Heeyyyy... W-Why do you all look so angry?
Okay, look... I know I took three months to make this, okay? But you know, I had some really pressing matters and some weird annoying yada yada writers' block!
Also, it's kind of hard to write anything when you got school too...!
G-Goodness, now I sound like an excuses generator... L-Look, think about it like a surprise upload, one day you are just strolling around and your phone beeps with a new chapter! Lot better than a month deadline, eh? EH?
...*Scratches forehead* A-Anyways, 11000+ Words, and some super spicy lore...
ENJOY!
=-HyperDimension Neptunia : Pursuing Perfection-=
=-Chapter 3: Encounter Of Destiny-=
A pair of uneasy lids pressed together. As a muffled moan was let out, the sleepy eyes came out to play with the inviting sun rays. The green peepers stared at the unfamiliar ceiling, they created an endless train of questions and thoughts. Both good and bad ones.
'Where am I…?'
'Am I dead…?'
'Am I… In hell? Well, no way am I ending up on the other place…'
The girl bandaged head to toe, could only move her sore neck so much before a sudden whisper shook her being. "Yeah… You always… did protect… me…"
"Huh? Who's there…?!" The brunette's attempts at sounding threatening only backlashed as her voice was anything but. She narrowed her eyes, secretly annoyed.
The faint murmurs took multiple seconds to process in her sleepy mind, almost like an old computer trying to boot up CyberDimension Neptunia: Four Goddesses Online.
Finally, sound files had been validated.
Her eyes darted instantly towards the origin of a gentle pulling on her blanket, an unexpected sight unveiled before her. Compa had been laying on the side of IF's bed, a tiny sleep bubble emerged from her nose. She had been snoring angelically, visibly exhausted.
The Katar wielder had no idea for how long she's been out. She didn't know how long had the nurse been taking care of her for. A peek at her body would tell that her bandages were new and clean, probably changed recently.
"Heh…" A chuckle escaped the wounded Maker, followed by a subtle snicker. "No way am I in hell if she is here…"
IF leaned closer, trying to get a closer look at her friend's sleepy face. And as the nurse's peaceful breaths brushed against her face…
POP!
The bubble burst. Followed by the instantaneous exposure of a dashing pair of eyes. "Huh…?"
The first thing that greeted said sightseers was the curious mug of the brunette.
…
"AH!" Compa yelled before straightening up.
"AH!" IF also, screamed.
"Huh…? Iffy? You're awake!" With a shift faster than her awakening, the awakened beauty turned from surprise to joy. Spreading her arms open and ensnaring her childhood friend into a warm, comforting trap.
"AAAAH!" This time louder, the brunette's cry had a shade of pain added to it. Her hands half-clutched.
A peek at the patient's aching face delivered the point to the hugger. She quickly let go of her friend before brandishing an apologetic expression. "Oops! Sorry Iffy!"
"HAH…!" IF sucked air through her teeth, awaiting the lingering ache to settle off.
And soon enough, the burn marks on her delicate skin stopped pulsing with memories of inferno. Simultaneous with the mummy's shoulders and body no longer tensing and her hands landing back on the bed. She huffed. "It's… Fine." The words were hardly pushed out.
With things calming down, a lot of questions began to cloud the hurt one's mind. "How long have I been out?" was one of them.
Compa led an index to her chin, looking up in wonder. "Um… Two days, almost."
"Two days…" She echoed; gaze locked to her bandaged palms. The sight of her mummified body a painful reminder of her infernal conclusion. She wished to clench her fists, throw on her coat and breeze through the streets as Gamindustri's one and only wind walker. But her body begged to differ, judging by the lurking sense of burn, she wouldn't move anytime soon.
She sighed.
"Did I miss anything?" The brunette asked, eyes fixated to her friend's.
"Not really… Umm." Still not fully awake, the asked girl rubbed her eye. "Only… Ah, I remember! Nep-Nep and the other CPUs summoned a new girl!" She suddenly perked up. A smile on her features that of a student's after recalling a critical formula in a physics exam.
"Huh? A new girl?" With a crooked eyebrow, a question mark appeared on IF's thinking bubble.
The girl's query was answered by a quick nod from the caretaker, followed by a cheerful 'Mhm!'.
Contrary to the nurse's upbeat behaviour, the agent recoiled back, eyes jarred open. "What? Why?!"
"Well… They seem to need her help." Compa was quick to regain a normal attitude, making sure to calm the hasty girl down.
"Why? Did something happen? Is Magic rampaging out?!"
"Well… It's not Magic." The nurse eased a part of her friend's concerns. "Buuut…"
"Buuuuut?" IF hurried her friend's answers.
"Well… Nep-Nep and the others got separated from their HDDs." The caretaker delivered with an empty smile. A smile that made the mood even more awkward when compared to the look of disbelief her friend brandished.
"…Compa, this really isn't the time for jokes…" With a huff, the peachette's reports were shrugged like a person would when finding out they were participating in a hidden camera show or a prank. "I'd understand if you said nothing happened and that's it…"
"Um… Iffy?" An uneasy tone waves the castle, the nurse's usual cheerful atmosphere no longer present. "I wasn't kidding."
It's not like IF truly thought her childhood friend was pulling her leg just for fun. She just did not want to believe her.
She didn't want to accept the fact that the same Goddesses she used to fight with, were now her enemies.
She didn't know want to acknowledge that the peace she once enjoyed before Magic appeared, would soon escalate to a storm of hurt.
She didn't want to think about the possibility… That she was replaced.
"But, how?"
"I'm not really sure myself…" The cluelessness filtered from Compa's voice, to her expression and uncertainty. "All I know is that they are planning to get them back, once they locate them… And, once the new girl wakes up."
If you thought things couldn't get any more confusing for injured guild worker, then you were wholly wrong. Was bewilderment a liquid, it'd be dripping off her face and wetting the whole mattress she laid on. "Wakes up?"
"Um… Ah!" An upbeat tone followed suit, synchronized perfectly with the hospital worker perking up. Above her head was a tiny lamp that lit up. She had an idea. "Let me just tell you everything.
"When I arrived here two days ago, I was led by Histoire to your room, because I was super concerned, and only got Nep-Nep's message when I was super buried in work at the hospital.
"But when I arrived, Nep-Nep looked really tired. I can remember her having baggies below her eyes which was weird because… She's sleeping most of the time!
"After an hour or two, I had changed your bandages and even put new flowers in your pot, so I just made sure everything was fine. But in the midst of doing so, I heard a really strong wind coming from down stairs. So, I decided to check it.
"When I got down, I heard a bit of chattering coming from the meeting room. At first, I thought it was the reason Nep-Nep was up so early, that she had a meeting with the other Goddesses, but when I peeked inside, I found all the CPUs and Histoire looking over a passed-out girl. She had pink hair and looked badly hurt.
"I asked everyone what happened, and they hurried me to help get the girl settled carefully. When we got her to an empty room, Lady Noire explained to me that they summoned her from another world, but they didn't expect someone so hurt to come out…
"Everyone looked awfully concerned, and asked if I could help her feel better. Of course, I agreed! A nurse's job is to help everyone in need!
"But when I brought some bandages and alcohol, something really weird happened… The cuts and bruises she had started to heal and disappear super quickly! Almost like you'd see in an Anime!
"When I told the others, they all concluded that it had to do with a "requirement" they set up… I didn't really understand that.
"After that, lady Noire suggested to take the girl's clothes and get them fixed, because they were all cut and ragged up. Nep-Nep asked Ge-Ge to remain next to her until she wakes up, while Histoire asked me to keep watch over you."
IF was speechless. A blend of astonishment and uncertainty rendered her ability to communicate useless. To think she missed all this in the span of two days only…
She sighed. "Then I guess we can't even talk to her." A defeated smile followed.
The brunette was too focused on her thinking to pay attention to the subtle changes in her friend's expressions. She slowly laced her fingers, her face dressed up in faint gloom. "Um… Iffy?" she caught her friend's attention. "Maybe… You should try to rest and not push yourself this time?"
Blinking twice, IF wondered. "Hm? What do you mean?" She had hoped with all her might that the syringe-wielder did not mean what she thought she did.
"Well… You seem really hurt and, it might take really, really long for you to recover." The nurse started. "But also, this is really different. We're used to dealing with monsters in quests or even big baddies like Arfoire and The Four Felons, but…" her doubts were accompanied by subtly clenching her skirt. "But this time we don't have the CPUs with us! But the CPUs that used to help us are the big baddies now."
"C-Compa… You can't be asking me to…" the mummified girl stopped right before the big reveal, shooting her friend concerned looks.
"I'm not asking you to stop being a cool guild agent forever! I… Just don't want you to get mixed up in all this, and to just take a break for once." The concern on Compa's voice spelt itself out.
Of course, she wasn't to blame. The party medic never fancied witnessing the death of others, be it in her career or in battle. She was the last figure that countless of souls saw before succumbing to the reaching claws of death. She was the bad news bearer, witnessing countless of loved ones tear up at the depriving words of her angelic tone.
But she adapted.
She readjusted herself thanks to all her friends, her teammates—No… Her family. The thought that no matter how hectic her days were, she will always return home to find IF waiting for her. Maybe Neptune would make a surprise visit, that always brightened up the two Maker's evenings even more.
But…
When a gun was pointed at her loved ones, when death lingered shamelessly over-head one of her dearest, when mindless raging flames reached out to grab her childhood companion… She got cold feet. She got shaky hands. She lost all colour in her features.
It is true that she couldn't abandon her job. Not when so many people needed her help.
But.
Compa could only hide her private life away from the professional field so long. She had lost count of how many times she almost tripped and fell, of how many times she ended up staring into the nothingness before injecting a patient with their cure, of how many times she mentioned the Katar wielder's name while prescribing something to a patient.
She understood better than anyone that the guildswoman had the skills to pay the bills more than anyone. IF was not the most relied on for no reason. She also understood the relentless risks that laid bare and unseen in every green and cranny.
[I'm sure Iffy will be fine.] she always told herself. And admittedly, it worked. At least… Until now.
But now it's different.
Iffy won't be fine, because she isn't right now. And if she was to let her off the hook this time, and allowed her to join in these… Suicidal missions, then the next time she'd be staring at her will be a lifeless corpse.
And as a nurse… 'I must always make sure of everyone's safety!'
"Compa, I know you're worried, but—" A failed attempt was the guild veteran's when trying to shrug her friend's worries off. She was interrupted by her friend suddenly standing up.
"No buts missy!" The interfering girl strictly ordered. Her expressions no longer gentle and sweet, but angry and scolding. "You're lucky not to be bandaged to the bed, so no retorts! You must listen to the advice of your nurse!"
"C-Compa, calm down..." IF defensively put her hands up, flaunting a weak smile. One that had no effect on the caretaker. "Aren't you being a bit too hasty."
"It's not hasty if I'm trying to keep you safe!" the girl did not back down. She channelled the fear that burdened her for relentless hours into being protective. It didn't matter to her if anyone considered it being "too-careful". "In fact, you're the one being hasty now by wanting to throw yourself at danger, when you can't even move!"
"Well, of course I need to get up! They will need me if things are as bad as you say!" Unknowing to her, the veteran accidentally pushed the wrong button. Her answer, though delivered carelessly with a hint of stubbornness to it, struck Compa fiercer than a flaming thrust to the heart…
"BUT I NEED YOU TOO!" She finally broke. The barriers said girl made for herself crumbled as quickly as she made them, revealing her true feelings…
With teary eyes, the girl spoke. "Don't I matter too? Don't you matter?! Why are you always the first person to take the most dangerous of quests head on? Why are you always the first person to deal with all the stressful and hard tasks?
"Why do you always put others in front of you? Always getting so bruised and beat up…
"It's almost like… You don't care about yourself. Nor the feeling of those who care and want you to be safe and happy." The girl looked down and clenched her skirt again. Her every inhale cut by an interruptive sob. The peachette rubbed her eyes, wiping off the saddening tears that rivered across her cheeks.
She was done. Compa had no more to say. The barrage of emotions she just delivered was what her walls always kept behind them, always hid in the deep shadows. The syringe wielder couldn't tell if she always kept that hidden just to use as a final resort in case the Katar wielder decided to be extra-hard headed, or if she simply feared for IF to consider her an obstacle… A hinderance.
The medic, too busy with her thoughts, her tears and her sobbing, failed to notice a friendly gesture approaching. Until suddenly she felt a nice touch on her shoulder.
Looking up, the girl's red, teary eyes laid sight to her friend adopting a set of kind, yet regretful expressions. IF's smile told more than a singular emotion: Regret, apology, acceptance, defeat…
And for the occasion, they all sufficed.
How could she have been so blinded? By the never-ending list of quests and basilicom errands she ran, by being the most reliable human in all of Planeptune, by being one of the best intel collectors that ever have been… All that brandished a golden taint of glory and success. If a kid were to see her on TV, they would probably tell their mothers that they want to grow up to be like her. But within the unseen crannies, the unheard tones, the untouched cracks laid hundreds of worsts…
IF never realized that she became the worst at choosing between herself and her loved ones, or her endless list of quests.
The worst at telling when it was time for rest, and when it was for working. 'Geez, I'm surprised Nep haven't made any jokes about me being like Lady Noire…'
"I'm sorry, Compa." She looked her friend dead in the eyes. Movement was quite hard in her state, but nothing too crippling. "I didn't mean to cause you any concerns. It's just… Ever since the events with ASIC, I've been trying my best to avoid the same happening again. To get stronger and make sure Nep and the other CPUs aren't the only ones doing the hard work."
With a sad, unsatisfied frown, IF gave light to her hidden motives. "I don't want to lose even more use in the team… I don't want to stare at the backs of the CPUs and their sisters dealing with everything while I just do side-work…
"But… I guess I'm being too rash. No use becoming stronger if I'll die in the process."
"Y-You really won't try to push yourself this time?" Between her dwindling whimpers, the peach-eyed damsel asked with a hinge relief in her response.
The query answered by a quick nod, "Mhm." IF retracted her arm and laid down on her bed. Her eyes spectating the chiselled ceiling. "Not like there is much I can do right now… Might as well see how things unfold."
Unfortunately, it was yet for the atmosphere to lighten up already. Though Compa wanted to believe the brunette's words and take them as facts. She wanted to wipe off her tears and smile happily at the thought of her friend being safe. She desired to move on and forget about all of her concerns.
But…
She could recall her friend saying almost the exact same words before.
Back when ASIC was still on the loose, the iconic duo would barely get a drop of sleep, if ever. Chaos had become a part of their daily life, and so did the need to supress it. And though the peachette lectured her friend constantly about the need to take it easy every once in a while and rest, she herself never followed with that, and most likely, that was more of a reason for IF to not listen to her friend, to try and sweet talk her concerns away with empty promises that would be broken as soon as another CPU sabotaging operation broke out.
'But… If I don't rest too, she will probably do the same, and start pushing herself again.' Troubled, the girl hummed audibly. She seemed lost in thought, her eyes blankly admiring the floor.
"Compa?" The leaf bow-rocker inquisitively called out. After blinking twice, she began sitting up, but only to be held in place by the same person whose name she uttered. And though the warrior's body was still recovering, she didn't feel any pain from the damsel's hold. Her hands were gentle as a feather.
"Iffy…" Compa looked IF dead in the eyes, the seriousness in her expression giving the mummy cold feet, the lack of chirpiness in her voice triggering a chain of goose-bumps down her spine. "Do you promise to take it easy, and not push yourself for realises this time...?"
Under the pleading eyes of her friend, the concerned aura of the nurse, the heavy atmosphere still present after the two's argument, and the screaming brew of fatigue and soreness. The Idea Factory could only nod before answering hesitantly. "Y-Yeah, of course."
Unexpectedly, the brunette was not sparred of the analytical glares laid upon her. A couple of seconds that felt like ages passed, as the nurse did nothing but narrow her eyes sharply. She spectated her teammate's eyes in search of any hints of her lying, almost like a staring contest that her life depended on. IF may have been an expert at deceiving or upholding a firm front for everyone. But years stacked upon years of knowledge and being familiar with each other before memory could even serve allowed for the hospital worker to know her friend's weak spot. The buttons she could push to obtain a truthful answer when the need arises.
And for what the guild agent was worth, at heart she remained a gentle girl with gentler emotions. A lass whose truth could be read like a well-detailed book put up the free shelves of a library in Lowee. And the gates to this rich novel were her hues of forest and prosperity. Her emerald gems.
'…'
Suddenly, Compa pulled back carefully. She did not want to cause any aching to the injured female's skin. What followed was a quick shift from attitude similar to that of a mother attempting to get answers out of her child, to a merry schoolgirl about to get cake. She clapped her hands together and beamed at the chunni, brightening the room and blinding her in the process. "Yay!" She chirped. "That means we can have a ton of fun together!"
""Together"?" IF queried with a crooked eyebrow.
"Mhm!~ I will be taking a break too!" The girl took a seat again. She casually moved aside the hair strands that dropped on her face after the energy outburst she had. "The workers at the hospital always tell me to take it easy for once, and after the hard work I did two days ago, they gave me a holiday! So, I will be able to take care of you all the time!"
"Oh, that's nice to hear." With a slight smile, IF laid back, this time with no intention of getting up for a long while.
Before a thick coat of silence could cover the two, the sharp lass turned to her friend, maintaining the curve in her mouth. "Hey, Compa?" she gently called out.
"Yes Iffy?"
"…Thank you."
A twin of polite knocks taped against a fancy wooden door. What followed was a gentle callout from Nepgear. "Miss Mollie?"
Suddenly, the girl's ears adapted to the hallways' quietude, contrast to the rowdiness of the sisters' room and thus allowing her to catch muffled tones of a distressed female, with a bit of shuffling in the background.
After excusing herself, Nepgear twisted the door knob and stepped into the room. What laid in front of her was the sight of a messy room, from where she stood to where Mollie laid. A track of chaos in mere seconds came to be, starting from the pink, easy blanket that laid before the CPU's feet, followed by the chair she once sat on being dropped, resting lifelessly on its back, whether it was by will or not did not matter to the world.
The closet which laid across the large bed was jarred, its guts spilling out like an explosion had set off in side of it. Of course, that on its own put the purplette in a state of confusion. The blanket was easily explainable by the pinkette throwing a tantrum. One which was yet to be delved into, but the closet was too far from the damsel's reaches.
Certainly, that was a question noted on the Candidate's mind-pad. She had to find the answer, but right now, her eyes shifted from an item to another. Landing her hues of Amethyst to land on the same person she came to check on…
Mollie had been on four. Searching below her pillow, before quickly, and without paying any mind to the visitor, peeking her head cutely under the bed. What followed was another grunt, this one a lot clearer to the ears of the tech-genius than the one she eavesdropped on behind the locked gates of this room.
"W-Where is it…!?" Finally uttering a word, the foreign girl looked up. She was still laying on her front, not bothering to look up. "Where… Is it…?"
"Um, what are you looking for, Miss Mollie?" Bending down, the deity asked. She began to fold the floored cover neatly to an almost perfect square, before letting it rest on her forearm. She then proceeded to sit the chair up to its natural state.
"My Memory Capsule…" Her voice longing, Mollie sounded dejected, unhappy, desperate. She was a kid that had just lost its favourite Teddy bear, struggling to sleep at night amidst the howling winds and roaring thunders.
"A Memory Capsule?" Dusting her dress lightly, the tech geek tilted her head. Her interest was visibly peaked. "What is that?"
Abruptly, the newcomer pushed herself up, causing most of her hair to drop on her uneasy features. She had furrowed brows, with a slight press in her lips. "Oh, come on! It's a memory ca…-" Suddenly, she paused. Her words got stuck half-way, almost causing her to choke on them. She quickly realized that whoever she was speaking to was not someone familiar with her world's tech, nor was it someone she could blame for not understanding. All this played a role in fluctuating Mollie's features to a blend of apology and sadness. "O-Oh… Sorry! I didn't mean to sound rude…"
"Oh, please don't apologize, it's fine!" At this rate, Jr. knew that the same would repeat, that the two will be stuck in this apology cycle until someone barges through the door. And thus, she took the liberty to move over to the closet, and organize all the components back in place. That also gave her the chance to ask the inevitable. "But what is a Memory Capsule?"
"Well…" Defeated, the asked individual sat up properly. "It's this… Golden looking ball. That has a lot of nifty lines and engravings on it. They are similar to what you'd see drawn on a circuit board." Meanwhile the girl explained, she tried to mimic the shape of the item, as well as the multiple illustrations she described.
Unfortunately, what followed was the Planeptune candidate cupping her chin, before shaking her head negatively. "No… I don't think I've seen such a thing." As soon as she finished adjusting the mess, Nepgear walked next to young Puriolét again. She booked her gentle butt a meeting with the chair's surface.
"Fine, then what happened to my clothes…!? It was in my pocket, so please don't tell me you dumped them…" For the first time in ever, the purplette caught a spark of hope in the summoned-one's eyes. Ever since her awakening, the girl would only be gazing down at her thighs with a look inviting death. Fortunately, though, for what she was asking, Nepgear wouldn't have to break her hopes down, because…
"Oh, no actually we didn't!" With a bit of recollecting, the younger goddess matched the enthusiasm of her companion. She led her clenched hands to her chest and sprinkled happiness on her words. "I remember lady Noire wanted to personally repair and clean your clothes, since she felt bad."
"Haah…" Letting out relief, the girl laid back on the bed, star-shaped. She gave her eyes a quick shut. "Then there is still a chance… Thank goodness."
A couple seconds of silence were well deserved. The responsible youngster allowed for the moment of peace be enjoyed before her mental notes beeped like a phone notification. And before she could choke back the queries, her lips had already parted. "Um, Miss Mollie?"
"Uhuh…?"
"Can I ask you something?"
"Of course, what is it?" Just as young Puriolét said that, she gave light to her longing, exhausted irises.
"How did you get to the closet? I mean… Can you walk already?" Fearing to sound rude mid-sentence, she followed with another question that indicated her concerns.
"Not… Really, no." Bringing her body up a little, Mollie rested on her left elbow. She brought her right arm before her sight, staring at the back of her hand. "I just used my powers. It's just that, because I don't have my special gloves on, it causes them to become… Unstable, to say the least."
"Unstable?" A head tilt sufficed as a request for the pinkette to continue.
"Well… Just think about it this way: whatever I touch with my powers, explodes." The girl slowly drew her right hand closer to her left one. And as soon as they touched, she flicked with the latter, representing an instant blast. "And my gloves were given to me by my mother… And… They just kind of…"
The wounds were still fresh, so fresh that a gentle breeze would cause a wave of excruciating pain to swarm from them. Such was the case with the new damsel in the Basilicom. It was yet for her to mention those she held so dear to her heart without a prickling sensation originating from her heart and getting pumped through her blood cycle. All that resulted in the girl having to face a current of throbbing pain, in both mind and soul whenever she mentioned or even thought about her loved ones.
And in the midst of all that, the young flower paid no attention to her vision growing blurrier. Or to how firmly she was holding onto the bedsheets below her.
With a sigh, she looked aside after successfully repressing her emotional flood. "They just help me control my powers… Is all."
"I... See." But as a spectator, Nepgear saw it all. Every minute alteration was noticed, and thus noted. Granted the girl had no words capable of truly comforting the teenager, nor was she able to retrieve the dead.
All one could do was provide an appropriate company.
"You know… I used to be like you." After seeing a reflection of herself on Mollie, the CPU candidate initiated. Her hands folded together; her eyes kind yet truthful. "Not long before you appeared, Gamindustri was faced with a really big threat called ASIC, and for some time, they were winning. We were sent by Histoire, me and the four Goddesses to fight this threat, and we lost…
"What followed was us being held captive for three years. For three years, Gamindustri had to endure all of the criminal acts done by ASIC: Corruption, piracy and forcing the citizens to revere a wrong deity…"
A pause ensued. The purplette gave her friend a moment to process all information she just heard, to ask any questions that could come to mind.
And that was the case. "You…? Goddesses…? Actually, lost…?!" Puriolét was in disbelief, an obvious one.
"Mhm. To the Deity of Sin. A powerful being that desires nothing but to eat this world whole and drown it in darkness."
"I… See. P-Please continue." Her interest was caught like a fish in a puddle. The pinkette, though unsure of the reality of this story, craved to learn more about it. She sat up properly, and inched a bit closer to the story teller.
"Well, thankfully I was saved by my childhood friends. IF and Compa after being sent by Histoire. But even then, I was really undependable… In fact, I could tell by the way Iffy looked at me that she was really unhappy to have saved me only, or out of all of them.
"But they still stood by my side, even if I wasn't the strongest back then. IF knew when to scold me and push me forward, and Compa knew when to cheer for me and help me whenever I needed aid. And after some time, I managed to meet with more friends. The other CPU Candidates like me."
"Wait, so… You aren't a CPU, but only a candidate? I don't understand…" Politely, the telekinetic lass raised a finger and asked.
"Yes, that's it!" A smile spread on the techie's face, almost praising the girl's smarts. "As the others may have explained, each nation has a CPU. But also, a Candidate. In case of Planeptune and Lastation at least…" Nepgear smiled innocently after a reminder of Vert's everlasting dilemma. "Lady Vert doesn't have a candidate, whereas Lady Blanc has twin Candidates."
Mollie leaned on her palm and hummed the story to continue. Though slightly, the traces of depression and stress could be seen put aside. She was honestly enjoying this story, and though it sounded like a fairy tale you'd read online or watch on TV, it did not differ that much from her home land.
"But even if we weren't as strong as our older sisters, we were still together. And thanks to them I managed to find my determination and will back!" The sailor dress rocker too, got carried away in her comforting session. In fact, it wasn't that anymore, but an honest-to-goodness story time. "In the end, we managed to save our sisters and defeat the Deity of Sin!"
"Whoa…" Star-eyed, the schoolgirl uttered in amazement. "That's so cool!"
"Ehehe~ Thank you." A gentle palm was raised to her mouth, suppressing the giggle. The caretaker was blushing slightly. "I no longer care about how I used to be, or my past mistakes. I'm proud of what I've done, and hope to accomplish even greater in the future."
Finally, the message had reached.
It struck Mollie like a lightning bolt… They were similar.
Unlike the unlucky lass, this young goddess was fortunate enough to save her world from decaying, to pull it away from harm's way, and save all her friends in the process…
Sure, a bit of jealousy snuck its way towards Puriolét's heart. That was for sure. It wasn't an easy pill to swallow, having witnessed all the pain and horror she had to endure and fight through, only for all that to be rendered useless.
But a big part of her hoped to be joyous, and appreciate that this dimension was yet to meet its end yet. Maybe faith had something prepared for the girl? Maybe this is the result of all the sacrifices made for her sake.
Her mother, Alexandra Puriolét, had always been wiser than she looked. And oftentimes Mollie found herself not understanding a word she uttered when it came to appreciating one's situation. Even if that situation looks as grim as the reaper himself.
[Whatever happens… Always remember, that you are worth it.]
A memory gently cooed her. It penetrated all of her walls: Self-doubt, self-hate, depression, defeat. Like a gentle touch on a wound.
The daughter suddenly let out a sigh. 'I guess I'll have to keep going…'
"By the way, Miss Mollie?" Suddenly, the responsible candidate leaned back on her chair, a curious index led to her smooth chin. "What are your powers? I never asked."
"Mmm, well, I guess you can call it Telekinesis." She answered after rolling her eyes up to the ceiling. The orphan always had trouble explaining her powers to others. "But I can also control everything in my body, and also wind and… L-Look, it's a lot. Trying to explain it all would take ages."
"Oh! Well, at least that explains how you managed to get to the closet."
"Yeah… Sorry for the mess." Her apology was accompanied by her awkwardly rubbing her forehead.
"It's fine." A quick smile, and that topic was concluded with high spirits.
But what followed was a lot more challenging… A lot more demanding…
Nepgear did not wish to put her new friend in a tight situation, but now, she couldn't wait.
A destiny changing question had to be asked.
A shadow cast atop her vision, the girl sat up properly again and cupped her chin. "Miss Mollie…"
'Uh oh…' The called-out girl got frightened. What's with the sudden shift of behaviour?! "Y-Yeah?"
"Please answer truthfully…" The girl inched ever so slowly to the interrogated. Her aura grim almost suffocating the poor girl.
…
"…What cake flavour do you like most!?"
"E-Eh?!" Mollie exclaimed after surprise hit her like a freight train. She could swear the room had gotten colder, or that air grew heavier the closer the Goddess got to her. And yet the matter was over what cake she likes most!? "W-Well… Chocolate, preferably dark. Pudding and strawberry."
"Oooh! That sounds almost like lady Noire and Neptune!" Nepgear clasped her hands together in joy. "What about vanilla?"
"Mmm, I don't really like it. I find its taste overrated, haha."
"Hey, don't be mean to the poor vanilla!" Sarcastically, the young deity poked her friend's shoulder.
"I-It's not like I hate vanilla! In fact, vanilla flowers are really, really pretty! And they smell so refreshing!" In defense of herself, young Puriolét told a neat flower trivia.
"Well, I also like Pudding and lemon, but the first one is mostly inherited, hehe…" Nepgear told her own preferences, following the latter with an awkward smile. One that caught the teenager's attention.
"Inherited? Wait, so does Lady Neptune like Pudding?" She asked with a tilted head.
"I think it's a tiny bit more than liking…"
NOM!
"Mmmm!" Satisfaction an understatement for Neptune's mood, as the creamy, gentle sweetness sparked her taste buds. The cold, refreshing temperature… The delicate dessert could not be described any better than it being pure ecstasy to the short CPU. "My HDD may betray me, but pudding will always remain loyal!"
What followed the happy girl's statement was a sigh. "Even in a situation like this, you can just sit down and eat pudding? I'm still wondering why you aren't married to it." Noire teased with a hint of annoyance. Her crimson sharp irises peeked up from her personal, black coated phone.
"Mmmmmmm!" unlike the former murmurs of joy, this time had a blatant irritation flared into the deity's sound. She took the spoon crippling her ability to communicate soon after. "And I always wonder why you aren't married to your work! Also, if pudding was a handsome guy, who knows!~"
The ravenette did not bother answering. She simply grunted before narrowing her eyes and leading them to her phone screen again.
The four CPUs were still recovering from the embarrassing bomb of facts that Nepgear set off right before hurrying to Mollie in concern. None of the quartet could tell how long had passed with all of them just soaking in a guilt and awkwardness no umbrella could hide them from.
Thankfully, the purple CPU found it in herself to shatter the glass of silence with a hammer of casualty and vibrations of her cheerful and childlike tones. It was her who mustered the courage to cheer everyone up, telling them how there was nothing they could do before waltzing to her TV and bringing it to life. The rude ruckus emitted was a sufficient push for the rest to drop the conversation after synchronized sighs of fatigue.
On the screen was a news footage. The journalist was a woman that looked in her early twenties. She brandished a fuzzy brown hair and a set of golden, shiny irises. Something significant about her was her captivating bright smile.
The reporter held a microphone with the logo of Lowee on it, which led the four to believing that she worked for said nation. Behind her was a large, open gate. Leading to a complex mixture of games, rollercoasters and lots of excited children running around.
"The brand-new, Lowee amusement park: "Fun Cone" is finally opening its doors!" The broadcaster cheerfully disclosed, moments before turning to the scenery behind her and witnessing the liveliness flooding out. "It's very crowded here as you can see. I would like to remind our dear viewers that this is the first park in Lowee to host the lead idol 5pb. this weekend!"
Suddenly, she led her index to her earpiece. The journalist lightly nodded before looking back at the camera again, ready to deliver any updates. "I was also told that for the next twenty-four hours, "Fun Cone"'s rides will free of any charge!"
"Wowzers Blanny." Neptune spoke up. She was audibly impressed. "You've really went balls to the walls with that project of yours, huh? Mayyybe you can show us around one day?"
Blanc caught on to her ally's cheeky schemes. She looked at her unamused. "Unless you go today, you'll still have to pay."
"Aw man!" The purplette sat up from her beanbag, looking dejected. "Not cool—"
"Wait a moment!" A sudden, stressed voice spoke up. Everyone's eyes dashed quickly towards the twin tailed beauty who was staring at the screen in a rather abnormal hostility.
"Heavens Noire, what's gotten into you all of a sudden?" Vert questioned. Certainly startled.
"Didn't you see it?" The workaholic pointed at the top right corner of the screen. Seemingly the sky in Lowee.
"Uhm…" Neptune replied awkwardly. "Is the lack of HDD starting to get to you?"
"I'm not hallucinating!" The accused deity defended herself. She was obviously growing more impatient. "I just saw Black Heart flying across a moment ago! If you had focused on the screen and not been so…"
"Calm down." A calm voice interrupted. The white CPU tried her best to remain level-headed. "Even if you did see her, the footage isn't live. This news report was done yesterday. She could be anywhere right now."
"Hmph." Noire huffed. She instantly stood up from the bottom bunk she sat on and headed outside the room where she made a call.
"Hello Kei." She greeted her oracle.
"Noire? It's unlikely for you to call me." Kei replied. Her voiced composed and professional as ever.
"It's an emergency. I need you to get into my computer and use Basiliview." The goddess did not bother with any introductions, and made a quick skip to her request.
"Basiliview? Are you sure the other CPUs are fine with it? I'll need the confirmation of three CPUs at least."
"You got mine. Vert and Blanc are okay too." As confident as she sounded, the workaholic hoped the two really have no retorts later on.
"...Right, please give me a moment."
Through the phone speaker, the Oracle's shoes could be heard speeding through the hallways. As soon as the rustling came to a halt, her voice came back on. "I'm in. What do you need?"
"Use the Share tracker and look for a concentration in Lastation shares around the world… Apart from Lastation of course."
"Understood."
With the instructions given, the cosplayer entered the room again and put the call on speakers.
An awkward silence stormed the room. Neptune, Vert and Blanc had their eyes fixated on the crimson eyed lady. The television noise rendered to nothing but a background white-noise. No one paid any mind to it anymore.
'…I'm seeing a concentrated amount of Lastation shares in Lowee, Noire.' Suddenly, Kei spoke up.
"Try to zoom in on the map, can you exactly pinpoint her whereabouts?" The call initiator tried her best to hide the urgency in her voice.
'Not possible. Zooming anymore would need a long time for the pictures to be processed to HD quality.'
"…Right, that's enough. You can logoff right now, thank you." Noire was obviously unhappy with the results of her search. She quickly terminated the call before crossing her arms together, looking everyone with irritation. "What is she even doing in Lowee?"
"Wait a moment…" The busty goddess raised a palm. "Did you just use the Basiliview?"
The asked girl nodded nonchalantly, unaware of the outburst her answer was about to cause.
"The hell!? You're supposed to ask us before you use that thing!" The novelist quickly shut her book without bothering to set the bookmark. From her looks, she was one inch from tearing the Lastation CPU limb to limb.
"And what? Were you going to reject? And besides, the results were positive, so no harm done." With a hand to her hip, the ravenette looked aside.
"It isn't about us rejecting, it's about you upholding the rules of the contract for our collaboration." With narrowed eyes, the blonde stood up. "If you managed to refrain from asking for our permissions when we were right next to you, how can we guaranty that you wouldn't do the same in the future?"
The mood quickly shifted to an unstable one. Noire had clearly made a mistake, one which she was not ready to admit in her current attitude. But that didn't mean that she wasn't feeling a bone-shattering pressure on her shoulders and mind. It was a miracle that the girl had no break down when her own allies began giving her threatening glares.
"We can discuss that later. For now, we know where my HDD is." But again, hiding her stress only caused the share-race leader to make even more rash decisions.
She turned tails and began promenading down the hallways, seemingly the path to a room containing the recovering flower. And before she could get any further, a pull was felt on her arm, stopping her right in place. "Wowowow, hold your skirt Noire."
It was Neptune. If Noire couldn't tell from the young voice and the unnatural choice of words, then she could from turning back instantly. The glares she gave the tyke were ones that could paralyze a man in seconds. 'Why is everyone and everything getting in my damn way!' she yelled in her mind instantly after being grabbed.
"Let me go, Neptune." She ordered strictly.
"Nuh uh, not until you tell us where you are going." The pudding fanatic shook her head confidently. She locked eyes with her best friend, unfazed by her hostility.
A bit of resistance could be felt from the Tsundere, but the parka rocker had no intention of letting go.
"Let me go already! I'm going to tell Mollie—"
"Tell her what? About Black Heart's whereabouts?" A third party joined the scuffle. Vert had walked out elegantly out of the room, and faced Noire. "Are you going to drag that poor thing all the way to Lowee to fight when she can't even stand up?"
"That's some mighty plan you got there, plan girl." Planeptune's CPU supported her Leanbox ally's opinion. With furrowed brows, she displayed a set of displeased features rarely seen on Neptune.
Noire grunted. "We know Black Heart's whereabouts right now! —"
"And there is nothing we can do about that." The brunette CPU butted in. She was leaning on the door frame of the Nep sisters' room, looking at her friends bitterly. "We already argued about this. Whether we know where the HDDs are or not, there is nothing we can do besides waiting for Mollie to heal up." Slowly, her right fist began clutching. It was synchronized with her brows creating a thick line between her eyes. "The idea pisses me off myself, but…" and suddenly, all the changes in her halted. Blanc reverted to her normal expressionless front. "But your rushing will make it even worse. We can't let you do that.
"And I don't know if you've noticed, but Mollie herself is not in a state that even allows her to comprehend much information right now. Do you remember when we asked her about her powers?"
The short CPU led all three to a shared memory between them.
["I can use my powers to enhance my bodily powers…"]
"I don't know about you. But she did not seem able to even form words properly. That is if we ignore the marks on her neck."
"So, you've noticed them as well." Vert commended her ally's sharp eye.
"…" With a gloomy shadow over her eyes, Noire pulled away from Neptune aggressively, almost causing for the latter to lose balance. She said nothing and simply walked past all three before entering a random, empty room.
The trio could hear the lock turning from the inside before a vibration shook the foundations of said space. What followed was a muffled groan.
She was not going to talk anytime soon. That was always a habit of the shut-in CPU. Granted, her communicative skills were far inferior when compared to those of hers in other fields: working, fighting, sewing and even cosplaying. The twin-tailed damsel never saw use of developing her social skills, because: 'Others will always look for a reason to poke fun.' And because she believed that no one would truly be interested in her hobbies. And thus, always shut herself when things got sour, and refrained from talking to anyone apart from Uni. Whether she wished not to show emotions around others, or feared to be seen inferior in any way, shape, or form did not matter. Not to her at least.
That's how it's always been.
That is how it always will be.
That is how she can maintain a wide lead in the share race.
That is how she can maintain a respectful front.
'Not like anyone would understand…'
"Goodness… They are arguing again." A displeased voice spoke. Its source a frowning Nepgear. She, alongside her companion both stared idly at the door, attempting to pick up anything that might allude to what the commotion was about.
With a hesitant mug, Mollie shifted to face the CPU. "Is-Is it because of me?"
"What? Of course not! Please don't blame yourself!" The candidate flashed a cooing smile before looking away in embarrassment. "They just tend to argue about the smallest of things. One time they all got into a scuffle because none of them could agree about what game to play."
"O-Oh, I see…" The pinkette nodded slowly. Similar to how a student would after grasping a lesson.
Suddenly, all fuss halted. The hallways returned to their respectful silence, and the two were left to bask in a peaceful quietude for a nice moment of time.
"…"
"They stopped… Usually it's a lot longer than that. Hmm…" The young tech lover looked down and pondered for a moment.
In the midst of her reflections, Nepgear gave room for Mollie to silently consider her options. There wasn't much in front of her. It was either taking her duties, or turning her back on those who saved her.
'Running away would be gutless…' Her thoughts echoed. Bringing up a flask of memories that flooded her conscious. She narrated herself a line said many times by her beloved mother.
But even then, another one was fired instantly to counter the newly spawned assessment. 'But I couldn't even beat Sable; a puny human… How am I going to face literal Goddesses…?' A sudden vision sparked at the girl like a camera flash. The memories presented to her were the remnants of an unsettling night terror.
["You failed us!"]
She recoiled. A quick tremble jittered her limbs.
Nepgear did not react. The movement must've been too subtle to earn the Goddess' attention away from her thinking process.
'They said the portal summoned me because I am worthy, but…' She clenched her fists. The strength in her hands not quite the same as before. An infectious feeling of weakness branched through her arms.
Mollie then let down her arms rest on the bed and stepped out of her thinking zone and into the real world. "Miss Nepgear?" With a dim voice, she called out again. And though she made sure to not startle the girl, it still plucked her out of her own pondering session with a splash of surprise.
"O-Oh, yes?"
"Do you think I will fail?" With no introductions, a flat-out query surfaced. A grim one. "If you were to honestly answer me. You know your sisters' strength a lot better than me. You would know…" A palm was led to her face. She covered her eyes and laid back on the bed. "You would know why the portal summoned me… Wouldn't you?"
"Goodness, Mollie!" A clear shock flared the purplette. She instinctively led a palm to her mouth as a sweat drop climbed down her uneasy features. "Of course, I don't think you would fail! We don't even know what you are capable of yet. The portal summoned you of all people for a reason! The power of shares can't make a mistake, I am certain of it!"
"…Why are you all so confident in this power of "Shares"?"
"Because it's the faith of all people that believe in us! The will and hope that our citizens put in each and every one of us." With a firm fist to put to her chest, Nepgear adopted a set of serious and determined features.
One she rarely used. She was not kidding around.
"There is no way, no way a power so pure could be mistaken! If it chose you, then it must be for a really good reason!" Gently, the girl put a hand on top of her companion's. The same one Mollie placed on her eyes. "I know you lost a lot. I know you must feel lonely and powerless. But that isn't the truth! You're not alone, you aren't powerless… I choose to believe in you, just like everyone else chose to believe in what their shares brought."
A spasm of confusion spiralled within the resting lass. She eyed the CPU Candidate with eyes full of questions. "W-What do you mean…?"
"I know it's hard to notice, but everyone has their faith in you. It's just that all the pressure from work and stress makes it really hard for them to tell their true feelings."
"I… See." Mollie twisted her lips before looking up at the roof.
Nothing left was there to be said. Surely, the flower girl was feeling at ease… At least compared to when she woke up. Thankfully, she found herself in good hands.
Truth be told, the telekinetic fighter always thought Goddesses were invisible entities in the skies. Ones that foresee everything, but are seen by none. Ones that could control destiny with a mere flick of a wrist, or a thought of mind. And whereas that might be true elsewhere, in this dimension they were a bunch of really quirky girls that… Well, okay, they looked very, very beautiful and holy no matter which angle you spectated them from. But! The point was that young Puriolét never imagined a short tyke with an overflow of energy could ever be considered a holy entity.
Then again, the girl really had no saying in the matter. Right now, she needed to put her mind and body to rest, and not think about anything that might escalate her case even further.
Nepgear made sure to stay next to the girl at all times out of kindness and concern. She knew the dangers of leaving someone who had lost everything all alone. Suicidal thoughts were like a fox if left unwatched, a sly plague that fed on one's loneliness and self-hatred; two things that, only by looking, were present very distinctively within Mollie. And just as IF and Compa made sure to always keep the girl within high spirits in her downtimes, she knew that it was time for her to help someone up, and to shoo the claws of depression away from them.
But without realizing, the two ended up having enough fun to restrain their attention away from time. And like an unexpectable guest, two days had passed. Forty-eight hours enough to get the girl acquainted verbally with all that Gamindustri had to offer.
At first it was like lingering thoughts. Funny speculations given birth to by all the hints the pinkette caught up to. But the longer the tech-genius kept her company the more the girl realized…
Everything was like a fantastic game story.
Of course, unlike any other otaku or gamer that would instantly, and inexplicably heal all his traumas from that single thought before trying to blindly make a harem out of these far-beyond-reach Goddesses. Mollie recovered in that short span of time thanks to one of her many blessings… Her regeneration. A speed of recovery that did not go unnoticed, of course.
It took a day for her to get back on her feet. But a lingering sense of fatigue and uncertainty still remained. One that still couldn't leave the girl away from the watchful, caring eyes of the CPUs, Histoire and even Compa. Even if the latter never really had a chance to have a proper conversation with the pinkette due to either being busy, or that the one in question was already engaged by another divinity.
But as the second cycle rolled over. Mollie found herself feeling physically fit. Her body no longer hurt upon movement, and her limbs were as flexible as ever. She tested this fact in early morning after a goodnight's sleep. As soon as her alarm shouted out, a surge of unparalleled energy overcame her. Without any procrastinating, she shot up to her feet and breathed a long, refreshing wave of morning air. "No pain." She told herself, moments before looking at her open palm and focusing. Just as she did, a strong glow emitted from her body, like an aura that was sheer from swallowing her whole. "Great."
Everything was going according to plan for her. The girl then stood in a big enough empty space and, as soon as she made sure she was clear from breaking anything, jumped high enough for her to make a beautiful spinning motion backwards. Young Puriolét's momentum did not seem potent enough to land her back on her feet. Her beautiful silky hair, her raging, flashy lights all swooshed in one fine crescent-shape before she landed on her hand. Her legs were hanging above her head, but her hair did not seem affected by gravity nor physics anymore. Instead, it just floated mid-air like a helium filled balloon. In her athletic position, the girl balanced perfectly without any hardships whatsoever. "Sweet!~"
Suddenly, the girl descended. For a moment, it looked like her arm began giving way, but instantly after, she pushed herself up. From a spectator's eye, the flower girl looked like a petal; fine and weightless. A quick spin allowed for Mollie to swiftly find her feet.
Just as she did, the pinkette used her momentum and excitement to kick as highly as possible. Like a pair of new shiny scissors, her legs came open, creating a perfect one eighty degrees angle. The results brought a child-like smile on the damsel's face. Slowly, she dropped her leg. Not to disturb the frail, delicate morning hush.
Last but not least, young Puriolét put her hands in front of her in a fighting stance. Making out of the mindless air an enemy of hers, she focused her energy effortlessly and ran her fist in a straight line parallel to with the horizon. The easy, lax punch created a gust of wind. One equalling the strength of the fist that gave birth to it. And thus, it did nothing more than give the curtains she faced a friendly push.
"…Perfect!~ Hehe!" Just as her glow dimmed to its normal, unblinding state, the girl jumped up in happiness. Her happy chirps simultaneous with the nurturing golden rays of morning as they snuck their way through the screen of cloth her wind just kissed.
As she guarded her unadapt eyes from the lights of nature, she sneaked the alarm clock a glance.
8 AM.
The red writing boldly informed. Judging by how quiet everything was, the girl felt safe to assume that everyone was sound asleep.
Knock, Knock. A pair of polite thumps beat against the door. They sure were unexpected, but nothing too shocking to get a girly shriek out of the girl. She fixed her hair, making sure she was in a presentable state.
But just as she turned the door knob, she realized. 'Ack! I didn't even shower yet…!' Sadly, it was too late.
"Good morning, Miss Mollie." A heavenly, mature voice rang through the door. Its source was much smaller than expected. The greeted girl to recoiled ever so slightly.
"A-Ah, Miss Histoire. Good morning to you too." She greeted her back, and followed by a polite bow.
"My, there really is no reason for you to be so formal." Abruptly, a chuckle stopped her mid-way. "Mhmhm~ though I've been telling you so the past few days, you still choose not to listen to me."
Mollie smiled awkwardly before running a hand behind her head. "Ahah… I-I just can't seem to do that… Though, it is cute how Lady Neptune calls you "Histy"."
"Ah, yes." The book fairy nodded. "If only she were as efficient in her work as she is at making pet names…" An unfortunate frown found itself on the blonde oracle's face. Remembering Neptune's schemes always brought her strict figure to crook down, alongside the countless migraines she just learned to live with.
But even then, the youthful figure couldn't help but notice a drop of remedy within the fairy's quiet rants. One that gave her a healthy dose of nostalgia. One that drove the girl into a mini-quest of finding what this longing feeling was…
"Ah… Mhmhm~" Immersed in thought, the girl chuckled. For a quick moment of time, she saw Histoire brandishing an ocean hue hair and matching eyes. A hallucination that brought the girl her answer on a fancy plate of sapphire.
The oracle looked most like a mother in that statement. One that, from the outside appeared angry and scolding and would do anything to straighten her CPU's behaviour. But from the inside, appreciated all the quirkiness Neptune bore. Even if not related by blood, the two's relation always seemed that way and without realizing, the book fairy's subconscious may have already adapted to that fact.
"Hm? What is it?" Histoire curiously queried with a smile.
"A-Ah, nothing, hehe.~" An innocent blush decorated the damsel's features. "It's just that you and Neptune look like a mother and daughter to me. And even when you look really mad at her, I felt like deep down you just... Like that playful side of hers."
"My, is that so?" The oracle cheerfully followed, visibly overjoyed and interested. "I've never really thought about it that way. But now that I think about it, you do have a point. I guess I just too used to her schemes that it's now an irremovable part of my life. But of course…" Instantly, the approving looks all vanished. Leaving behind traces of a firm seriousness. "That is simply not possible to enjoy at all times. She is still a CPU, the Goddess of a nation. It's simply not within her list of luxuries to indulge in such childish acts at all times. She carries the weight of a whole nation on her shoulders, and the faith of the people is fickle. It can change in seconds, unfortunately."
"Oh, I see…"
"…I do not wish to see the down fall of Neptune and Nepgear…"
"H-Huh?" Mollie instantly looked up at her companion in surprise.
"A-Ah, I'm rambling again. Please do not mind me." The miniature girl apologized, before moving to another topic with a sorry smile. "I wished to check up on your health. But now looking at you, it seems like you've recovered rather fascinatingly."
"Mhm! I feel really nice today. In fact…" Enthusiastically, the summoned ally hurried to the window and pointed out like a child eager to play outside. "I want to finally explore this world and learn its whereabouts!"
The answer caught the book fairy by surprise.
She was there when Mollie was summoned. She was there when she was recovering. She was there to notice each and every change in her mentality and ability. But such question surely was not expected. Not that it was bad by any means, but someone who had tea and cake with Death himself before going down to business two days ago surely would need more time just to comprehend the luck it took for them to not be a corpse in a tomb right now.
"Are you sure? It might be to your best benefit to rest more. There is no rush." She advised calmly.
But of course. With the overwhelming wave of passion she was riding on, the telekinetic lass only pressed further. "I'm as sure as strawberry is pretty and delicious! This world looks really delightful, and I bet the people are even better!"
"Hm… If you are sure about this, then I will not restrain you. But I would at least insist on taking someone along. It is simply too dangerous to wander around unknown land without a trustable guide."
"Oh! Can it be Miss Nepgear?" Mollie asked with a flash of excitement in her eyes.
"Ah, I'm afraid that would not be possible." The second in command delivered unfortunate news. "Nepgear must take on her duties again. In the midst of taking care of you, she couldn't do any work."
"Awww…" With a dejected frown, the unhappy flower leaned forward before uttering a crestfallen mope.
"I apologize. But with Neptune no longer being a CPU, her ability to do consistent already got halved." When the fairy's statement halted, she smacked her palm against her annoyed features. "Her ability was already next to zero… There is simply no convincing her to do any work right now. We should also let the other oracles and CPU Candidates know of the updates. Keeping them waiting any longer would be unethical."
"Hm… Yeah." The Pinkette fixed her posture before talking again. She nodded in agreement with Histoire. "She is still a Goddess, so I can't keep her distracted. But who am I going to go with then?"
Right before the duo dove into another pondering session, a sudden youthful voice startled both of them. "Ah, Miss Histoire, you're here!"
Through the door walked a peach haired female with matching eye colours. Her hands were folded together and her posture was as polite as ever. She brandished a soft, hug inviting sweater of brown colour, alongside a red skirt, checkered with thin white lines and thick black ones.
It was Compa!
"Ah, Compa. How may I be of service." The oracle quickly greeted the nurse with a smile, unaware of the unacquainted pair before her.
The party medic was left to eye Mollie for a short span of time. She ran her eyes across the teenager in her generic purple pyjama, all the way to her glossy, florid hair and captivating, finely highlighted pair of forest hues.
Young Puriolét's glow was something never seen before to her. If she had to compare it to anything remotely, then 'She's almost glowing like Nep-Nep in her HDD…'
Of course, the peachette did not wish to cause awkwardness. She quickly snapped out of her analytic state and bowed down to the new girl in salutations. "Hello! My name is Compa, nice to meet you!~"
"Oh, Compa… That's a really cute name!" The addressed figure quickly noticed with an unexpectant beam. "I'm Mollie. Nice to meet you too!" She returned the hospital worker's salutations with a similar hunch.
"I'm sorry if I interrupted you two." The apology was seen on her features alongside her voice.
But quickly, the motherly figure laid Compa's worries to rest. "There is no need to be sorry, Compa. We were not discussing anything of urgency."
"Oh, okay!" With one of her signature smiles, the syringe wielder went back to her initial topic. "Well, Iffy is asleep and I just finished changing her bandages. So is there anything you would like me to help with?"
Almost like an answer from destiny, the caretaker showered up in the perfect time to answer Histoire and Mollie's concerns. The former's eyes quickly lit up after hearing the friendly query. "Ah, perfect timing then. Would you be ever so kind to show Mollie around Planeptune? We were just discussing that."
"Oh! Of course!" The nurse was quick to reply. Her hastiness almost a reason for the two girls before her to doubt if she even processed the request completely.
That of course was not the case. Compa had full knowledge of what she had just agreed to. To her, it was just a golden chance to get acquainted with the newly summoned lass. An opportunity at something the peachette's been trying to do for quite a while now.
=-Chapter 3: END-=