Author's Note
Hello, everyone! Welcome back to Love in Time of Heresy! This is the first chapter in the year 2020! Wow, aren't we all excited! Sorry for making you all wait, but I hope you all had a great start of a new year. School have started back up for me, so updates will be the exact same as always. I'll update whenever I finish a chapter. That's my rule for my fics.
With that said, let's continue the story! If you need a recap, just re-read the last chapter. You're memory will come back. Anyways enjoy!
DISCLAIMER: Hyperdimension Neptunia belongs to the wonderful companies of Idea Factory and Complie Heart.
Planeptune, Gamindustri
Place: Basilicom
Date: August 25, 2019
Time: 5:01 P.M
Uni, Rom and Ram sat in Nepgear's room playing on the Wii. The three candidates had been playing Super Smash Bro ever since the portal accident. Uni was busy ferociously spamming the buttons on the controller as she glared at the TV screen. Rom and Ram both began to feel annoyed whenever Uni beat them up.
"This is no fun!" Ram finally announced as she dropped the controller. "You keep winning Uni."
"What? I'm just playing the game," she mumbled.
"Miss Uni? Are you feeling alright?" Rom asked. "You look kind of mad…"
"Hmph! I'm not mad!" Uni crossed her arms as she pouted.
"You're just upset that Nepgear's gone," stated Ram.
"What? No! It's not like care about her," Uni denied. "I'm just worried that she'll cause trouble for other people. You know how clumsy and dense she can be."
"Miss Nepgear will be alright, Miss Uni," assured Rom. "She's a big girl after all."
Uni huffed, "I just wish she'd tell us before actually leaving us."
"Well, she actually got transported to the other dimension by accident. Not like she actually left us," corrected Ram. "Like you said, Nepgear's is a big clumsy-head."
"A bit too clumsy for my liking."
Rom let out a giggle. "I-It's cute that you're worried about Miss Nepgear when you say you don't care."
Uni blushed as she stuttered, "I-I-I don't!"
"Oh quit being a tsundere, Uni," Ram said.
"I'm not!" Uni yelled. "Stop acting like how Neptune treats my big sister!"
"Speaking of your sister, I hope Miss Noire is alright," Rom voiced.
"Yeah, didn't she and Neptune get into a big fight?" Ram asked.
Uni sighed, "Yeah…" She looked out the window to see the orange sky. "It's getting late, and she's been out for a while, but Blanc said she has everything under control."
"Ya think Neptune's worried too?" Ram questioned.
"Well, she should be since it's her fault," Uni grumbled.
"I-I hope they m-make up soon," said Rom.
"Me too…" Uni sighed. "Me too, Rom."
Planeptune, Gamindustri, Other dimension
Place: Basilicom
Date: July 21, 1998
Time: 5:01 P.M
"Neptune hasn't came out from her room…" Nepgear said as she held the baby in her arms.
"After what happened yesterday, I'd assume she'd be there for awhile," said Noire.
"Someone should go talk to her," suggested Plutia.
"Good idea, Plutia!" voiced Nepgear.
The two Planeptune girls turned their heads to look at Noire. The black goddess felt two pairs of eyes gazing at her and she made eye contact with them. She blinked and pointed to herself that made both Plutia and Nepgear nodded.
"Why me?!"
"Because you look like her girlfriend!" reasoned Plutia. "It might cheer her up!"
"But I'm not her girlfriend!" Noire said as she blushed.
"Please, Noire," Nepgear begged.
She groaned, "Fine."
The CPU grumbled as she walked to the guest room that Neptune stayed in. She knocked on the white door and tried the doorknob to find it unlocked. She entered the room, and found Neptune curled up on the bed. Noire sighed and closed the door behind her.
"Neptune, how long are you gonna mope?" she questioned.
Neptune didn't say anything as she hugged her pillow closer to her.
Noire sighed as she sat down at the edge of the bed. "Look, I know your upset because your girlfriend broke up with you-"
Neptune sat up as she snapped, "She didn't break up with me!"
Noire crossed her arms and stated, "You sure act like she did."
The waterworks started again and tears fell from her purple eyes. "S-She didn't… s-she w-would never… Waaaaaaaaah!"
"Okay, okay! I'm sorry! She didn't break up with you!" Noire wasn't good with situations like these. She always knew how to make Plutia happy, but she doesn't know how to handle someone when they're heartbroken.
"This is all my fault…" Neptune mumbled. "What was wrong with me? How can I ever hate my Noire? Why would I even say that? How can I just snap at her like that!?"
Noire huffed, "It happens, doesn't it? People say things all the time when they get upset. Even if it's something you don't mean."
"But I would never do that!" claimed the purple goddess. "Or so I thought…" Neptune bit her lower lip as her tears silently fell. "I-If I thought about how Noire felt, then… then maybe we wouldn't have had that fight."
"But it's normal to fight, it would be weird to not fight in a relationship."
Neptune murmured, "We do fight, but never like that…"
"Well, there's a first for everything. If your girlfriend is anything like me, she'll get over it soon enough."
"Really? You think so?" Neptune really hoped that Noire was right. She would do anything to fix what she broke. She didn't want to lose Noire, she'd do anything to prevent that. Now that there was a chance her relationship with Noire might be in jeopardy, she wanted to go back to patch things up. It would be even better if she could turn back time, though.
Noire smirked as she voiced, "I know so, now stop sulking and get off the bed. Plutia and your sister are both really worried."
Neptune smiled, "Thanks, Noire."
"Of course, I mean…" Noire glanced away as she blushed. "We're… We're friends, right?"
Neptune squealed, "Oh! In any dimension, your expressions are always so cute!" She wrapped her arms around Noire's waist out of joy.
"H-Hey! Watch those hands!" Noire's face turned bright red as her heart began to pound.
Neptune released Noire and leaped off of the bed. "Alright! Let's get some shares so I can get back to my sweetheart!"
Noire let out a sigh of relief as she tried to control her blush. Lately, her heart would go wild whenever she was with Neptune. Stop it, Noire, you know she already has a girlfriend. She thought to herself.
One that just broke up with her. A part of her mind reminded her.
They didn't break up! Noire shot back at that part of herself.
Well, even if they didn't, they're still far away from each other and it's been years, who knows what will happen in the future? That part of her mind pointed out and Noire mentally groaned in disgust at herself.
"GRR!" Noire growled and tried to ignore that voice in her head. It was stupid to even have this kind of conversation with herself. But, she had to wonder why she was even feeling this way, or why she had those thoughts about trying to steal Neptune away from her other self. I thought I only felt this way around… The image of a certain other Planeptune Goddess entered her mind and Noire sighed, wondering what was going on with her.
Planeptune, Gamindustri
Place: Western Border
Date: August 25, 2019
Time: 6:43 P.M
Noire had flown all the way to Planeptune's Western borders. In her current emotional state, she just didn't want to be anywhere that might have reminded her of Neptune. She was currently sitting under a large tree on a hill with her arms wrapped around her knees. She couldn't even remember how long she had been sitting there, but she could tell that it had been awhile from the sunset.
'I hate you.'
Those words reverberated in her mind and she broke down crying, yet again. Ever since she left the Basilicom, the tears hadn't stopped flowing and every time she thought they were done, those hateful words rushed back into her mind. As it was, she didn't want anyone to see her, at least not until she had gotten her composure back.
Sniffling some more, Noire buried her head into her knees. She just didn't know what to do anymore. I fucked up. Noire thought to herself, knowing it was true. "After all that... Neptune… Why?" She whispered, wondering why she said all those hateful things to Neptune and why she let her emotions get the better of herself.
"I'm so fucking stupid." Noire groused. "Neptune, no, why… WHY?!" She screamed into her legs, the sound being muffled by them as she yelled her hatred towards herself out. Her heart hurt so much, her throat burned, her stomach charred in an uncomfortable way and her eyes stung with tears. "Sometimes... Sometimes I wish I didn't care so much about you." She whispered as she thought about her girlfriend.
"No..." Noire shook her head. "Ex-girlfriend… Neptune has to hate me now." She whispered and trembled.
"So this is where you are. I didn't think you were this close to my border."
Noire lifted her head and blinked away the tears to see Green Heart in the air with her purple wings. She landed down in front of her and released her HDD, turning back to her human self. Noire sniffled and wiped the remainder of her tears. "V-Vert… What are you doing here?"
"Blanc called me," she answered. "She looked all over Planeptune for you. She asked me for a little help when she couldn't find you."
"I must've worried her," Noire mumbled.
"You have been gone for a little over two hours, so yes. She is worried." Vert sat down next to Noire and leaned back against the tree.
"I heard what happened from Blanc. A little trouble in paradise, I presume?"
Noire didn't look at Vert, not wanting the other Goddess to see her tear stained cheeks, instead she stared off into the horizon of the lush green hills. "Something like that…"
Vert giggled, "You've always fought with Neptune over the silliest of things, but you two always make up right after. Your love is one of the most purest I've seen."
"Well looks like you were wrong," Noire grumbled. "Because Neptune hates me…"
"But didn't she apologize?"
"She can apologize for as long as she wants, but now I know how she really feels about me…" Noire curled up even more as she hid her face between her knees and arms. "She doesn't love me one bit!" Noire hiccuped as she cried. "She said it herself! She hates me!"
Vert sighed as she gently patted Noire's head. Blanc wasn't kidding… I have never seen Noire this upset… The Goddess figured that Noire would immediately regret what she did and make amends with Neptune, but it seemed like her insecurities ran a lot deeper than Vert thought. It makes sense when all of Neptune's new friends look exactly like us, Vert thought to herself. She realized that Noire probably just needed to let some steam out and voice all her worries and concerns, but Neptune obviously took it the wrong way. Vert felt pity for her poor friend and pulled the girl to her chest, hoping to give her some comfort.
Noire yelped when she was suddenly pulled into a tight hug that she wasn't expecting. "V-Vert! What are you doing!?" she shrieked as her already reddened cheeks turn even redder.
"It's okay to openly cry," said Vert as she rubbed Noire's back. "Whatever happens stays between you and me, so it's okay to let it all out."
Noire stopped struggling as she looked at Vert's sympathetic face. "R-Really?"
Vert nodded. "I'll be right here for as long as you need, so just cry your heart out."
Noire's lip trembled as the tears began to fall again. She wrapped her arms around Vert as she gave in to her pain. She openly cried, letting out all her bottled emotions. She clung tightly to Vert as her tears stained her green dress. The blonde Goddess didn't mind the tears and snot as she cradled the black CPU.
"It's alright now. Just release all that sadness onto me," Vert whispered.
"I'm sorry! I'm sorry, Neptune!" Noire cried out. "I'm sorry for being a terrible person! I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry for being a terrible girlfriend!"
Vert closed her eyes as she pressed her chin above Noire's head. She didn't say anything, instead she listened. Every Goddess knew that Noire tended to keep her problems to herself, but even the strongest of Goddesses couldn't keep all her emotions bottled up forever. Vert was used to Blanc voicing her problems to her, so this was no different. Vert might have been the youngest of the four CPUs, but she treated everyone as if they were her younger sisters, because at heart, even through all the rivalry and competition, Blanc, Neptune and Noire were like family to her. Something she decided to treasure with her heart for as long as she lived.
What seemed like an hour, but was actually just a few minutes, Noire finally calmed down, but she wasn't ready to leave the embrace just yet. Vert never stop rubbing soothing circles against Noire's back as she watched the clouds move above her.
After a few more minutes had passed, Vert finally voiced, "How are you feeling now?"
Noire sniffled and tested her voice, "A-A lot better now… T-Thank you…" Noire frowned when her throat felt dry from all the crying. She cried so much that the tears had finally stopped, but she still felt somewhat bitter.
"Just so you know, Noire. Even as rivals, we are still your friends. Blanc and I are always here to listen if there is something you can't say to even Neptune."
Noire smiled, and it felt nice to smile again after all the sorrow and pain she had been feeling. "I feel stupid… I let my insecurities get the better of me, and said all those terrible things to Neptune…"
"We all can blow a fuse like that sometimes."
"I was just so scared that Neptune might like that other Noire than me… I was so scared that she would never come back to me… and now…" Noire felt like she would cry again, but no tears came. "After what happened, she actually might not…"
Vert giggled, "Neptune isn't the type of person to abandon you or her friends. She loves everyone here on Gamindustri, especially you Noire. You must not doubt your love."
"I love her so much that it hurts, Vert…" Noire whimpered.
The green CPU nodded. "I know. And I'm sure Neptune knows that as well, better than me or Blanc."
Noire sniffled as she pulled away from Vert's arms. "I need to apologize…"
Vert pushed Noire's bangs aside to see those strong confident eyes again. "I think that's the best course of action."
"Thank you, Vert, and I'm also sorry…" Noire looked down at Vert's chest to see a blotch of wet stains.
Vert looked down to where Noire was staring and chuckled, "Oh, don't worry about it. I have plenty of dresses back at home."
Noire grinned, "You've really changed from back then…"
"Well, after being around you all, I've learned how to love with my heart." Vert touched her chest as she thought about how much she had grown in the past year. "What happened in my past can never be erased, but I want to fix my mistakes starting with my dear friends that I hold close. As friends and rivals, you're also family to me. And nothing in life can ever replace the three of you."
"I feel the same, Vert. You're also like family," said Noire. "Even if I still hate you slightly," she added.
Vert couldn't help but giggled, "Siblings do tend to fight, so I won't hold it against you if you hate me. Especially what I did to you. That was wrong of me."
"The past is in the past now. We must move forward, and I will do just that. I can't always stay sad over what I did. I should take a page from your book and learn to fix my mistakes too."
Vert nodded and smiled at her. "That sounds good to me."
"I should return to the basilicom, Histoire and Blanc must be worried."
"I'll escort you. I also need to tell Blanc that I found you. She must still be looking."
"It's actually really late." Noire noticed how the sky was dusted with the colors of purple, orange and pink. "I'm sorry for causing everyone trouble."
"What are friends for? Why don't we all stay in Planeptune for the night. We haven't had a game night in awhile."
Noire grinned, liking the idea. "That would be nice."
"Then let's hurry back. Those games won't play themselves."
Noire and Vert both activated their HDD and took to the air towards the city. Green Heart contacted Blanc along the way to tell her that they were headed towards the Basilicom for a game night.
The chewing out that Blanc gave them made them both laugh, especially when they could tell Blanc wasn't upset at them and was just yelling out of habit.
Author's Note
That's all I got for now. This chapter was to show how far the relationship between Vert and Noire has come since the incident in Love in Time of War. I know some people aren't happy with what happen with chapter 9, but that's how I planned it, so you'll just have to deal with it. Also, I refuse to have Ultra Noire and Neptune be together. That's the only spoilers I'm giving to any of you. I forbib any Ultra Noire x Neptune shippers to be born from my fanfic! The only reason I made Ultra Noire slowly fall for Neptune is for another reason! So don't start getting any ideas! I will forever be a Hyper Noire x Neptune shipper! NepNowa forever!
With that said, I'll see you all in the next chapter.
-Shiena
