Author Note : I had to delete and re-upload this Chapter this since I can't edit it with the new version somehow. sorry for that.
anyway this is the 'Fixed' version, unlike the previous, this has been edited and approved by Beta Tester : KuroGems1280
if you already read this Chapter before, then feel free to skip it and wait for the next Chapter.
Nighttime, Unknown Dimension.
"Let's review all those dumb histories I've collected so far..."
Croire is on top of a tree, resting there after several dimension shifting. She's sitting on one of the branches, surrounded by pine trees. Wind breezes below her, sending chill to her body, but she is used to it now. But her journey was not the same without older-looking Neptune.
"There's that dumb talking bike with Time-traveling involved, so that loud bike was Nep from an erased timeline... that's some interesting stuff. Moving on now, there's this floating island called Gamacademi or whatever, meh just a bunch of adolescent drama with Nepgear confessing to Uni while they were editing a trash-fire garbage of a movie... wait... THEY ARE A THING!? Well... I guess... they are kinda into each other since I met them, not that I care... but ohh, some real Zombie actions too. That's interesting, but no signs of the Nep that I was looking for..." Croire met a Neptune there, but not the one she is looking for. She places her palm on her chin, trying to focus.
"Man, these are interesting but... I am kind of tired. I can't believe doing a good thing is this hard." A sigh comes out from her mouth. "Or at least, being responsible is..."
The dark tome fairy looks at the distance, where a small village or town is located. She has never seen anything like it before, it's medieval looking. It looks like she is not in another Gamindustri anymore. She would like to go there, but without Big Neptune, it's just not possible.
"Tch, I can't believe I miss her, heck, I can't believe she caught an all powerful being like me with a butterfly net when we first met... but somehow I am glad that happened." She really misses the girl, She could go back now, but everyone will find out that She the one at fault.
And, from an Inn not far from her place, she hears a huge commotion there. Looks like a group of people is having a feast.
"Ah, Nep usually gives me something to eat... maybe I can steal some bread after I rest. Let's watch what we have here first..." Croire opens up a floating interface in front of her, and she's going to see the history of this current world. she might hit a jackpot.
"WHOA, Holy sh-... this is the stuff! Two ancient gods fought in the past, Vile god and a Goddess engulfed in a battle that was so damn epic that they sealed themself each other away... and there's a hundred-"
"I think it comes from this area..." Suddenly, a young girl with a red dress and light pinkish hair worn in a big pigtail speaks up, not far from where Croire rests.
"Are you sure you just want me to handle this instead of him?" Asks the other person who has a blue and white colored dress with a long grey hair. She has a smooth young adult, ladylike voice. "...actually nevermind, he's still eating like a beast and he doesn't even want to move from that chair." She frowns. "It's frustating sometime"
"Yeah, that is why I am asking you. Your magic is wide range and it's water-based so it might be fine if the the enemy is hiding in this wood." The young girl talks. Though, Croire can't hear them much because she's too invested into learning this world's history.
"Did they say something? Heh, nothing to do with me." Croire checks behind her and quickly returns back to researching.
"Ahhh, my head... I think the dark presence is there... it's somewhere up those trees." The younger one seems to be in pain but she still points at where Croire is sitting. Her glowing pair of wings give her location away.
"Please lend me your power, Eryn." The younger one asks for a hand.
"Don't worry, I'll resonate power with Cui. Go get that villain, Tiara!" And with that, Eryn disappears into dust-looking particles onto the weapon, seemingly giving it more power.
"LET'S DO THIS, CUI! FAIRIZE!!" Tiara throws her weapon up in the air and lets it pierce her stomach. Instead of dying, she is transformed with a set of armor and stronger glaive-like weapon.
Suddenly out of nowhere, a certain sound can be heard.
"Metamorphize your heart! Unleash the hell inside!"
"...Why do I hear boss music?" Croire looks behind her, a sphere of water comes at her at full speed. "THE HELL!?"
(*swoosh*)
Luckily, she manages to dodge in time. Instead of hitting her, that attack hits the branch she was sitting on.
"It dodged the attack!?" Tiara shouts in surprise, then transforms her weapon into a bow and shoots multiple water arrows in an instance. "No matter! You will not survive this time!"
"WHY IS SHE SUDDENLY ATTACKING ME!?" Croire shouts as she starts dodging Tiara's attack. It seems easy at first, but the second she manages to dodge the seemingly last arrow, she is greeted by a new barrage of water arrows coming at her.
"ARROW RAIN!"
"Oh no, I don't think I will be able to dodge that!" Croire is trying to keep moving but it was too late, she won't be able to dodge this one. "Alright then, SHIELD UP!" Croire shields herself with Tari's CPU power (or what's left of it).
(*brush, clang, clang* )
The arrows are either destroyed or bounced off when they come in contact with the shield, but Croire's strength is weakening, she can't keep blocking her enemy attack since she has wasted too much energy beforehand.
And just after the attack stops, Croire notices there's a group coming towards her, each person wielding unique weapons in hands.
"SHEEESH, I CAN'T EVEN EAT IN PEACE!" One of them shouts in dismay.
"Damn, if this keeps up, I am-" Before Croire can finish her sentence, a big surge of water hits her from the ground.
(*Splash*)
"RAGING WATER!" Tiara shouts up her attack's name. "Everyone! It's weakening!"
Croire's body flies up to the air, up above the trees. She's hurting and wet, but she's not going to let herself get captured or killed.
"ARGH, my tome! Damn it all!" Croire tries to flip herself back and succeeds, then she attempts to fly away. "Just how many of them are there!?"
Croire flies as fast as possible, but her attackers seems to be just as fast.
"SURRENDER YOURSELF VILLAIN!" Tiara shouts from the ground chasing after Croire.
"HOW THE HELL CAN I SURRENDER MYSELF IF SHE KEEPS ATTACKING ME!?" She shouts whats in her mind as she thinks of a way out. "I'll pass out after this, but ain't got no choice!" The dark tome opens up an interface in front of her to find a portal's coordinate, and she makes a randomized coordinate as long as she's out of here. She doesn't care where she could end up. "Super Dime- WHOA!?"
Just when she has found her targeted destination, she's once again being attacked by several flying water arrows, only this time she manages to dodge them all since it's smaller in number
"I won't miss next time!"
"Portal OPEN!" Croire manages to open a portal several meters in front of her, and she tries to make a run for it.
"WATER SAUCER!" Tiara shouts her magic attack once, and spawns two disk-shaped water attacks and hurls them upwards, targeting Croire. Unlike her arrow attacks, this one slices through any obstacles including the trees that cover Croire.
"Ahh cra-!?" She got hit hard by those flying disks, though that also flings her into the portal, giving her a successful but painful escape.
(*brrzt*)
She crashes to the ground, her whole body is in massive pain because of the attack. She feels her consciousness slowly fading away... and her eyes start to close moment by moment.
And the last thing she sees is a door being opened, where a woman with a blade comes out...
SuperDimension Planeptune, Compa's house. Morning.
"Ahh, I wonder what Neppy will think about this...~" Says a certain black haired girl with honesty issues. "I think a pair of glasses would suit me... I have a 'I can do anything' look with this~" She says to herself with a happy mood, as she tries a pair of black square framed glasses while looking at herself in the mirror.
Noire is trying a new look, since she knew that she will be the center of attention if the citizens find out that she's CPU Black Heart.
She has planned this since she saw this world's Neptune and Noire confessed to each other, and now the news about their relationship is spreading faster than she expected. She feels the need to disguise herself and Neptune since they don't want to get caught by the masses about it. And they are not the same person, and it would make another commotion if they explain that they are from another 'world'.
"Noire? Are you done yet?" Says the certain purple haired ditz outside of the dress room in Compa's house. She has been waiting for quite some time.
"Ahh not yet Neptune!" She quickly fixes the glasses so it would fit on her face. She then says to herself: "Ahh right, should've ask her myself..."
"Did'ja say som-..." Neptune becomes silent as she looks at Noire who just opens the door.
"Neptune, h-how do I look?" Noire poses in front of the other girl, slightly stammering over her words in slight embarrassment.
"Uhh... do you want to... tie your hair as usual.. or what? It's... kinda look goofy..."
"Huh?" Noire is a little dumbfounded at how Neptune reacts, but then she remembers that she was in the middle of untying her ribbons when she shifted her focus to the newly bought black-framed glasses.
"Here, let this lil old Nep untie it for you..." Neptunes walks slowly and goes behind Noire's back and unties her left ribbon. "Andd... there..." She walks back and then sees something amazing... "Ah...ummm..."
Noire stands there with her cheeks burning red with her hair straightened down. She almost looks like her CPU form but with black hair, and her hair looks much smoother. She looks like a smart and diligent high schooler.
Noire is wearing a dark grey skirt with a tiny bright blue stripe at the bottom, a plain white sweater covered with dark colored blazer-like hoodless jacket with blue stripes along the lines. Noire are used to wearing sweaters now.
And Neptune thinks it suits her.
"Don't just... stare at me like that..." Noire is still waiting on Neptune's response, but Neptune still subconsciously stares at her tsundere friend.
'I must've awaken a hidden glasses Fetish inside of me.' Neptune just turns her gaze away to hide her embarrassment. She can't meet Noire's face, not this close. "Ahh... she's so pretty..." Neptune whispers to herself with low tone. "Dang it, K-Sha is soooo lucky to have her..." Neptune is jealous.
"Neptune, don't leave me hanging like this, my eyes are up here..." Noire grabs Neptune's head and tilts it to face her. "There ~ now, how do I look?" Noire closes her eyes, knowing that she's blushing as red as a tomato, but she wants to know her friend's opinion.
'Aw shucks, now I can't take my eyes off her, she's too perfect.' That's what Neptune thinks at the moment. 'I need to look away, yet I can't...'
"Ohh hoh...~" Compa is staring at them intensely, until smoke comes out from the cloth she currently irons getting overheated. "Oh no!" She lets out a panic shout and blows her cloth with her mouth with a hope that would at least lessen the heat.
That is not enough to break Neptune and Noire's tension though, as they keep standing there waiting for the other to talk first.
"Neptune... you're killing me with your silent treatment..." And the CPU of Lastation decides to break the ice.
"Ah! Sowwy, I mean Sorry... ahh umm... you're perfect..." Says the other half-consciously.
"Wh-whaa... Pe...Perfect ??" Noire blushes even more. She usually takes pride in those words, but she can't if she's in the situation like this.
The purple CPU quickly changes the subject to hide her own embarrassment: "Um, I mean, perfect for... For disguise, yeah! You'll blend in perfectly with that look!"
As soon as Noire hears that, she lets out a "oh..." with a disappointed face. And obviously the purple CPU notices it.
"Ahh! But but... You look awesometacular on that dress of you! And... when you let your hair down with that glasses on... it gives you that 'Pretty and Smart girl' vibes~" Neptune starting praising Noire's beauty while noticing a small detail: she has seen Noire with her hair down several times before, but she didn't think a pair of glasses could make that much of a difference. But, maybe her bashful and blushing face help too. "...I am pretty sure anyone would fall for you... shucks, even I can't take my eyes off you~" Neptune unconsciously says the last part out of pure honesty.
"WH-WAAA WAWA..." The girl, who is expecting an honest opinion from Neptune, is now so embarrassed by the 'way too honest' opinion. She's so embarrassed that she hides her face with her hands and turn around, quickly enters the dress room she was in and closes the door so she cannot be seen by Neptune.
"Huh?" The purple haired girl is confused. Did she say something bad?
"NEPTUNE YOU DUMMY (read: BAKA NEPTUNE)!" 'I didn't expect Neppy to say something like that! I know she was just saying what she had in mind, but... that was just too much!' Thinks Noire while she were panting after the embarrassed scream.
"Compa!? Did I say something bad?" Neptune tries to ask the nurse after hearing the scream.
"...Nep-Nep... are you that... insensitive?" Compa asks back with a flat expression. She can't believe Neptune is unable to perceive of what happened. "I mean, it should be obvious..."
"I get it! I do understand! But my racing heart refuses to believe it!!!" Neptune doesn't even know what she was talking about. "I'm equally embarrassed ya know!?"
"Geez, is every Nep and Noire out there this entertaining?" Suddenly IF comes by the door and enters the house. "Never a dull moment when you two are around..."
"Is that supposed to be a flattery or what !?" Noire's voice can be heard from inside of the room she's in.
Ignoring that, the agent continues: "Look at you, you can stand and walk now. Being a goddess have it's own perk, huh?" IF says with a faint smile, then observes Neptune's new clothes. "That suits you well Nep. I think you need it too, because if you wear your usual hoodie then the citizens will instantly recognize you. I know it's not a bad thing but... ahh, how do I explain this.. Compa?"
Neptune is wearing a purple checkered short skirt, combined with dark colored pair of socks with three purple stripes on it. As for the top, she's wearing white sailor marine dress with purple lines and buttons, and instead of using her usual D-pad hair clips, she uses a headband with Planeptune logo on it.
"I... don't know how to explain it to Nep-Nep either... you need to see it with your own eyes Nep-Nep." Compa says while still ironing.
"I think some people will still recognize you. But it's better than nothing."
"Well, my hoodie was trashed and Noire made me these cuties. She really deeply knows me inside out, she even knows my sizes!"
"NO I DIDN'T!" Noire is still recovering her heart inside of that room.
"Then how else were you able to tailor cute clothes without asking or measuring her sizes? And you really put so much thought to its design too, it almost feels like you wanted to design it for her for a long time." Says IF in her sarcasm tone.
"I was just adding things that matches herWHAAAAAHAAAA!" The Tsundere cries in defeat as she digs her own grave. She really wants Neptune to wear the dress that she has modified to make Neptune look cuter, so she bought some plain clothes and tailoring kits several days back, but she didn't want Neptune to know that.
"Ohhh ~ is that true Noire...?" Neptune leans to the door while asking with her teasing voice.
"Don't listen to her dammit !"
While Neptune continues teasing the poor girl, IF finds a strange looking creature lying on top the couch. She approaches it, it looks like it's still alive judging by its faint breathing. She examines it closer and sees several bandages looped around her body. She's not sure what that thing is.
"Nep, Compa, what the heck is this creature?" IF asks them and then Compa approaches the Guild member. "It looks like... Histy, Edgy style."
"Nep-Nep said her name was... Cr... croo... ahh Darksty is what I can come up with her after I saw her this morning!" Compa is struggling to say Croire's name.
"Her name is Croire, if you call her anything but that, she will be pissed. especially if you call her Darksty." Neptune says while still standing by the door. "She and I, let's just say we have history."
"Nep cleaned her wound up last night and treated her fever. I only knew about this in the morning."
"Sorry for not asking for permission to use your medicine Compa, but ya know, she is important and stuff ~" Neptune checks behind her, the door is slightly opened revealing Noire's head cutely peeking through the gap, checking on Neptune. "Oh hey there Shy Heart~"
"WHAAA!" Noire hurriedly closes the door as she gets caught peeking.
Not long after
"Bye bye! Be careful!" Compa sends the group off, she needs to stay to clean up her house.
Not long after packing up, the group walks through the woods. It's not too dense, so it easy to get around and find a way out. The group is now heading towards Planeptune tower.
"Nep, how are your legs?" IF asks about how Neptune's legs are holding up after being paralyzed after a week.
"Don't ya worry Iffy! This is nothing!" Nep puffs out her chest. "My legs felt a lot worse some other time, my friend and I slept for 3 days straight and when I woke up, my legs felt like jellies... it's felt sooo weird~~"
Hearing that makes Noire and IF exchange gazes, and shake their head in disbeliefs.
'Her friend... did she mean Plutia? Does that mean... they... they both slept while snuggling with each other for three days straight!? And they often do that!? No...no way...' Noire feels a weird sensation in her heart. She knows that Plutia is just... one of Neptune's friends. A really close one...or they are more than that? After all, they often hugged each other while they slept.
Noire shakes her head to perish her thoughts and-
"WHOAAA WOAAA!" The Purple loli almost falls to the ground because her feet bumped into some trees roots, but she's saved by IF holding her up. Her scream makes Noire stop imagining things.
"Nep, I don't see your legs being fine at all." The Guild member sounds a little anxious. "Should we go back?"
Noire lets out a sigh, she kneels down before Neptune with her back facing the girl. "Hop up." The black haired girl blushes a little while offering Neptune a piggy back. "We have troubled Compa enough already, and we will reach the outer city 10 minute or so."
"Let me carry this... thing for you Nep. You go on hop on to her back." IF takes the unconscious Croire from Neptune and carries her up.
"Aww shucks... fine" Neptune hops on Noire's back and wraps her arm around Noire's neck to avoid falling, albeit it's harder because Noire hair is down now. But somehow Neptune is enjoying it, since she can get close with Noire after all, but she chooses to remain silent. Something is holding her back to tease Noire more.
They continue their way until they see a big city before them. There's a water pool with fishes inside of it and a park that surrounds it, and not far on the right side there's a skytram to travel to another floating island. This one here is just for transportation to smaller island, not to another landmasses.
"Whoa. Look Noire!" Neptune points out a massive floating landmass that looks like a snowy fantasy land. She didn't remember it was there before. "Did you see it before?" She asks Noire.
"Now that you mention it, I didn't see it several days back, did it just move or something?"
"Ah yeah, here's the weird thing about our world, aside from floating island, Pesky Gravity and other thing..." A pause. "...the landmasses, they...orbit each other."
"...what ?" Both Neptune and Noire ask in unison.
"They move. Sometimes they get close, sometime they get too far away until that we can't see others clearly." A pause. "That's why Noire couldn't really see it because it was too far away, but now it's getting closer now. As long the landmass is close enough, we can transport there."
"Huh, actually this is might be the best another 'world' that I ever visited! I mean, there's this floating island, beautiful view and all that sugary-to-eyes stuff ~" Says Neptune while still being piggybacked.
"But what about UltraDimension? You know... Plutia and stuff..." Megane Noire says with a low jealousy tone.
"Well so far at least, I mean look around!" Neptune hops down and walks around the park they are in. "And look at those floating islands in the distance! They give zero darn about Gravity! I bet'cha Nep Jr. is gonna make a machine to make our islands float if she sees this kind of view!" Neptune walks around and gazes the beautiful view of the city, like a little kid seeing a new toy in a shop.
"Well, when you put it like that... there isn't a single thing that wants to kill us so far. There's no building-sized monsters, or our dark CPU selves trying to threaten our lives..." Noire just realizes how nice and peaceful this world is after Neptune said her opinion.
"You walked to the city several days back right?" A pause. "I see... so your mind was too busy thinking about what dress would look cute on Neptune to realize about how pretty my world is, right?" IF said jokingly.
"Of course, what else - WHAT!? NO! AH DAMN IT! At least Neppy didn't hear what you just said." Noire is trying to deny it with low voice.
"Nep...py, huh?" IF hears Neptune's special Nickname from Noire, and gives Megane Noire a smirk. "Sorry, gotta ask, but how close are you two actually?"
"...I can't believe I called Neptune that in front of someone else." Noire's embarrassed by that, she stops walking for a bit but she continues. "And why are you asking something that embarrassing!?"
"Well, you two seem close enough, and I am about to prepare you of what's gonna comes next." IF warns Noire about something.
"Don't make me hanging here! Just tell me what kind of danger lies ahead? And what's it-" It somehow makes Noire suddenly nervous, but then she remembers about her counterpart, no... their counterparts.
Neptune and Noire from this dimension are DATING. they are a COUPLE, and Noire witnessed their first kiss that day. Just remembering it makes Noire feel embarrassed so hard that steam comes out of her ears. But did they already announce their relationship or something?
"Oh... so you already knew what's going on... I see...~" IF can already read what Noire is thinking.
"Is EVERY IF in the whole multiverse this sharp?!" The Lastation CPU comments. "Well... Uh... let's just say... I know a bit, okay? Just a 'tiny' little bit about what happened, okay?" She's trying to hide about the fact she is the very first one who knew about her counterpart's relationship.
"Well, we gotta tell Neptune before - oh crap!" Just when IF is about to catch up with Neptune who has gone ahead herself towards the center of the park, two female journalists can be seen approaching Neptune.
"Morning Miss Neptune! I, Dengekiko the Gamindustri Journalist, am here !" A young girl with lightning-ribboned, yellow ponytailed hair arrives and approaches Neptune who was enjoying the view, followed by another young girl with green eyes and orange-ish hair with a crown hair ornament.
"Oh yes fresh scoop! Lady Neptune, can we take a little bit of your time for interview?" The girl with crown hair ornament greets Neptune.
"Yes, we both have several questions about the hottest recent news, if you cooperate with us this might be a Hit Article and News and boost your Shares!" The one with black cloth continues.
"Oh wow, it's you two gals, Dengekiko and Famitsu! Hello there citizens!" Neptune instantly recognizes both of them. They are the fastest Gamindustri journalists, after all. "I am free now, so feel free to ask away~" She says with her hands on her hips.
'Those two have a little bit different... aura than I remembered. They kinda hate each other or something back home, but here, they are rivals... but they seem like very good friends too.' Neptune thinks.
"Fami, show her the pictures!" Dengekiko brings out a notebook while Famitsu brings out a tablet, and shows the purple CPU a picture of...
"Uhhh... is that... me... and Noir- I mean Black Heart?"
The picture shows both Neptune and Noire sitting on a cafe table, with Noire trying to feed Neptune a spoon of ice cream. The still look like she were super embarrassed but she is still trying to be romantic, while Neptune there smiles as she is about to get fed by the woman she loves.
"These pictures can be seen across Planeptune central City, and not only that, almost all Plasma Banner and digital billboards across Planeptune show several of your intimate moments between you and Lady Black Heart. Did this happen on purpose or there's something else happening ?" Famitsu asks the first question while Dengekiko readies herself to write the answer down.
'What the Neppin Nep? Wow what, is this my other self doing? Me and Noire being a couple? Where is she anyway? Don't tell me she's having a honey moon or something, but who shared these pic... oh that's right...'
"I think I know the who did this, but it's for a good reason... and if the citizens are okay with it then it's all good." Then Neptune remembers it was on Advertisement Banner too. "Ah right, I will stop the Picture broadcasting ASAP, after all it was for company's product placement, not my... uh... " Neptune cheeks are blushing. "My... private love life with Black Heart."
"WHA -WHAWHA..." Noire who has just arrived with IF, blushes so hard as she sees the picture of her counterpart feeding Neptune, they look enjoying themselves. She knew that she has done that with her Neptune before, but it was because Neptune was paralyzed, not because they were dating! "Other me... is really dating... Neptune-"
"Nep, I think that's enough journalism now. Our friend here can't handle much more than this." IF suggests to Neptune, and turns around to tell Noire. "This is what I was about to warn you, those pics are everywhere. I mean it does help heal your Nep so I see this as an absolute win ?"
"But, but, but... oh gosh this is so embarrassing!" She tries not to be heard by Neptune. and she doesn't want to deal with this matter. It's too much for her little heart.
"I see, so far the citizens' response are positive, they even want you two to become a couple. Well I do too tehehe~" Famitsu says.
"Hey Fami... keep it professional for now. Next question is the most popular one *cough* 'When will you get engaged with Lady Black Heart?' " Dengekiko asks the most frequently asked question on the internet.
'Engaged... with Neppy? I-I- ahh my heart couldn't even handle thinking about it!' Noire is so embarrassed that she freezes in place and hide her face. but she knew it is just about time that her counterpart will get married.
Neptune doesn't know how to react or answer that. She turns around to see her friend behind her, and she sees Noire who's hiding her face, and IF who's still holding Croire. She looks like she wants to stop Neptune from answering but feel curious at the same time.
"When we're both ready of course!" Neptune suddenly answers, she knows this is wrong but she's still doing it. "If the citizens are okay with it then there's nothing stopping me getting married with my lovely Tsundere o Goddess Noire, the Great Black Heart!"
"AHH!!" Noire watches from behind Neptune. who answers proudly, but she can't believe Neptune just said something like that. She knows Neptune's just answering on behalf of her counterpart, but it's still wrong, yet she can't bring herself to tell Neptune that.
"Alright that's a great answer Lady Neptune! You have our blessings!" Famitsu said cheeringly.
"Fami... I just said - ah never mind, who am I kidding, me too! And there's a citizen there!" Dengekiko is referring to IF and Noire who are standing not far from Neptune. "Excuse me IF and madam, can we ask of your opinion?"
"Sure, but please make this quick so we can escort our Goddess back to work."
"*Cough* Sure, uhh... Citizens opinions matter too." Noire is trying to make her sound as close as to her Goddess form, as she gives Neptune an annoyed gaze.
"Hey Denki, this person... she looks familiar..." Famitsu is trying to recognize the person with black hair in front of her.
"Huh, now that you mention it, she looks like Lady Black Heart, but her voice... it's like her HDD form, but way smoot-"
"Hey enough you two, don't make her nervous. Don't you see she's sweating right now?" IF says, referring to how Noire is blushing and nervous. She doesn't want her disguise to be compromised. "Alright, want do you want to know?"
"Sorry, we'll try to be more professional this time." Denki apologizes.
"Yeah sorry, it's rude to assume some citizen is a CPU." Famitsu offers her apology too. "Alright, onto the question then. 'What do you (the Citizen) think about Lady Purple Heart and Black Heart's relationship?' Just a simple answer is enough."
"Okay then. I'll tell you my honest opinion..." IF clears her throat. "Actually, from the very beginning I've seen those two interacting with each other, I knew they are going to be a good friends. Sure they fought for a century because of the Console war, but that's because they didn't try talk to each other before. But when they do? Oh man, they are LOUD."
"Hey I am right here Iffy..." Neptune doesn't know how to respond, she can't believe there's a Console war that lasted for a century long. She doesn't even want to remember back when the other CPUs were her 'enemies'.
But IF completely ignores Neptune and continues where she leaves off. "...but in a good way, they learnt to understand each other, they - ah... getting side-tracked there. The point is, if there's a couple that I approved of, it is Purple Heart and Black Heart. After all, without them, there will be no peace in Gamindustri right now." IF feels satisfied with her answer, and puffs her chest with pride.
The long answer given by IF makes both Neptune and Noire speechless. Is their bond really that powerful? Is IF just making this up and exaggerating it?
"What a beautiful and satisfying answer. Thank you for your opinion!" Famitsu feels happy.
"Alright, next is...may I ask your name first, miss..."
"Astrid, just call me Astrid." Noire tells them her made-up name, and somehow getting more nervous after hearing IF's opinion.
"Alright miss Astrid, what do you think about the relationship of lady Purple Heart and Black Heart?" Famitsu asks the same question to Noire.
"C'mon c'mon, give me and my Love Nowa thee blessin' dear citizen!" Says Neptune in her usual playful tone, making IF can't help but let out a small laugh.
'Grrrr, Neppy... you... I'll scold her later, but now...'
"Well, I... really think they are a good pair, they really show that they love each other so much. Not that I have ever seen them kissed or anything !" Her usual self is showing, making both Neptune and even IF try holding back their laughter with their hands. But the Black Haired megane goddess tries to pay them no mind. "If they ended up getting married, it will benefit both Nations too, sooo... everybody's happy... I guess ?"
"Thank you for your blessing, kind citizen!" Neptune gives Noire a warm smile. The Purple CPU, looks oddly super happy.
"Wow, this is a good data. I think this is enough Fami, we have taken enough of their time. Boss will be happy when we get back." Dengekiko gives Famitsu a signal to end the interview. "Alright, thank you for cooperation, especially you Lady Neptune. We'll get this published ASAP."
"Thank you for your cooperation! And Lady Neptune, just give us a holler if you need our help, we'll fight again like before. That's that and goodbye!" Famitsu and Dengekiko bow and walk away from the group.
"Before you ask, yes, they fought alongside the CPUs here before." Before both Neptune and Noire could even ask, IF gives them an explanation. "Alright, let's move, we'll talk on the way." The group continues their walks, they're approaching inner city district now. "...both of them help us in the fight against Next Gen Mech incident, the threat itself it's not too severely world ending and we got rid of the boss and most of her bots."
"So there are still some of the baddies out there?" Asks Neptune.
"As a Guild member, I can confirm that Planeptune cities are cleared out and safe, so you don't need to worry about that. Instead, worry about what you are going to witness here..."
"What are you...-- ah WHA- WHAAAAT!" The Black Haired megane goddess can't believe her eyes. The pictures of her and Neptune counterparts are EVERYWHERE! It's on a jumbotron, on a truck with a digital advertisement on its sides, and even the big Plasma ad billboard on several buildings.
"I... know Gearsy wants to help me and all but isn't this a little tiny bit too... extreme?" The Purple loli is blushing, she's deeply embarrassed. She doesn't know this is the method that Nepgear of this world chose to do in order to gain more shares in order to heal her.
"Tiny bit!? This is too much Neptune!" Noire slows down because she's busy hiding her embarrassed face with her hands. For someone who's trying to go undercover, her act is still not convincing at all. "Nepgear! Just you wait! I'll scold you both when we get there!"
"Me too? Why~" She then remembers that she said some embarrassing things to the reporters earlier, so... "Hey hey, please have mercy on me! I'm just trying to get that Share boost ya know?" Neptune's getting nervous again.
"Hey Nep, she's not moving much at this rate. She's too embarrassed at this point to even move. Can you do something for that?"
The Purple Haired CPU looks at her feet, she just walked around just fine. And it feels like they're mostly healed by now. But she needs to carry Noire out of there.
"TRANSFORM!" A bright light appears, and the small girl has now become a mature woman. "Noire, Iffy, hold on to me, and don't let Crosty go."
After several minutes the group arrives at the Planeptune tower and they're greeted by Nepgear.
"Good morning everyone! I was just wondering what happened on the way here..." Nepgear greets the three of them, who has just arrived. "Hmm? Who is that?"
"Really? Was her disguise really that convincing? She's Noire." IF replies. "For some reasons she decided to go undercover. She tried to disguise Nep too, but it's not too effective since several people still recognize her anyway."
"Gearsy, I appreciate your help, but sharing those... intimate moments are way too much!" Neptune looks back at Noire who's still spacing out. "I mean... thank you Gearsy, but can you stop broadcasting your sister love life?"
"Alright... done." Nepgear does something with her N-Gear on hand.
"Well that was quick..."
"I am truly sorry Neptune! I didn't really think about it through, I am sorry!" Nepgear says in a sad tone. "My sis just told me to 'trust my guts' and it ended up like this..."
Just when Neptune is about to comfort Nepgear, Noire snaps back and says first. "You have done good, but the method is questionable. But since you helped us.. I'll let it slide." Noire pats the girl's shoulder.
"Yeah, we are just... guests here, so I shouldn't judge your actions of helping us." A pause. "Gearsy, I'll pay you back somehow okay?"
"WE will pay you back somehow, if you need anything just say the word." Noire adds.
"I... aww... you two don't need to mention it..." A pause. "But, I do want to learn to cook from you two~" The purple sister pushes her index fingers together.
"That's... it? Okay, I'll teach you as much as you like then."
"Well I dunno if I can really teach you about cookin, but since Noire agrees I think I can try..."
"Thank you very much! I wouldn't ask much because you need to find a way back to your world." Nepgear says with a faint concern tone.
"Ahh right, I almost forgot that we are in a different Dimension..." A pause as Neptune places a hand on her chin and looks around, she feel no danger nor destruction. "I mean, this world is kinda nice to live in, right Noire?"
"Yeah, I totally get what you meant. It seems nice here." A pause as she's imagining something. "It would be nice if I can spend the rest of my life travelling with someone...~" She starts blushing.
'Aww no, she must be thinking about that... Yandere Girl.' Thinks Neptune before she interrupts Noire's daydream.
"Whoa whoa, slow down turbo... you thought that far ahead? We didn't even meet Histy of this World yet." Neptune checks the room once more time to find where Histoire of this World could be. "We find Histy first, establish a connection with our Histy or... just ask her to open a portal home. That's our plan remember? Then, when this Dimension's mapped, you can go back here, and do whatever with that certain someone."
Noire looks at the smaller girl, she senses a faint disappointment from her closest friend, but she doesn't really know why.
"But... where is Histoire? Is she even here?" Noire asks IF and Nepgear.
"Don't tell me you guys asked her to do grocery shopping, it's cruel you know..." Neptune guesses. since it was the first thing she saw when she met Histy of Plutia's world.
"No! We wouldn't do something like that!" Nepgear denies in full force.
"Nep, and you too Noire, you don't remember?" IF asks back. "She's not here, we don't know where she went."
"It's been a while since the last time we saw her." The purple sister pauses, she takes a look at a modified N-Gear on her hand. It looks like she reinforced her N-Gear with a shiny rare material that she gathered somewhere. "She didn't even appear when the Next Gen mech attacked..."
"What!? So... uh... Neptune? Why isn't Histoire this nation's Oracle like yours?" Noire asks her little friend.
"So she's some kind of your advisor huh?" IF asks. "I think she wanted to remain neutral, so she just... disappeared or just outcasted herself."
"That's probably true." Suddenly a person comes into the room with a device in her hands. Her body is about as tall as Nepgear and she has twin tailed hair but unlike Noire, her hair is rather wavy and looks fluffy. "Sorry to interrupt, Sis- I mean Noire and you girls but I think I've seen Histoire recently... also, Nepgear there's something you need to know about this device, but I'll tell you later."
"Really? Where? When? How? " Uni's statement is greeted by questions coming from Neptune.
"Sorry, Uni, but how did you know it was me?" Instead of questioning the same question like Neptune, Noire's curious about something else.
"Oh... I've seen Sis dressed up like that before- ah!" Uni has said something she shouldn't. "Anyway! I've seen Histoire before passing through Lastation border before I got here, but I don't know where she is now."
"Aww shucks, well thanks for the info, Uni."
"But Neptune, we have that other tome here right?" Noire points to IF who is scratching her head because she didn't really know what kind of 'thing' she is holding the whole time. "I don't know why she's unconscious, or is that even possible, but we have more options here. Even if we can't find Histoire, we can ask that other tome."
The Purple CPU nods in agreement, she understands that maybe searching for Histoire is may not be needed since Croire is here. They just need to wait for her to become conscious and recovered.
"Ahh IF, can you show them the way to the guess room please?" Nepgear asks the Guild member.
"I got it. I want to put this... creature thing down anyway, my hands are tired. It's heavier than it looks." IF walks toward the other side of the room and signals both Neptune and Noire to follow her. "C'mon you two, follow me."
"This is not good Nepgear, I can get it working but-" As Noire follows IF, she can hear faint dialogue between Uni and Nepgear.
Nighttime.
It's almost bedtime, and both Neptune and Noire have settled in. They have almost seen the whole Planeptune Tower and its surrounding, and it's time for them to rest and sleep. or that was the initial plan...
"Nepp- uh I mean Neptune... why are you here?"
"It's fine, there's nobody else around, so you can call me that." Neptune is in a pajama set, plain purple colored with long sleeves. "Am I not welcomed here? Then I will-"
"Wait Neppy!" The black haired girl's mouth is talking on its own, she doesn't think twice before stopping Neptune. "You seem troubled, we can talk or something~ not that I like to spend the whole night with you or anything, so don't get the wrong idea!" She totally wants to be with Neptune for the night.
Hearing that makes Neptune smile a bit and she approaches Noire who sits on the edge of a medium sized single bed. Unlike in their home dimension, the guest room here can only fit one person with a single bed, but the room size is not too different than back home.
"Sorry for coming here, it's strange to find a guest room this big but only for one person, don't cha think?" The purple CPU sits beside Noire who's in a grey colored pajama. "I can't get myself to sleep."
"Are you okay Neppy? You look pale."
"I am...fine."
Of course Noire doesn't buy it. "What's with the long pause? Are you scared being alone or something?" Actually Noire doesn't mind Neptune sleeping with her, not that she can say it. "You are really out of character Neppy."
"Well I have feelings too ya know, I can feel trauma or something like that." Neptune feels tired but there's something else. "I am just scared..."
"Scared? Of what?"
"I don't really believe in curse thingy but..." A pause as she takes a deep breath. "I was scared of this... pain. It often happened past bedtime like this, in my room at least."
Noire doesn't really get what her friend meant, but she feels like she's not going to like it. "What kind of pain?"
"I don't know Noire, it felt physical, but there's no sign of wound or anything." A pause. "It happened often during our time apart." Neptune looks Noire directly to her eyes. "Sometimes, I felt like I've been choked by someone, other time I feel like my bones being crushed, and other time it was like someone stepped on me..."
Noire's eyes widen after hearing that. She knows why...
Flashback
"Neptune, you jerkkkk!" Noire shook Nepdoll and squished it tight.
"Geez Neptune, when will you come over here, not that I miss you or anything! It's just -- wahhh!" Noire hugged Nepdoll tightly to vent out her emotions.
Another flashback.
"Thereeee youuu goo~~" Plutia handed over a Nep plushies, it seems to be a harmless looking doll.
"But... I don't remember asking for it." Noire felts hesitant to accept the offer, she just wanted to see Neptune but instead she met Plutia.
"Neppy's friends is my friendss tooo... please accept it~" A pause as she pushed the doll towards Noire, and then... "...in case Neppy is getting naughty... hehe." Plutia's eyes and face filled with sadistic tendencies, which scared Noire a bit.
Present
'No... no, that doll, it is a voodoo doll!! What the-' Noire recalled that she did, maybe, sometimes, make NepDoll a punching bag, when she's too desperate to meet Neptune.
"I am soooo going to burn that thing..." Noire talks to herself.
"Huh?"
"Oh nothing ~ please continue."
"Actually it's not always pain I felt, sometimes there's this... warm feeling, it's like I am being hugged by someone. I somehow liked it when it happened..." Neptune faces the other way to hide her blushes.
"...so if I treat it right, it does thing like that too... hmm..." Noire is suddenly reluctant about throwing that doll away.
Neptune doesn't really get what Noire is saying, and lets it slide.
"And when we slept at Compa's place, I didn't feel any pain anymore, nor that warm fuzzy feeling." A pause. "so I thought, maybe it because of some curses when I slept on the basilicom or the tower, I will get that feeling again. And that's one of the reasons why I didn't want to go straight to basilicom and stayed at Compa's for days." Neptune reveals.
The black CPU's getting nervous because it is her fault, unintentionally of course. But it's still her fault, though she can't bring herself to tell her friend, things will get really awkward if she does.
All she wanted was just to vent her feeling with that doll, and it ended up as a way of hurting her friend. She wants to make up for it, but how?
"So... you came here to sleep with me or...?" Noire averts her eyes elsewhere, she can't bring herself to say it directly to her friend.
"If you don't mind... yeah." The same goes to Neptune, she thinks she will be able to sleep well if she's with Noire. "But I calm down a bit after talking to you so... uhh I'll let myself-"
"Don't." Noire's hand moves on its own, she grabs Neptune's left hand as she gets up and tries to leave the room.
'What did you just do Noire!? Arghh my hand moved on its own! But I need to make up for this. Yeah just have to sleep with your best friend, nothing more...'
"No...ire?" The purple goddess looks at her friend in confusion. The room is dark, but she can still clearly see Noire blushing. It's cute, she really wants to tease Noire but restrains herself.
"It's... fine, you can sleep here..." The Lastation goddess is trying her best to look at Neptune in the eyes. "I'll look after you in case the pain returns... so stay here with--me~" She stutters a bit, but she finally says it.
The purple goddess is trying her best not to tease her friend this whole time, but it looks like she's unable to hold her habit much longer. Noire blushing in dim light room combined with her pleasing eyes while her hand is still holding Neptune's own make Neptune's heart skip a beat, and if she keeps up like this her heart is going to blow up.
"Ohoho... is this what Noire's true desire...~?" Says Neptune with her usual playful tone. but after that she looks back to Noire who has a serious and worried facial expression on her.
'She DID worry about me, this is not a playtime Neptune, she dead serious about this. Don't do anything disrespectful, but what about K-Sha? Is she okay with - nah, of course not.' Neptune thinks.
"Hey, but what about you and K-" She's about to finish her sentence when Noire interrupts.
"Come on.. don't you want to sleep?"
...Neptune just replies with a faint smile. And they lay down on that bed, awkwardly. Unlike their sisters, sleeping together is still rather an awkward activity for them.
They lay down facing each other, Neptune's purple eyes meet Noire's crimson eyes. Both are blushing hard just because of it.
Neither of them can calm their beating hearts.
"Noire... don't look at me like that... it's embarrassing~" The purple CPU's trying to strike a conversation, she tries to calm her heart because the girl in front of her is just too pretty right now.
"What are you saying Neppy? You are the one looking at me like that..." After a while Noire decides that she couldn't sleep if she's still facing Neptune like this. But she can't help it, Neppy in front of her just too cute, not that she can tell her friend that. "Alright umm... good night Neppy~" But if things still continue like this they wouldn't able to sleep.
So Noire decides to face the other way, but...
She sees Neptune's arm in the corner of her eye, it looks like she's about to get hugged. But, instead of commenting about it, she fully accepts it, she wants to let Neptune hug her while they are sleeping.
But suddenly Neptune's arm stops, showing a sign of hesitation, and then Neptune pulls her arm back to where it belongs. She can't bring herself to hug Noire.
'This is not my place, I... what am I doing... I want to hug Nowa, but what about her relationship with K-Sha? Why didn't she just shoo me away if she's already in relationship with K-Sha? I mean they are about to KISS in that office all alone, they must be already...' Neptune's mind is filled with all kinds of question, she didn't really think much about it before, but...
What if Noire's letting Neptune get her close like this out of pity?
Neptune used to think she knew Noire better than anyone, but after that incident, she's not so sure anymore.
'I can hear Neptune mumbling to herself, is she still scared?' Noire thinks, she hasn't slept yet.
'-- Alright Purple Heart... you know what to do... this is for Noire... what I am feeling is not as important as their relationship, I don't want Noire feel heartbroken if K-Sha found out about us getting too close like this.' Neptune clenches her fist, hesitates for a moment but she makes up her mind.
"Good night Noire...~"
Neptune gets off the bed and stands up before walking out of the room as fast as she can.
Noire can only watch the half-opened door in silence as she can barely react.
She doesn't really know what is going on to her closest friend's mind recently, but she might have a hunch.
More notes : in case you don't know, the first part is from an another game by IF, it's called Fairy Fencer ADF, a very underated game, well I only finished the original one, not the more complete 'ADF' version. it worth a try.
I'll try to bring the next chapter soon, It's been a year already and it's only half complete, I'll try my best to pickup the pace.
thank you for reading !