"So how about we stop wasting time and get the job finished already," Noire demanded of the other CPUs around her.
Nepgear turned and stepped forward while clasping her sword pointing its sharp tip towards the entrance of the cave, they were about to enter.
"Let's do this!"
"Good, I was getting tired of explaining this simple task to you all."
Noire was the next CPU to take steps towards the cave with Uni meekly following behind. Vert, Blanc, Rom, and Ram followed shortly after.
As the looming hole into the side of the mountain grew closer to Nepgear her heart began beating faster with each step she took. The darkness made it almost impossible to see much further than a hundred feet into the massive cave.
She wondered what dangers could be inside this mysterious cave that had recently appeared. Noire told her and the others that she had sent a large group of what she thought was highly competent soldiers to scout out the interior, but they hadn't returned in over a week.
Nepgear's curiosity would soon be sated as a roof of rock was soon above her head before the ice cold and damp breeze greeted her deeper into the mouth of the mountain.
Her feet came to a halt well inside the almost completely flat stone surface of her destination. Noire arrived a few seconds later, Uni trailing close behind.
Nepgear turned over her right shoulder looking to Noire and then Uni, the two quickly exchanged smiles while the rest of the Cpu's arrived.
Ram excitedly sprang into the cave, ready to explore.
"Rom hurry up, I want to see what's inside already!"
Rom giggles. "Coming!"
With Rom and Ram now running carefree into the pitch black void deeper inside a worried Blanc called out to them.
"Get back here right now! It's dangerous to run into the unknown!"
Ram stops after a few steps when she heard Blanc speak. She turned around and looked straight at Blanc with a defiant smile.
"Well, Noire said she wanted us to finish this quickly so I'm gonna."
Blanc scowled at her little sister as her teeth began to grit.
"Well if you don't come back here right now I'm gonna finish you quickly!"
"Fine, I'll wait for now."
Ram crosses her arms and lets out a sigh. Rom waited for someone to give her something to do as she saw Nepgear begin to speak.
"Um, can someone turn on their flashlight so we can see whats in here better?"
"Of course. I brought the largest flashlight and stored it in the largest chest."
"How could yo-"
Oh that chest, she thought.
Vert's right hand swiftly came to her own cleavage. Plunging into the depths of her pride and joy, she grabs hold of the object she desired. There was a short struggle to wedge the flashlight free from its place before it was launched upwards.
"Ah, here it is! Made in Leanbox of course."
Vert was not exaggerating when she said the flashlight was large. The lens itself was bigger than the size of a large bowl. But that wasn't the strangest part. Under the bulky lens area, the thin body extended downwards making it look like a short spear without a sharp tip.
While nearly everyone else was confused how she hid that when it was so big, Rom and Ram were dazzled. It definitely beat their standard size flashlights in how cool it was.
"Wow," they said in unison.
Blanc just had to ask.
"Why do you even need such a large flashlight? Have fun trying to get through any small places."
"You wouldn't understand what it's like to enjoy having large things, Blanc." Vert looked at the girl boiling with rage and smirked.
Blanc's face contorted to the point all you could see was the anger about to be let loose. Her breathing became more strained by the second.
Noire growing impatient with the situation decided to turn her flashlight on first. She moved the light over to Vert and Blanc's eyes getting their attention away from each other.
"If you're done with your silly argument I'd like to be back at the Basilicom within the next two hours."
Vert pressed the power button on her flashlight emitting an intense beam of light from the lens.
"I'd like to be back at mine as well. Farming legendary drops doesn't happen by itself you know."
Soon multiple rays of light were scanning the ground and walls ahead of them.
A massive wall of stone with three large oval openings was all there was to be seen of note.
Nepgear decided to point out the obvious.
"There are three holes in the wall up ahead. Should we go through one?"
Uni decided to instigate an investigation.
"Me and you could go take a look through the middle one first if you want."
"Yeah, sure!"
Uni pointed her flashlight towards the middle opening and ran up to it with Nepgear.
"Don't go into any of them, just look!" Noire called out.
"Will do!"
Nepgear stood at the middle of the opening gripping her sword with both hands ready for combat. Mainly because she forgot to bring her own flashlight.
Using the light Uni was providing they had a pretty good idea there was nothing much in there so she loosened her grip on the hilt of her weapon.
Uni called out to give a status report.
"Nothing in here but a path leading into more darkness."
"Same over here!" Noire called out. "Vert, what's inside the opening over there?"
"Nothing at all but a descending path!"
"Alright everybody gather near the middle opening!"
Once everyone had gathered Noire announced her plan.
"We're going to split up into three groups and investigate each one separately."
Blanc lets out a concern.
"Wouldn't that be too dangerous?"
"We're Goddesses and I want to be done with this as soon as possible. We can handle whatever we face fine."
"What will the groups be?"
Nepgear already had an idea in mind.
"Can me an-"
Noire interjects. "I already have groups planned out. Uni and I will take the right side, you and Vert take the middle, Blanc and the Twins will take the left. "
"Oh, okay... Sounds great!" Accidentally Nepgear let her tone of speaking sound sad.
Going with Vert is fun too, she thought.
Noire and Uni walked off from the group without any parting words.
"We're going to be the first ones to clear out anything in our path don't you think?" Uni confidently questioned.
"As long as they don't get lucky and you do your job well we should."
"Of course I'll do my job well! I've been practicing combat a lot lately, haven't you noticed?"
A couple seconds of silent walking proceeded while Noire tried to recall Uni ever saying anything about her practice.
"Uh, of course I have. You did... above average."
Perking up in response to her sisters words Uni's Bubbly voice echoes loudly.
"Wow, you think so? I did... above average? Did you watch the whole video? What was your favorite part?"
"Uh, my favorite part?"
What video was she talking about? Thinking back over her previous interactions with her sister she finally recalled an encounter during work when Uni came in to leave an envelope on her desk. The envelope had written on the front in purple marker: "Uni training montage, directed by Nepgear and Produced by Neptune." After seeing that she didn't even bother watching it when she had so much work left. She couldn't believe something Neptune was involved in contained anything important to Uni.
"My favorite part had to be when..."
Uni's mouth was slightly open with her two hands held close together by her chest. Her wide red eyes staring at her big sister waiting for a response.
Wow, there might have been more good parts then i thought if it's taking her this long to think of one!
Noire fully have thought out a good enough lie to tell her sister decided to try it out.
"You know that part where you're holding a sword up high ready to attack that... ghost guy?
"I sure do!"
"Then when your sword moved somewhat efficiently so that he only withstood a few attacks without HDD?"
"Yeah!"
"Well that was my favorite part, i guess."
A relieved Noire took a deep breath. I've never been so happy ghosts existed before. I better watch that tape when i get back before she asks more in-depth questions.
"I'll make sure to keep defeating those ghosts don't worry!"
"Yeah, you do that. But, make sure to pay attention to stuff, you know."
"Yeah, I think I can pay more attention to stuff." Uni falls deep into thought trying to think of what she can pay more attention to. Her head tilted as her concentration intensified.
Finally, that was over with I hope she doesn't get cocky after such praise.
The deeper into the underground tunnels they progressed the worse the heat became. Sweat began pouring down from the two sisters. Walking soon became a grueling, uncomfortable task. Breathing was even becoming a struggle.
There hadn't even been a sign of anything at all in the past 20 minutes of walking. The darkness and surrounding walls of stone seemed to stretch on forever. The only new thing seemed to be a bump in the ground from uneven stone once in a while until now.
A distant voice could faintly be heard. It's very existence sent chills down Noire's spine.
"Nep, Nep."
Oh no... could it be? She was convinced at this point her increasing heart thumps could be heard as clearly as the Neps. Please don't let this really be happening. Neptune couldn't be down here, right? An uncontrollable shaking spread throughout her body.
"Nep, Nep."
Being unable to contain her frustration and anger any longer she couldn't help but scream.
"Neptune come here right now! This is not funny!"
Uni stepped back startled by Noire's sudden scream.
"Neptune is here? How did you know?"
"Listen closely! You can hear the darkness speak to you. And it speaks Nep, Nep."
After 10 seconds of listening, she could not hear what her sister described.
"There it is again! Uni can you hear it now?" Noire's voice was more irritated and strained than before.
"I can't hear a thing."
I couldn't possibly be going deaf right? She was soon becoming just as panicked as her sister.
At the edge of darkness ahead a person appeared. The flashlight from Noire lightly illuminating her.
Purple hair with gamepads in it, even a hoodie. It has to be her.
A drawn-out yawn sounding just like Neptune came from the person. "You sure are a slowpoke Noire! I've been from here to the exit in 12 minutes easily. I even take pudding breaks."
Stepping forward with her left hand clenched into a fist, words of intimidation were spoken to Neptune.
"Have you ever seen the inside of a Lastation prison? I'll make sure to escort you there and all your meals will be mushed just like your beloved pudding! So how about you come over here?"
"Despite having a light shined directly into my eyes i can guess just how mad you are so... I'll pass. See ya, I'm gonna go nap or something." Neptune turned around and ran off into the darkness without any light source.
"Wait, you were the one to caused this cave to appear weren't you?"
Hearing her get further away Noire raised her voice louder than before. "Get back here, you're not going to nap in the damn caves unless you're knocked unconscious!"
Uni, completely puzzled, watched as her sister ran deeper into the passage while locked into an argument with an invisible Neptune.
"What're you doing? Come back!"
Beginning to run after her sister she is stopped by a hand placed on her shoulder.
"Uni, wait!" The voice of Nepgear spoke to her. But, why would Nepgear be here? She turned around to confirm it really was the Planeptune Candidate only to be shocked as she saw the kind purple eyes of hers.
The tall purple haired little sister of Neptune covered her eyes using her shoulder.
"Ah, Uni could you not shine the flashlight in my eyes please?"
"Sorry, but don't go grabbing people from behind next time, stupid."
She quickly readjusted the flashlight downwards.
"What are you doing here, I thought you were with Vert? Were you following us the whole time? How did you catch up to us? Also, why is Neptune here, I thought she was staying home?"
