says with a smirk while grabbing several vegetables from the fridge.
"Yeah, I know that, I am still getting a grip on this kitchen stuffs. I am nowhere near you or Nep Jr.'s level." Neptune sits on a chair, unsure what to cook for tonight.
"Hey, I am not making you feel bad Neptune, but actually that breakfast I just had, it's... probably my best breakfast in my life so far, so umm, don't underestimate yourself. You did good." Noire admits, then blushes a little.
Hearing that makes Neptune's spirit lift up and she now wants to cook now. And since Noire says something direct, she wants to do something direct too, and thank her in the process. "Aww... Noire, it's nothing... but thanks. Now I know what to cook for our new friends here." She transforms and sneaks behind Noire without her noticing.
"Alright, I have something in mind too, would you -" She stops mid-sentence, because...
(*kiss*)
A quick kiss lands on the unsuspecting goddess' right cheek, making her heart skip a beat, her eyes widen and she jumps in surprise.
"NEPPY! WHAT WAS THAT FOR YOU DUMMY?" Noire's cheeks are burning hard. She can't hide it, not that she can anyway.
"You're so adorable when you're embarrassed my dear Noire." Says Purple Heart with her mature tone. "I just want to thank you and you did give me a kiss while I was sleeping right? So I kissed you back."
'NO WAY! I thought she was totally asleep?!' Noire's surprised to find out that Neptune was aware that she kissed her in that night.
"Nohoo...no... what are you saying? There's no way -I - I... did something like that! Haha!" Noire says with a super awkward tone because she's trying her best to not get caught.
"Oh? Oh well..." Neptune transforms back to her human form and sits to the chair next to her. "It was a dream then, but it felt like it was real though..." Neptune looks a bit disappointed.
"Haha! Of course it was!"
"Meh, real or dream. I've kissed your cheek and I am not taking it back." Neptune has no regrets though.
Noire feels a little bad after lying to her, but she can't bear the embarrassment if she was caught.
"DING! Our Lily rank just went up!" Noire has to think of something, or things are going to get awkward. Or this is just making it more awkward than it should be, but she needs to say something.
"Pretty sure my Lily rank towards you was at maximum long time ago~" The purple CPU says with a big smile on her face. "Anyway, let's get cookin'!"
"Yeah, let me write down the ingredient first." Noire starts writing down a note on the side of the fridge.
"Let me slice these vegies and these meat... Oh and, one more thing Noire?
"Yeah?" Noire looks behind to see Neptune on the kitchen's desk.
"I know I was kinda out of character... but I actually wanted to do something like this together for a long time ya know?" Neptune is so embarrassed that she can't look directly to Noire, and she looks at the floor instead while fidgeting her fingers...
Flashback.
"*cough* *cough* What's burning Histoire?" Noire asks the Oracle of Planeptune.
"I don't know, but we must hurry!" Noire and Histoire move quickly towards the source of the smoke.
In the kitchen, Neptune's trying to put out the smoke from the oven and the stove but no effect so far.
"Aww c'mon! (opening her oven) *coughs* arkkkgghh what the?" She finds out that whatever thing she's trying to make is now a lump of purple goo. "... I really am hopeless, how can I make her be impressed..."
"Neptune? What is going on here?!" Noire arrives at the scene, making Neptune startle and stand up while using her feet to close the oven.
"Neptune ! Are you the one who's responsible for this mess?" Histoire is a little angry, thinking that Neptune's messing things up again.
Seeing that, Neptune quickly turns around and turns off the oven. "Ưow wow, calm down there ladies. How is this my fault? I just want to put this fire and smoke out!" Neptune's trying to save her skin, but the smoke is still pouring out making her feel more nervous than before.
"So who is responsible then?" Noire asks seriously.
"Um... it must be Uzume... ya know, she's still learning how to use modern things around here so... " Neptune's trying to put the blame to someone else.
"I HEAR YA NEPSY!" Suddenly Uzume's voice, amplified by her megaphone, can be heard from elsewhere.
"Eek!?" Neptune jumps up in surprise.
"It should be you then? Why don't you leave kitchen business to your sister?" Noire feels a little annoyed that she would find someone 'incapable of cooking' like Neptune in this place.
Histoire then remembers that Neptune is just trying to make something... edible for the upcoming Noire's birthday, and decides to help her dealing with Noire. After all, it's not a 'surprise' anymore if Noire finds out her true intention.
"*sigh* I'll find the other Neptune, she probably left the oven on again, so Noire, please calm down." Histoire tricks Noire thinking this was Big Neptune's fault. "Neptune, please clean up the kitchen. Noire, you can wait if you want."
"Hmm..." Noire is not buying it, but she accepts it anyway. "*sigh* Doesn't matter as an adult or a kid, you Neptunes are helpless. Let me help you." Noire then offers a hand.
"But... but I am not a kid! And I can clean this up myself." Neptune pouts.
"Yes you are, and I insist. So just bear with me." She looks annoyed for a second but she gives Neptune a smile afterward. "I'm worried you might have got dirty or unable to clean it properly so let me help you okay. I mean we are close friends right~"
'Ahh, she is just too perfect, how can I impress her?'
After a while, they are able to clean up the kitchen. But Noire notices that things like this might be happening often recently.
"Neptune, you need a new oven, microwave, stove... basically everything." Noire inspects everything and it looks like everything is beyond repairable.
"Aww shucks, there goes my savings." Neptune pouts cutely.
"I thought it was big Neptune's fault, why using your saving?" Noire turns suspicious hearing that.
The purple CPU slips up, yes, but she needs to avoid any further suspicions. "Well I still have to pay for the damage, after all this is my home, and she is a 'Me' after all." Neptune can't get a better reason.
Noire doesn't really get what her friend just said, but she didn't want to think about it any further.
"Well? Want to walk around with me?" Noire offers Neptune.
Neptune's eyes lit up, she's happy that Noire is the one asking her to go out.
"Oh... it's a date then~" Neptune replies with a playful tone.
"Wh- whatt ?! No, it's not... we just... go out and hang out together..-" Noire stops because that sounds exactly like a date. She looks around to find a solution, and she finds it. "You need to replace those kitchenwares right? Let me take you to LastationWare not far from here." Well, it is a decent excuse.
"Oops! Right, better replace it pronto, or Nep Jr. won't be able to cook, and make me starve!" Neptune says following with a laugh.
'I wonder if I can cook something with her someday, maybe I learn faster with her...' Neptune thinks for herself.
'Hmm, seeing Neptune in the kitchen... what a rare sight. I wonder if I can make something with her, just the two of us...' Noire subconsciously blushes and smiles.
"Umm Noire? You're blushing and smiling by yourself again..."
"Did I? That was just your imagination! Anyway let's go okay?" And they go out in search of housewares.
Present
Noire remembers that time, and she reply with: "Me too, Neppy ~" Noire says with a happy tone, she wants this too. She just hopes that Neptune is in a better shape, but she's still grateful.
"Really?! Then let's make the best dishes for our new friends together !" One of Neptune's wishes finally came true, and she couldn't be happier.
The process is super smooth, since Noire and Compa brought many ingredients a few days back. And Noire can grab what she needs from Compa's garden. The black haired CPU has assumed that Neptune can't follow her lead well, but it turns out Neptune can do every step very well, making things even easier for both of them. Occasionally, they laugh at each other's jokes, even when Noire jokingly asks Neptune to cook the eggplants herself. They are really having a good time.
And now Noire is sure Neptune herself is the one who's at fault that time, not her adult counterpart. And she did that to practice to be able to cook her birthday cake, and her effort even broke her kitchenwares, but she is able to cook now, that means she worked really hard when Noire is not around.
That night.
IF, Compa, Falcom, Nepgear and even Uni come to Compa's house that Night, and to everyone else's expectation, both Noire and Uni are surprised to find out about each other.
"Umm, miss Noire, this is Uni, this world Noire's sister." Nepgear introduces Uni, though she doesn't really know it is necessary or not. "She and I are getting closer now, she's staying with me right now in the Basilicom."
"Geez, don't tell them about such details Nepgear." Uni is a little flustered. "But, umm, hey...?" She doesn't know how to call this Noire...
"Hey Uni! Just call me Noire ok?" Noire gives Uni a warm smile. "I know you must be confused, but don't worry, I might too if I were you. Hey, I think this is the first time we see another CPU candidate from another dimension. Does that mean Blanc sisters are here too?"
"Oh, you mean Rom and Ram? Yeah they're in Lowee now." IF answers.
"Those two are super duper cutteeee! I want to squeezee themm!" Compa adds in.
"I agree they are cute, but I just want to pet their heads instead of squeezing." Falcom agrees, at some points.
"What about the CPUs back in your world Falcom?" IF asks Falcom.
"Well, most of the CPU are the same with the exception of Planeptune CPU, her name is Plutia, goes by Iris Heart in public." A pause. "Umm Lady Neptune did become a CPU there too when I was little."
"Wowieee! Nep-Nep is so cool that she has two Planeptunes!" Compa praises.
"So... since they're both CPUs, does that mean there are 2 CPUs in Planeptune?" IF is curious.
"No, there are actually 3 errr... no, 4 CPUs, but since Lady Neptune and Nepgear returned to their world, it now has 2 CPUs there... uhh I don't know much more after MAGES. tossed my butt over here."
"Food's ready!" Suddenly a voice comes from the other side of the house.
"Please wait everyone, I am going to help Neptune" Noire go to the back of the house.
"Me too me too! I am going to help Nep-Nep!" Compa goes too, after all it's her house.
"sorry but ...Nep can cook ?" IF asks in surprise as the group heads into the dining room.
"...I don't know, honestly." Nepgear smiles awkwardly. "Most of the time, it's me cooking for her. but since my Sister memories is gone, and Neptune here is from another world I... think it's possible."
"since Neptune here is a different person, the case might be different from your Sister"
"Sorry for the wait everyone." After a while, Purple Heart appears alongwith Noire and Compa, bringing several kinds of delicacies like mini Eggrolls for appetizer, Garlic Chicken, Porridge, Steak, Sushi as main course, and of course Pudding as dessert. After putting the food down, Neptune quickly sits down on a chair and transforms back.
"Oh wow. The smell is so good already..." IF compliments.
"Ah... I think this is a bit too fancy... I'm fine with it though." Falcom adds in.
"Um... I'm not sure if I should be here though..." Uni responds awkwardly.
"Oh Uni, don't be like that. You cheered me up so I can raise our share to help Neptune's recover, I can't do it without you hehe~" Nepgear is as sweet as always, and her words make Uni blush without even trying.
"Geez, stupid and typical Nepgear..." Uni mumbles as she turns her gaze somewhere, not wanting her blush to be seen.
"No offense, Nep, but you made this all by yourself or Noire did? I mean, not wanting to say bad things about you, but our Nep here can't even lift a spatula properly. But maybe it's due to her amnesia I guess?" IF wonders out loud.
"Yeah, I want to learn to cook with you if that's true." Nepgear asks hopefully. "I can cook, but I want to be better so I can spoil my Sister to death hehe~"
"I don't know how you can say that so casually." Both Uni and IF say at the same time.
"Ge-Ge is always like that hehe. Alright enough chit chat, let's eat before the food gets cold!" Compa suggests. She then takes the first taste, and compliments: "You two are amazingggg! Thank you for the food!"
"Yeah, thanks for the food Nep, Noire." IF quickly follows next.
"Thanks for the food!" The rest thanks both Noire and Neptune at the same as they quickly dig in as well.
"This is what it feels like huh..." The Purple CPU says with a low tone so the only person who can hear her is Noire who sits besides her. "I think I can keep doing this for the rest of my life now."
"Yeah, that's what it feels like. Now you know why Nepgear likes cooking for you." Noire responses with a low tone too.
A while after they finish the main dish, it's time for desert.
"Owoowhhh, I've never been so satisfied in my life..." Falcom comments. "I'd like to have another round, but I guess this is my limit."
"Goodness, that was amazing!" Nepgear comments.
"That's right, well as expected of my Sist- I mean, Noire."
"Nep, Noire, Thank you, that was amazing!" IF compliments.
"Thank you all. Now, please try out our pudding." Noire asks. "It's not as good as Compa's, but Neptune and me have our inputs on it."
IF looks at the container of said pudding, and notices that it looks familiar.
"...I think I've tried this before..." IF pauses to think. "It's.. NepNowa pudding from Nepfanclub.. or Nepping... or at least that's the names I remember."
"NepNowa? That's actually a cute nickname!" Neptune comments. "C'mon, try it Iffy, you're gonna love it!"
And the group starts grabbing the cups one by one, and they try the first bite...
"Nep-Nep, Noire, this pudding tastes awesome! How did you make it?"
"Well... yesterday we tried the pudding that her fanclub gave me, and we decided to try to recreate and improve on that." Noire explains. "It's not perfect, but at least it turned out well."
"Lady Neptune, Lady Noire... just a sight, but I think you two are meant for each other." Falcom suddenly comments while enjoying her dessert. Her comment makes both Noire and Neptune's cheeks burn red. They both gaze at each other for a second but quickly turn their gaze elsewhere.
"Goodness, this is very sweet, don't you think Uni?" Nepgear says to Uni.
"You mean the pudding or them? Ah whatever, both are sweet." Uni can't get a hold of what Nepgear meant, she's just curious about Noire in front of her, her sister from another dimension, if she's any different from her own sister. But she guesses it can wait.
They all talk a bit more, before the moon appears and they all return to their own house.
"Sorry Nep, but did I just see you walk?" IF is surprised to find that Neptune can walk now.
"What's the matter Iffy? You saw me carrying those food didn't you?" Says Neptune in her Purple Heart form, before bidding farewell. "I take it that you were too hungry to notice... but you see, I am still recovering, I could only walk in this form."
"So my efforts gathering Share energy are going well?! Wow!" Chirps Nepgear happily. "Ah... I wish my sister was here... I wonder if she's proud of me..." Nepgear fidgets her fingers.
"I am sure she will Gearsy~" Neptune approaches Nepgear and pats her head. "Well done Gearsy! Without you, I can't recover this quickly, you're such a good girl~" She caresses Nepgear's hair to make her feel comfortable.
"Ah... ahh..." Nepgear moans. "Owhh... so much sisterly love... I think I going to faint~" She loves it a little too much.
"That's enough Nep. I don't want to pick Nepgear up if she faints again." IF doesn't want to deal with that, while Falcom besides her lets out a confused smile as she's unable to understand what happened.
"Even if I faints, I knew Uni will catch me before I hit the ground, and carry me like a bride!" Nepgear teases Uni.
"Like that would happen! Hmmph!" Uni knows Nepgear is right, but she just keeps it to herself.
"Alright, that's enough you two, we should let Nep get some rest." A pause. "Thanks Nep, and don't stay too long in that form. We'll see you again tomorrow." IF bids her goodbye.
"Good night, Lady Neptune!" Falcom follows.
"We should get moving too, Nepgear." Uni reminds her friend.
"Ah yes, we'll pick you up tomorrow by morning! I'll make sure to tidy up your room!" Nepgear informs.
"Thanks Gearsy, I'm looking forward for it."
The CPU Candidates transform and set off to the sky, after all flying is faster than walking. And Neptune quickly goes in and closes the door, she sits on the sofa and undoes her transformation as soon she sits down.
"Ahhh! I'm beat!" The purple CPU pants tiredly. "But wow... this day IS clearly something." Neptune is tired but she's happy nonetheless.
"They're already gone?" Noire just comes out from the back. "I've already clean the dishes, Compa is sleeping right now."
"Being a nurse is a really tiring job." Neptune remembers Compa from her own dimension. The raven haired girl approaches the purple haired CPU and sits beside her. "You should get to get some sleep Noire."
Noire is tired but she just wants to sit besides Neptune right now. She doesn't know why, but she has a feeling that she will find out soon enough.
The smaller girl looks at Noire's face, she wonders why she didn't just go straight to bed instead. But she's glad that Noire is here now, because...
"Neptu-... Neppy?" Noire is suddenly hugged by Neptune, she sure is getting clingy each time, but Noire doesn't really mind it.
"Thank you Noire... for today." Neptune hugs Noire tighter than before, surprising the taller girl. "I really had fun today... I really really did. It's all thanks to you." Noire can't see Neptune's face well because it's buried under her sweater cloth, but it sounds like Neptune's in a verge of crying, but she sounds happy at the same time. And then Neptune speaks again...
"I.. can't believe we finally cooked something together, It's exciting beyond words. Actually, doing anything with you is super exciting, and I don't even know why!" Neptune is holding Noire tighter.
She expects Noire would never properly return her hugs, but she is surprised that Noire hugs her in return. And then, Noire's hands pull Neptune closer and she locks her arms, hugging Neptune back.
"I feel the same Neppy." Noire can't help but to be honest. Neptune's warmth is melting her heart, she can't really hide her feeling anymore. "I'm sorry, but now I am certain that it was because of me that you learnt how to cook right? You even burnt your kitchen just trying to get it right." Noire refers to that day Neptune attempted at cooking before being found by Noire.
"Sorry I lied to you that day..." Neptune's tone becomes sadder, but there's a sign of relief on her voice. "I just wanted to surprise you..."
Noire's heart stings after hearing that. Her friend really broke her habits just to make a birthday surprise. But Noire ruined it, she really thought she did. She wished she shouldn't have fallen for K-Sha's trick and things would be fine for them.
"I... am really sorry about my words Neppy." Noire's about to cry but she holds it as strong as she can. She still deeply regrets it. "If... I have known that was you... I... we...-" Noire is on the verge of crying.
"Huh?" Neptune looks up to Noire's face, it turns out that her eyes are as watery as Noire's. "Hey Noire, it's fine... I am okay now." She gives Noire a happy smile. "Let's leave that behind us okay?"
"But... you have done so - *hic*"
"Pssstt... that's enough, I've forgiven you already okay? Besides, it was my fault anyway just bursting in when you two were busy..." A pause. "What matters now is that you are here with me, we do things together, and that makes up for the days we spent without each other."
"Neppy..." Noire hugs Neptune close, she loves this feeling. Now she knows why Neptune really loves to hug her, because it makes her feel much more better, even after a very bad day.
Not long after that, they let go of each other and things become a little awkward after that.
"I think we should sleep now, tomorrow we have to move to the Basilicom and figure out what to do next." Neptune tries to break the silence. "Thanks for hearing me out."
"Yea...yeah, me too Neppy." Noire awkwardly gets up and gets ready to go to sleep on the guest bed. She sounds so happy and relieved now, maybe she just needs a little resolution before getting to sleep.
And after Noire is nowhere to be seen, Neptune has lied down and just smiles happily.
"Ahaha... hmm Noire is so warm... I like it..." She still hopes that their hug could last longer. "I can't believe she returned my hug... all I remember is I sneaked up on her and hugged her from behind and she's just like 'what are you doing Neptune ?! Don't sneak up on me like that!' She never properly returned my hug as far as I can remember.. "
Flooding with thoughts, Neptune just can't forget of how good Noire's hug is. "I wonder if she feels the same..."
'Brrrzttt'
"Huh?" Neptune hears something outside just in front of the house. Not just that there's a sound of portal opening and there are sounds of water bursting out from there too.
She decides to transform again, draws her blade and rushes outside of the house, expecting threats. But instead she finds a familiar looking... creature being.
"Is that..." It's quite dark outside with a single bulb light illuminating Compa's veranda. but she can clearly see what's in front of her. It's small, it has short hair, it carries a book, it has a black and purple pinkish cloth and a pair of wings that glows.
It's none other than Croire, seemingly unconscious and in a bad shape. She looks like she has just been hit by water, not just any water, but a magic-infused water.
"Crosty? What is going on? Hey, wake up!"
and that's it. I don't know what to add.
oh right, next is a filler chapter about what happen on Hyperdimension. it's going to be shorter than the usual.
thank you and be safe everyone !