Hyperdimension Neptunia is owned by Compile Heart, Idea Factory, Sega, and whoever else worked on it.
On a dark desert highway~
Cool wind in my hair~~
Chapter 17
(-)
09:00 AM, in Nep-Tower's Living Room.
Nepgear, in her dark sailor uniform and parka coat, was sitting on a dark-pink comfy chair with a waiting pose. She had been waiting for Kurome and Magic to tell her all about what they've found in the Dogula's research, especially going so far as to drag her away from the others. While Nepgear waits, she twists and twirls her lilac hair strand in boredom.
"They sure take their time well in the kitchen," Nepgear said, referring to Kurome and Magic who were making breakfast.
As she played with her hair, Nepgear looked around her living room. It has the same stuff as usual. Animal plushies on the floor, purple carpet under her chair, lilac double-high bed but without the mattress, pink drawer, and two light brown desks with a bookshelf on top. When she turns to the pictures on the wall, she stops to look at one particular picture.
"Sis…." Nepgear murmured to her sister Neptune as she looked at her sister's happy picture on the wall.
After Nepgear said that, Kurome and Magic burst out of the Kitchen Room while they held some breakfast that they made.
"Sorry that we are late, My Lady~, but breakfast is ready~~," Magic said while she held a plate full of Sausage Wraps and Egg Muffins.
Magic was wearing Black Hot Pants, Red T-Shirt with a purple N logo, and a Lilac-colored apron.
Nepgear looked at the plate that Magic put on the table. The amount was more than usual, even for the three of them. It would be fine if there were others but this wasn't the case as there were only Kurome, Magic, and herself.
"Isn't this too much for us?" Nepgear said.
"Yeaaahhhhh…We kinda overdid it on the ingredients, so we had no choice but to make it all, haha" Kurome said while putting down some beverages.
Kurome was wearing her usual black clothing with blue linings and her right shoulder veil.
"Hhhmmmmm"
Nepgear looked at the two suspiciously with her eyes squinted. Kurome and Magic just smiled nervously at Nepgear. At this point, Nepgear was sure enough that the two were trying to look okay. But in reality, they were too obvious that they weren't in their relaxed state, indicating that something was up.
Nepgear sighed and crossed her legs and arms. She also put up a straight face at the two.
"Alright, you two are so obvious that you're not okay. Mind telling me what's going on?" Nepgear asked.
"Ummm…." Magic hummed as she was reluctant to say something.
"Is it about the Dogula research?" Nepgear guessed, which the two reacted as their eyes were wide open.
"If the two of you are that reluctant, how about we enjoy ourselves first? Don't fret about me, I won't ask anything further about it. Sit down and eat your fill" Nepgear relaxed her tone and told the two to chill.
Kurome and Magic kept on standing still as they were unsure about Nepgear's act right now. Nepgear snorts and gets close to the table with the plate full of Wraps and Muffins in front of her.
"Well, since you two will stand like that and act like some stiff maid or butler. I'll just eat up all this deliiiicious breakfast that you made for me" Nepgear smiled with a smug look.
"No way! You can't eat all that!" Kurome protested.
"You think I can't? I can eat this all day you know" Nepgear said.
"Oh, you're just bluffing! I can eat this more than you do!" Kurome sat down on a dark-pink chair and started to eat with Nepgear.
"How about you, Magic? Not wanting to eat what you've made?" Nepgear teased Magic a bit.
"N-no. I would n-never interrupt my Lady's-"
"If you eat with us, you'll get to sleep with me today. Without Burn on my side" Nepgear cut off Magic's stuttering words with that offer.
Magic's eyes were wide open after hearing that words.
"Oh no, I'm feeling hungry. Excuse me, my Lady"
Magic couldn't resist and picked up a chair to sit on near Nepgear and Kurome. Magic then began to eat with the two since she was excited about taking that offer.
As they were enjoying their breakfast together, Kurome and Magic began to lighten up near Nepgear. They forgot about the thing they found in the Dogula which makes them reluctant to report it to Nepgear.
Nepgear faintly smiled as she sees Kurome and Magic were enjoying themselves, without any worries or something that was holding them back. Though Nepgear was curious about what they were so scared of, she prioritized her family first rather than prioritizing some data.
'Besides, they'll eventually explain it to me. I believe in them,' Nepgear said inside her mind.
After a few minutes, the whole plate and the drinks were emptied by the three. Nepgear, Kurome. and Magic were left with a satisfied look and a full belly.
"Burp…..That was some good shit" Kurome said after burping.
"And I'm glad both of you have calmed down. Though it seems you two had skipped breakfast, huh" Nepgear told her thoughts with a wary look to Magic and Kurome.
"...Yes, My Lady. We skipped our usual 6 AM breakfast so we can…well…" Magic was back to her reluctance a bit until Kurome put her hands on Magic's trembling hand to calm her down.
"Let's not drag this on for much longer. Gearsy needs to know this and I believe she's ready for whatever's coming, ain't ya?" Kurome turned to Nepgear.
"Right, but I can't just rush it all in if both of you are acting that way. I know what it feels like to hold back what we've found, what we did, what we've kept hidden for so long. However, you hold it back too much and it'll backfire even harder" Nepgear told the two as she refers to her past problems.
"That is why we must let it all out thoroughly, But do so with a calm and firm heart. To make sure that everyone around you will know that you are sincerely taking full responsibility for it and that they will share that burden with you" Nepgear fully enlightened Kurome and Magic.
"Gearsy…." Kurome slightly gasped.
"What a beautiful enlightenment, My Lady" Magic said in awe.
"Yeah, well, unless you're dealing with someone that has a high chance of derangement. But that's in the past" Nepgear added another tip, subtly implying Chika's madness for starting humanity's disorder through a brash and rioting way of the goddess's sacrifice.
"That aside, are the two of you ready to tell me?" Nepgear once again asked them, to which Kurome and Magic replied with a nod.
Magic took out a Nep-Tablet with the N logo on its back and opened its covering lid. It was handed by Nepgear before she left Ultradimension's protection to Magic and the others.
After the Nep-Tablet finished booting up, Magic searched the recent Dogula folder in the data bank to show Nepgear what they've salvaged from the Dogula's Corpse. Once she found it, Magic opened the file that summarizes everything in short and handed it to Nepgear.
"Best if you look into this yourself, My Lady," Said Magic before Nepgear took the tablet from her hands.
Nepgear looked at what the Nep-Tablet currently showing her, and it took her by surprise. There's an indication of a power similar to Gehaburn's. Based on the current and previous hazard monster sample and with an addition of Sigma Gehaburn's power data in their data bank, All of this leads to a good 95 percent match between Sigma Gehaburn and the unknown Gehaburn.
A note about the difference between Nepgear's Gehaburn and this unknown Gehaburn from Ultradimension was shown in one of the sections. It seemed that there was a slight difference in their energy frequency and their flow. Plus, there's the color difference, while Nepgear's Gehaburn is colored purple, the other Gehaburn is dark/normal red color.
There's also another report regarding what Magic, Kurome, and Trick had experimented on with the latest Hazard samples. The data shows that the reason Hazard monsters can only be destroyed by Nepgear and the others is that they all have their Gehaburn's power essence within. means that everyone in Sigma Dimension can destroy the Hazards, including Arfoire and Warechu whom the two got injected on yesterday by Gehaburn. Even the atmosphere keeps the corpse from turning into bits like normal monsters due to Gehaburn's energy molecule scattering throughout the air.
"Wow…..now it all makes sense," Nepgear said while she returned the tablet to Magic.
"Don't get ahead of it so soon, Gearsy. We haven't found anything worth noting that Burnsy's the culprit" Kurome said to Nepgear, thinking that Nepgear had caught up on why they were hesitant about this.
"Wait what do you mean by that?" Nepgear looked at Kurome.
"What? You don't think Burnsy is the one we should be suspicious of?" Kurome asked in her confusion.
"Course not. I was only focused on the part on how we affect the Hazards, which explains a lot of things" Nepgear told her.
"Then, about Gehaburn being the fugitive?" Magic asked for Nepgear's thoughts.
"Nope, not buying it," Nepgear said without hesitation.
"But why? Shouldn't we be extra careful right now?" Magic asked.
"We should be extra careful when the facts are a solid hundred percent, not close to it. If it's not a hundred then it's the same as unreliable" Nepgear said in her defense.
"Besides, the difference between our Burn and the other Burn is already obvious. Different colors, different energy flows, and do any of you even think that our Burn would be smart enough to scheme all of this? She can't even cook properly" Nepgear added, which made Kurome and Magic almost laugh out loud because of the last part.
"Pfft, yeah I guess you're right. Sorry for suspecting Burnsy" Kurome apologized.
"My apologies, My Lady. We were too hung up by the revelation and didn't think thoroughly" Magic apologized too.
"I don't blame the two of you for thinking like that since you two and Trick did all the research here. If I were in your shoes I would've thought and acted like that as well" Nepgear got up slowly and walked towards the open window to see the Planeptune G-Farm outside.
"But I believe in Burn wholeheartedly. She's our dumbhead who put me back up from my despair and stayed by my side to bear the sin we've caused, together" Nepgear said while she reminisced about the time she had with Gehaburn.
"It ain't just the two of you, y'know. You got us as well" Kurome added.
"That indeed" Nepgear smiled slightly at Kurome and Magic.
Kurome and Magic smiled faintly to Nepgear and each other. As they were cleaning the table, Magic snapped her fingers in sudden thought.
"How should we explain all this stuff to Burn? If we told her in a wrong way, I fear that she may react to this in a not-so-positive way" Magic asked Kurome and Nepgear.
"Shiiiiii…. Didn't think that far" Kurome said nervously.
"Rest assured you two, I'll handle it," Nepgear said with confidence.
When the cleaning is progressing steadily, Gehaburn busts through the giant door with a happy face. On her hand, there's Trick who was dragged to the Living Room by Gehaburn with her dirty purple aura arm. Their appearance surprised Nepgear and the others a bit.
"Speak of the devil…" Magic muttered faintly.
"Hey, y'all! Did I miss anything? Trick's been acting shyly outside, so I bring him here" Gehaburn said.
"More like dragging me.… with some dirt on it" Trick whimpered as he let go of Gehaburn's grip.
"Ehe, sorry, that said. Imma need to clean my hands a bit in the sink. Don't go hugging or handshaking me now~" Gehaburn skips happily to the kitchen even though she wasn't supposed to be there.
Nepgear didn't mind Gehaburn in the kitchen and round up together with Kurome, Magic, and Trick.
"So, did my Lady know everything from you two?" Trick asked Kurome and Magic about the info they got, and the two nodded.
"And how did my Lady cope with it?" Trick turned to Nepgear.
"It was a groundbreaking discovery, and no need to worry about the "Gehaburn culprit" part. It is not truly valid and I believe in Burn" Nepgear said with a reassuring smile.
"That's nice and all, but do my Lady also believe that Lady Burn would be able to handle this kind of info? I can already guess that Lady Burn needs to know as well as you do" Trick said with a worried look to Nepgear, Magic and Kurome put up the same look as Trick.
"We'll find out then" Nepgear slowly steps backward from the groupie round-up and turns to Gehaburn who was still cleaning her hands on the sink.
"Burn!" Nepgear called Gehaburn for the lilac pink living room.
"Hmm? What's up" Gehaburn asked as she was adjusting the water sink's pedal valve control.
"Kurome and the others finally got their research results and it says that we're up against powers like yours," Nepgear said bluntly.
Gehaburn's eyes widened at Nepgear's words, especially after hearing the "powers similar to her" part. Gehaburn looked at Nepgear with a speechless look and she didn't focus on controlling the sink's valve. Kurome, Magic, and Trick gasped and flinched at how Nepgear told Gehaburn with such bluntness.
"The heck?!…..Oh shit! Water splash" Gehaburn exclaimed as she got wetted by the sink's water due to her hand subconsciously turning the valve's control to max.
(-)
10:00 AM, Nep-Tower's Hallway.
Arfoire, in her sexy but dirty witch clothing, was walking towards where Gehaburn was headed, which was the Nep-Tower's Living Room. Her hands were slumped down as if it was weary from handling all those Cerberus gangs who were about to eat up her Eggplants.
"Ugh, this is why I don't want to get myself a dog…." Arfoire said with an annoyed look, she had once thought of owning a dog.
But it was a hassle for her, having to take care of it all day. Arfoire already got her hands full on her farm.
Arfoire looked around at her clothes that were dirtied from the struggle for her Eggplants. Some dirt was noticeable on it and there were some teared-up parts. Luckily, it wasn't a lot and it can be fixed from Nepgear's tailoring room.
But she needs to take off her witch clothes first.
"At least I have a chance to use my creativity. But Gear will have to supervise my beautiful ideas, with her "Experience" that she boasted. Hmph!" Arfoire mockingly talked to herself along the hallway, until she arrived at a giant door labeled [Living Room].
"Ah, here it is," Arfoire said before she put her hands on the handle to open the door.
When Arfoire's hand was just about to open the door. A loud voice can be heard inside.
"WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU MEAN MY POWERS, GEAR?!"
Arfoire heard Gehaburn's shout that sounded like she was angry. To her curiosity and worries, Arfoire quickly when inside the room to see Gehaburn looking angry at Nepgear in disbelief from afar, then Gehaburn walked fast toward Nepgear.
"Calm down, Burnsy!" Kurome said as she and Magic tried to hold back Gehaburn, but they were shoved off by her.
"I can't calm down!" Gehaburn said angrily to Kurome.
"O-oi….." Arfoire was about to approach them, but she stopped in place as Trick put his hand in front of her, which tells her to stay put.
"Best not make this even messier" Trick whispered to Arfoire, which she heeded and grimly oversaw them from afar.
"You believe this shit?!" Gehaburn asked.
"Yeah, and it does explain some things," Nepgear said.
"Huh?" Gehaburn was confused but kept on glaring at Nepgear.
"The Hazard Monsters. No one can do a thing against those Hazards besides us that are related to your power essence. Even the atmosphere part supports this as the air around this dimension has your essence scattering. Thus, Sigma Gamindustri can keep the Hazards from disappearing" Nepgear explained.
"H-h-hold on! So after all this time, we've been fighting me this whole time" Gehaburn said as she put her hands on the table and looked down at it.
"Yeah. Judging from the results, we may be up against another yo-" Nepgear was about to finish her words while opening the Nep-Tablet to Gehaburn. But Gehaburn slammed shut the Tablet's lid and grab it.
"...I have no shit what you're saying…" Gehaburn looked at the Tablet before she threw it off her hand and then went on to exit the Living room.
Magic used her quick reflex to capture the Tablet, and she got it in time with her hands before it crashed on the floor.
"Hah~..." Magic sighs in relief on the floor.
Gehaburn walked to the giant door to exit the door. Trick and Arfoire get off Gehaburn's way. Gehaburn opened the giant door and quickly went off.
"Burn, wait!" Arfoire followed Gehaburn outside as she was worried for her, leaving Nepgear, Magic, Kurome, and Trick in the living room.
"Ouch, quite the intense setting" Trick commented on what happened.
"What was that for, Gearsy?! You've made Burnsy go mad!" Kurome questioned Nepgear.
"Even myself think that was too much for Burn" Magic added.
"It was between telling or not telling Burn, and I decided to do the former. If I did the latter, then I'm no better than my former allies who stabbed me in the back" Nepgear said firmly.
"Still…I'm worried for Burn. Why is she so upset at the idea of another her" Magic said.
"Have I ever told the story between me and Burn? Before you were born I mean" Nepgear asked Magic.
"Yes you did, My Lady. But what's that got to do anything with-, don't tell me…"
"You catch on fast. Burn always hated her existence in the past. All those killing, despair, corruption, and meaningless deaths took a toll on her, to the point of wanting to kill herself. She can't even prevent it all, due to being sealed shut with her voice shut in the sword. And now that Burn knows that there's another her doing something that she wouldn't want, it infuriates her" Nepgear said to all of them in the room.
"Despite knowing that, you told her anyway because it's better to let it out…..Well, I don't mind that way, but dang, what's gonna happen to us now? I feel sour right now" Kurome sits on a lilac chair and looked down with a grim look.
"Nothing, Burn will be back with her usual self," Nepgear said with a smile.
"You mean that, My Lady?" Trick asked, which was replied by Nepgear with a nod.
"I mean it. Burn's just a goofy fun musclehead. She's made a lot of trouble and good times for us. We can't just write off our history, no matter what happens along the way" Nepgear said with confident determination.
"You're right. We're always together, as a family" Magic agreed to Nepgear's words.
When Nepgear told them that it would be alright for them all, the atmosphere around had turned from sour to an even more relaxing feel.
"What do we do now? Should we go check Burnsy and make sure she's okay?" Kurome asked with her hands on her head's back.
"That won't be necessary. Let her calm down in her own way, which may involve property damage. Instead, we should focus on something" Nepgear answered as she walked toward Magic to get the Nep-Tablet.
"Here you go, My Lady" Magic gave the Tablet to Nepgear.
"Wait are we gonna ignore the property damage part?" Kurome pointed out.
"No need to put it too much in mind, Lady Kurome. We got a lot of spare materials in our production factory when needed" Trick said to Kurome.
"Aight," Kurome said.
Nepgear connects her Nep-Watch to the tablet and began to transfer some of her plans into the gadget so everyone can know and see.
"Right now, this is what we should be preparing," Nepgear said as he turned her Tablet to the others so they could see what was displayed.
Magic, Kurome, and Trick looked on the Tablet's screen. It showed two plans with their respective titles and steps. The first one is labeled "New Members'', which is already self-explanatory given that it has been requested before. Below its title, there were three schematics and designs for each member which are Rei Rygths, Copypaste, and Anonydeath.
The second plan is called "Cover Assault", Which is a strategic plan for a counterattack on the other Gehaburn and its army in Ultradimension.
"Heck yeah! Time for the offense shit!" Kurome said excitingly.
"We're finally getting a chance to overthrow them," Trick remarked.
"Yes. By the way, are there any spare manual drones that we can use? We need that for our plan" Nepgear asked the three.
"I think we do, My Lady. Probably in the basement. Should head in there scavenge the room?" Magic said.
"Please do, and meet us later in the Midgard City's factory," Nepgear told Magic, which she replied with a nod.
"Then, if I may, I shall excuse myself first"
Magic left the room after she said her words, then Magic went over to the basement room underneath the Nep-Tower.
"Now then, let's get to work," Nepgear said to Kurome and Trick.
The three head on over to the portal room and teleport themselves to Lastation G-Farm. They then proceeded to Midgard's production factory and began to prepare what was needed to create their three new family members.
Of course, they need Gehaburn as the crucial part of the making, but they were all patient in venting it all out wherever she is.
(-)
10:30, Outside of Neptower
Arfoire was searching for Gehaburn who ran off just moments ago. She had been looking all around Neptower, thinking that Gehaburn might be nearby the area. But Arfoire couldn't find Gehaburn. In exhaustion, she stopped looking and took a breather as she panted.
"How the heck… does she walk that fast?" Arfoire said while panting, referring to Gehaburn's fast walk that was too fast for Arfoire.
"Am I getting old? Oh no, no, no, heck no! I'm not even a granny!" Arfoire exclaimed to herself.
Unknown to Arfoire, she stopped her search in Planeptune's G-Farm training field. In there, Judge and Warechu were laughing their butts out while overseeing the monster's training routine. Warechu was still on top of Judge's hands since he Is small for a big mech like Judge to talk to.
As their laughter died down, Warechu noticed Arfoire stood by herself near them. Warechu shouted to Arfoire to get her attention.
"Heyya Granny! what have ya been up to, Chu?" Warechu shouted to Arfoire in the distance.
"I'M NOT A GRANNY!" Arfoire turned to Warechu and yelled at him, then she walked fast in anger.
Warechu, and even Judge, leaned back a bit due to how sudden the yell was. And it wasn't just that, the peer pressure from Arfoire's anger had made Warechu and Judge realize that she wasn't in the right mood.
Even the monsters that were training stopped what they were doing and shivered in their spot.
"Chill! Chill, Chu!" Warechu said with his hands in front to hold back Arfoire.
"I can't! Burn's out there somewhere looking pissed and now I don't know where she is right now! Arrrghhhhh!" Arfoire blurted.
"Wait, Burn? She just flew off a few minutes ago" Judge told Arfoire.
"WHERE?!" Arfoire asked while she shook Judge roughly with her hands, which dropped Warechu from his hands.
"Ouch, man she's pissed right now" Warechu murmured while scratching his butt after landing.
"Uuuhhh, Prooobably towardssss Lowheeeee '' Judge answered while he was shaken.
"Lowee?! Got it!" Arfoire let go of Judge and gave him a thumbs up as thanks.
Arfoire walked fast towards Warechu and grabbed its tail to drag him away from Judge.
"You're coming with me, Rat! If this world isn't too far off from ours, then Lowee is in the north!" Arfoire said before she turned on her black sharply edge mechanical wings.
"Oh come on! Not my tail again, Chuuuuuuuuuuuu!" Warechu said as he was carried to the sky, his yell gradually disappears due to the distance between him and Judge.
"Huh, Did they forget that we have a portal to get there? Oh well, at least they'll get to feel the breeze in the sky" Judge shrugs.
He then turned to his monsters who stopped their training and shivered on their spot.
"Alright lads! That spectacle is done! Get your asses back in training! Come on now, up top!" Judge ordered them all.
Judge and the monsters then continued to focus their training routine in the field, with Judge mentoring them with his style.
(-)
13:00, above Lowee's G-Farm, in the sky.
Arfoire had just arrived in the snowy winter place with Warechu's tail in her hand. It took a while for her to get here as she hadn't used her wings for a while ever since she began her Eggplant business. Arfoire panted in midair while she oversaw the place to look for Gehaburn.
"Where are you, Burn…." Arfoire murmured.
"Could you at least let go of me? I can fly, you know, Chu" Warechu said.
"Shut it! I'm trying to find Burn!" Arfoire nagged Warechu.
"Burn's in that direction, I can feel it for some reason, Chu," Warechu told Arfoire while pointing his fingers in a certain direction.
"What? How do you-, never mind. If this is not true then I'll throw you off hard" Arfoire warned him.
"Trust me, Chu. I got some kind of Ratty-sense for some reason" Warechu added.
Arfoire then flew towards the direction pointed by Warechu. The direction led them to Lowee's stadium training field. In there, Brave was sparring against a thrashing Gehaburn, with some ice and aquatic monsters watching from the sidelines.
"Guess you were right, Rat. Thanks" Arfoire thanked Warechu.
"Yeah yeah, whatever. But could you please get me down already? My tail is getting numb" Warechu complained.
Arfoire slowly flew down to the training field. She landed near the monsters who were there. They glanced at Arfoire and Warechu a bit and then waved them as a warm welcome. Arfoire and Warechu waved back as well.
"AAARRRGGHHHH!"
They all stopped waving at each other and see Gehaburn randomly attack Brave willy-nilly. Gehaburn didn't use any stances, specific moves, or any kind. She only lashed out in rage at Brave. Her movements were too predictable by Brave, so he had no problem blocking and dodging her big purple claw attacks.
But even so, Brave can't help but worry for Gehaburn in front of him. She looked like she was in anger and pain. But to know what's going on, Brave needs to put up with Gehaburn's attacks.
At some point, Gehaburn stopped her attack and panted heavily in the snowy field.
"Had enough, Lady Burn?" Brave asked as he placed his giant flaming sword on the ground.
"S-SHUT UP!" Gehaburn, despite her exhaustion, used her might once again to attack.
Brave did not even attempt to dodge the attack. He stood there like an iron wall and tank the claw attack coming right at him.
Everyone flinched when it hit Brave, but it didn't flinch one bit and took it like a wall.
"...You're getting tired, Lady Burn. It didn't even hurt one bit. Now could you please take your body a rest and tell me what's going on?" Rave kneeled to Gehaburn so his face can get close to her.
Gehaburn panted and lay down on the snowy ground. She was too tired to fight anymore. Arfoire and Warechu ran towards Gehaburn at that moment while some of the monsters get some medical equipment and beverages to treat Brave and Gehaburn.
"All right. The rest go on ahead and continue hour training, I'll return in a few minutes" Brave ordered the other monsters who still sat on the sidelines.
The other monsters obeyed him and started to do their usual thing.
"What's going on with you and Gear back there? You had me worried" Arfoire asked in worry to Gehaburn, who was being treated by the medics.
"...I just found out that there's another me in Ultradimension. Gear told me that we were up against that other me from the beginning. The monsters were made by that other me. And even her powers were similar to mine" Gehaburn explained.
"Interesting, against another Lady Gehaburn" Brave commented.
"Then what's the fuss about it, Chu? It's only another version of you" Warechu questioned.
Gehaburn sighed and positioned herself to sit on the field.
"I just….don't like it. Here I am, free from the goddamn bind of my former self while there's a shitty me out there making that hazard monster and wreaking havoc everywhere. It reminds me of what I was in the past ..." Gehaburn told them.
"But now you're free, right here in the present" Arfoire said.
"I am free from the bind, but not my existence! Am I just a freaking mass-despair-destruction being in the end?!" Gehaburn cried out in anger as she slammed the ground with her right arm.
Arfoire and Warechu didn't know how to respond to that. The two wanted to comfort Gehaburn, but they feared that it would worsen her feelings.
"What defines who you are is yourself, not others"
Gehaburn, Arfoire, Warechu, and the monster who were treating Gehaburn glanced into Brave after he had said those words.
"Take myself as an example. I may look like the CFW Brave from My Queen's past stories, but I'm not him. I am my own Brave, a fiery lion knight who swore to serve and stay by My Queen's side till the bitter end!" Brave said firmly and loudly as if it was like an announcement, then he focused on Gehaburn once again.
"How about you, Lady Burn? Are you only just a fucked up being as you say, or our Ever-loving goofball Gehaburn who loves us all and is the best partner My Queen has ever had in her life?" Brave crouched to Gehaburn.
"I…..I…." Gehaburn was in deep thought after hearing Brave's words.
Gehaburn was also reminded of her fun times with her family and Nepgear. The memories she had made her smile and get her mind straight.
"I'm Gehaburn! And not a Mass-despair-destruction Gehaburn, I am my ken Gehaburn! I won't let some other me confuse me with who I am anymore!" Gehaburn yelled as she stood.
Then, a cracking noise can be heard from Gehaburn's body. It seems that some of her bones didn't fully heal after a long fight with Brave. And now that she forced her body to stand up like that, it hurt her body and made her flop to the ground.
The aquatic monsters with medical equipment panicked and quickly treated Gehaburn's body again.
"Ow ow ow ow owwie…." Gehaburn said in pain.
"Hold still, Lady Gehaburn. We'll treat you again" A Coelacanth said.
Warechu can't help but laugh at the sight. He knows that he shouldn't laugh at this moment, but he did anyway.
Arfoire walked toward Brave and pats his big right mecha leg.
"For a strict knight, you sure have the right words, Bravo" Arfoire complimented Brave, but she pronounced his name wrong.
"It's Brave, not Bravo…sigh…" Brave sighed.
"Oh right, my bad" Arfoire apologized.
"Anyway…" Brave walked a bit to Gehaburn lying on the ground who was currently being treated.
"For interrupting my training routine, I'll have you attend my training program," Brave told Gehaburn, which made her look surprised.
"What?! Your training program? Aawww come on, can't you give a lady a break?" Gehaburn protest.
"No, there will be no special privileges when it comes to my sacred knightly training," Brave said.
Brave then heard some footsteps leaving him. He turned his back to see Arfoire and Warechu trying to leave the area silently by tiptoeing.
Brave walked fast towards them and blocked their path.
"Where do you think you're going? Both of you are also going to join my routine, whether you like it or not" Brave said.
"Judging by how Burn reacted to ya, I bet it'll be a hassle. So we'll be on our way and not interrupting your training, Chu" Warechu said with a forced smile.
Alas, it only made Brave glare at Warechu and stabs his sword to the ground close to Warechu.
"As I said, no special privileges," Brave said coldly.
"Darn it. Alright alright, we give up. The rat and I will join you" Arfoire gave up.
"Good, now go jog around the track" Brave pointed at the running tracks.
Arfoire and Warechu can only sigh and obey what Brave said. Once they were jogging, Brave got a call from her queen. He turned it on and it showed a holographic Nepgear.
"Hello, My Queen" Brave kneeled and greeted her queen.
"I assume Gehaburn is near you right now?" Nepgear asked.
"Yes, she's been treated right now, with Lady Arfoire and Mr. Warechu accompanying her.
"Good, then have you, Gehaburn, Arfoire, and Warechu meet us later up in the production factory in Midgard City at 4 PM" Nepgear ordered.
"...Is it that time?" Brave asked for confirmation.
"Yes indeed, we'll be having some new family members," Nepgear said with a smile.
To Be Continued
(-)
Finally, this chapter is done. Hope I did this one well enough since it took me some time.
If you're reading this, thank you and wait patiently for the next chap.
See you!