A/N: It's a belated Christmas special! Enjoy!

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It was the holiday season in Gamindustri. A time where many citizens across all four nations would drop all biases and pretenses against each other, come together and celebrate the festivities and the winter season. No holiday would ever bring Gamindustri closer as much as Pongsmas, and its sense of unity wasn't just on the citizens. The CPUs, the Candidates and even the Oracles got with the jolly attitude and celebrated in their own, unique ways.

In Planeptune, the entire Basilicom had been decorated with at least one million lights to cover its vast structure, and it was a trial for Purple Heart to set them all up, hours spent wrapping lights around the massive tower just to form the lights in the shape of her insignia, showering the nation a brilliant glow of red and green.

Of course, she was left with the massive electric bill by a less than pleased Histoire ("No borrowing from the Basilicom's money savings either!"), but gosh darn it just looked so great!

Lowee had the advantage of being in a perpetual state of winter, making it easy for their people to get festive. White Heart had done her part by axing a large tree from the forest and placing it in the center of the town square, allowing her younger sisters to decorate it with various ornaments, dressed as elves during the whole thing. She even made Mina and C-Sha dress as the Saint himself and hand out games and toys to the less fortunate kids in her nation.

In Leanbox, it was the complete opposite weather situation. With their ever constant summer weather and humidity, it was hard to get into Pongsmas, but Green Heart had managed it anyway. Through the power of spirit, determination and MMOs, the CPU had held a massive holiday event online, spreading the cheer with tens of thousands of her devoted followers. Chika had taken a page from Lowee's Oracle and dressed as the Saint to promote the event, though it looked less like an actual outfit and more like a thin beach bikini that attracted a lot of boys and girls of 'not so innocent' ages..

The Oracle had tried to get S-Sha to wear the same thing and parade around town with her, but the woman chucked a chicken leg at her head and went about her merry way.

Even in Lastation, something like Pongsmas wasn't lost on the so called 'busy bodies', their celebrations were just more reserved compared to the others. Decorations were never very outwardly, the only real significant feature of the holiday spirit across the nation was a huge, plastic tree out in the front of the Basilicom. There was no dressing up or decorating the outside of the house with lights and ornaments, most displays were kept on the inside, which was a perfect fit for Lastation as a whole.

Black Heart herself had still given the holiday proper acknowledgment, and by 'acknowledgement' that meant a passing reference on her official Chirper account. It's not that she didn't want to go out and celebrate the festive season with her companions, it was just that… well, t-there was a lot of work to be done on the holidays! Pongsmas was as hectic as it was joyous, so there were important things that needed her attention! T-That's all!

… Of course, she told herself that as she paced aimlessly around her bedroom, struggling to think of what she could buy for someone very special to her, and possibly on the verge of a panic attack because of it.

It was Pongsmas Eve, the day before the big one. Noire had already bought and settled Uni's presents in the closet, Kei's gift was small enough to fit in her desk drawer, and K-Sha… well, she definitely wasn't going to buy a bridal dress anytime soon, so a gift card would have to suffice.

Shopping for her family, and by extension her coworkers, was easy enough. However, when it came to her 'special someone', Noire hadn't anticipated it to be so challenging, so… difficult!

That someone was Neptune, the one and center of her affections and current troubles. There was a twisted sense of irony to it all, that the easiest and most approachable girl she knew was the hardest to shop for.

It wasn't that Neptune had been particularly vague or strict about what she wanted for Pongsmas Day. By all accounts, you could buy her a slab of wood, slap a bow on it and she'd appreciate it just as much as any other present you'd give her.

Of course, therein lied the problem. Neptune never valued anything material more than she valued her friends and family, and while that was a good quality to have, it put her girlfriend in a bind. Neptune would never want to devalue anyone, it was one of the reasons why she maintained so many good friends throughout the years, and all the while she would be humble about anything sent her way. It was who she was.

Noire knew she was probably overthinking it. She could get Neptune anything and get the same amount of praise and love from her. However, that was exactly the reason why she was stressing over it. As her girlfriend, Noire felt it was necessary that whatever she gifted would stand out from the rest. As always, she wanted to strive for greatness and make Neptune as happy as possible.

Knowing Neptune, she would likely joke that Noire was over-stressing and should just relax, like always. Well, it wasn't her fault that Neptune was so damn… kind! And nice! Ugh!

With a huff and a shake of her fists, Noire slumped on her bed. Nothing she could think of could work out. Pudding? She had that at least ten times a day. Jewelry? Neptune never had a very keen fashion sense. A video game?

That last one made Noire groan into a pillow.

"Lady Noire?"

"Gah?!" Noire jumped at the sudden voice and accidentally threw her pillow.

"Ah!" The source of the voice reacted fast, catching the pillow from the… window sill she had perched herself on top of. Noire sat up, blinked, then recognized the figure. "Oh… Marvelous. Hi. Sorry."

"It's alright." The bubbly shinobi, always wearing the uniform that looked like it was about to burst from her large breasts, smiled easily and hopped off the window, landing gracefully on her feet. Cloaked over her shoulder were several outfits. "I didn't mean to disturb you, but I've brought the holiday cos- outfits as you requested."

"Ah, excellent." Noire smiled and clapped her hands together. "Put them on the bed. Nobody saw you, did they?"

"Nope! I'm a shinobi, through and through! Nobody could ever trace the purchases back to me." As she said that, she set the clothes down as Noire had said. "That remind me, I need pay a visit Kasumi's Secret later. Tam is gonna love the gift cards I'm getting her, she's been looking for new underwear for a while…"

"Tamsoft? I didn't know she shopped there…" Noire mumbled, having never been to the shop herself due to its… compromising contents.

"Well, not exactly. I do all of the shopping for her, since it's embarrassing for her to be there." She smiled bashfully, as if feeling the embarrassment for her friend. "But she loves the lacy lingerie, especially the thongs, so its been my humble duty as her friend to pick it all out for her. Of course, I've been trying to get her to come with me, the employees are very nice, if a bit… touchy…"

"...Okay…" Noire didn't really want to know the story behind those words, so it was fortunate that a new idea came to her head so soon. "Hey, Marvelous, can I ask you something?"

"Hm? Sure, what is it?"

"Well… you're pretty good friends with Neptune, right? Say, uh… s-say… Well, if, by some random chance you were considering buying a gift for her, what, uh, what would you… buy her?"

Marvelous gave her the blankest stare she'd ever seen, which did nothing to help the blush she had formed during that sentence. She blinked once, twice, three times before a smile grew on her face.

"Oh. Oh. I see…" Marvy put her hand to her chin and stroked it thoughtfully. "Well, I actually already bought Neppy a gift. It's a coupon for a free weeks worth of pudding from the Wiley Woonka Factory! She'll love it for sure."

"Of course she will, she's Neptune…" Noire sighed.

"Is there… something wrong, Lady Noire?" Marvelous tilted her head in questioning.

"Ugh… it's stupid, it's really stupid…" She shook her head. "L-Look, I'm trying to buy a gift for Neptune, right? B-But… well, I just want it to… mean something. I don't want her to look at it and go "Oh, this is nice. Thanks!" because that's what she would say about everything! I mean, I know she just wants to make us all feel good, but… ugh! I just want to make it stand out!"

"Hm… I see, I see…" Marvelous nodded in understanding. "You want to make something special for Neppy, but you're confused because she values everyone equally."

"Mmm…" Noire didn't answer directly, but it was all the confirmation Marvelous needed.

"Well, I can say this much. I'm around Neptune a lot, and she talks about you all the time. I know she likes to value her friends, but you're more than a friend to her now. You're someone special to her, and I can guarantee you think about her as much as she talks about you."

Noire blushed intensely. "Y-You don't… k-know that…"

Marvelous giggled. "Well, if you want my advice, I'll say this: If you want Neppy to really appreciate what you'll give her, try thinking of something from your heart. Something… personal."

"Personal?"

She nodded. "Think about it. I'll see you later, Lady Noire. I'm gonna meet up with Tam for lunch."

"Goodbye." Noire waved as the shinobi leaped out through her window, leaving her alone to ponder her thoughts and what she had said. "Something… personal…"

What would count as personal, though? Noire didn't really have anything material that she treasured more than anything (aside from her second closet, full of compromising things no one should ever see. She should really put these outfits away!) No family mementos, no special ring or priceless necklace she could give away. All she had was Uni, Kei, K-Sha ("I guess.") and herself. Unless Neptune was really clamoring for another sister or a stalker, Noire was kind of screwed.

"Ugh…" She wanted to just fall down flat on her face and slam her head against the floor. Why was this so hard?! Again, she went back to what Marvelous has said.

"Something personal…" What could she give Neptune that was personal? She didn't have anything worth that much. Nothing but her own body. "Something…"

Her body…

"...!"

When the realization finally struck the tsundere, the heat on her face could be equated to the surface of the sun. Could she… no… Was this what Marvelous had meant by personal?!

No, it couldn't be. She was overthinking, over analyzing the whole thing, There was no way she meant it like that, and there was no way Noire could even consider… t-that! It was too indecent! Obscene! Lewd! Out of the question!

"..."

Well…

Then again…

'No! Stop it! You can think of something else, you can…'

She wanted Neptune to know how much she loved her, how much she valued her. Their relationship so far had been… fluff, for lack of a better word. Not that Noire minded, but she knew Neptune, and Neptune was always a pervert. The comments she'd make, the glances she'd steal, the teasing and the instances of groping…

Now, she was thinking of giving Neptune that. Something more personal to her than anything in Gamindustri, her own body. Was she really willing to give that to Neptune? To surrender herself like that?

"..."

Well, Noire knew one thing. She had some shopping to do.

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It was Pongsmas Day! Tons of snow, tons of joy, cheer, festiveness and waking up before the sun rises to open presents!

… Okay, it wasn't snowing, and Neptune would be lying if she said that her friends were exactly joyful to get up at four in the morning, but they just didn't have the intense holiday spirit! Big her understood, and that's why she was dragging Uzume by her feet!

"Let me go, dammit!"

Against her will, of course, but was that detail so important?

What was important was that it was time to sit around the big, plastic tree and open presents! Neptune had gone out and bought everyone something they'd enjoy. A toolbox for Junior, a new megaphone for Uzume, a new sweater for older her, a gift card to Barnies and Noble for Histy, it all worked out!

Of course, she would've preferred it if all of her friends were here with them, unwrapping presents and having a (somewhat) pleasant time, but conflicting schedules are the worst! Well, she still got gifts from some of them. A sweet giftcard to the pudding factory, (Thanks, Marvy!), a new scabbard (Thanks, Falcom!) and brand new hair-clips, black colored! (Thanks, Cave!)

… Well, Pongsmas wasn't all about gifts in the long run, but they were still sweet gifts!

It was all well and dandy for a while. Junior had instantly went to her room when she got her new toys, Uzume busted big hers ear drums with the megaphone and Histy… stuck the card into her mouth and started browsing the website for book deals.

Okay…

Neptune herself was still waiting. It'd be hours before she'd show up, unless Noire suddenly decided that five in the morning was the prime time for getting up. Knowing her, she wouldn't get up until like eight. What a waste!

Well, she wasn't going to be doing anything relevant for a while. Time for a well place jump cu-

-Seven Hours Later-

"Neptune?"

"Noire!" Neptune threw her hands up excitedly and leaped off the couch, eagerly hugging the raven-haired beauty that had just came in through the door. "Good to see you! How you doing?"

"W-Wha? Get off me, dolt!" Noire was very quickly agitated, trying in vain to push the purplette off of her, but she'd have to try harder than that!

"Nuh-uh, you'll have to try harder than that~!" Neptune's tone turned a bit sing-songey as her hands went lower. "Or else Neppy is gonna get touchyyy…~"

"Stooooop!"

Doink!

"Ow!" Neptune recoiled when the ravenette suddenly bopped her on the head. She almost fell backwards, but Noire was holding her hand, so she stopped mid-fall, and was yanked up by the irritated girl. "That hurt, Noire! I was just playing around!"

"Y-You just don't go around grabbing girls butts like that!"

"You know you liked iiiiiit…~"

"You…! Ugh! Can we not do this right now? I came here for a reason…"

"Yeah yeah…" Neptune grinned, and backed away a bit. "I bought this a week ago, Cost a bit, but it's worth it for you. Here." Neptune reached into her pocket and pulled out a medium sized purple box with a red ribbon on it, and handed it to her.

Curiously, Noire took it and gracefully unwrapped the bow with one tug. Pausing for a second, Noire opened the box, and gasped.

It was a necklace, and on the center was a heart-shaped amulet, colored a glossy black. She could almost see her reflection off of it. She pulled it out of the box, letting it fall on the floor while she had the amulet rest on her palm. Her face was blank, but her eyes were showing dozens of emotions. She had noticed that the metal outlined around the amulet was colored purple. "Neptune…"

"Like that? Look what's inside it."

Noire did so. She had to squint a bit, but she caught the insignia of Lastation and Planeptune's national symbols gracefully merged together as one. It was flawless, so much so that Noire could swear it was made to look that way.

She gazed up at Neptune again, who was smiling brightly. "Whaddya think?"

"... I love it." She gave her the most genuine smile she could give, and wrapped the gift around her neck. "I'll never take it off, it's beautiful. It must have cost you a lot."

Neptune's smile turned bashful and she shrugged. "Yeah… but it's alright. Anything is priceless when it's for you."

Noire blushed, but her eyes were incredulous. "That has to be the cheesiest line I've ever heard."

"You bring me the cheese out of me, girl! I can't help that when you're here…" The purplette looked embarrassed herself, but she bounced back with her usual brightness quickly. "Now then! Show me your gift, I bet it'll be sweet!"

"... Ah." Noire's blush turned very intense, looking down and fidgeting her hands. After five seconds of staring intensely at the carpet, she glanced back up at Neptune. "C-Can we… c-can we do this i-in your… room?"

"Uhhh…" Neptune was a bit thrown off by the question. Her room? "Well, Nep. Jr. is in there messing with robots and drones. We can go to a guest room, if you-"

"That's perfect!"

"Wha- Nyah?!" Neptune was suddenly jerked by Noire, who took them to one of the main hallways and shoved her through the first door that was unlocked. It was a generic bedroom, with a queen-sized bed that Neptune fell on with the grace of a limp walrus. "Oof… Uuuu…" Neptune sat up and turned around, sitting on the edge of the bed and staring at Noire, who was standing directly behind the closed door. "Alright, what'd you wanna show me that involves both of us being in a room alone...?"

Neptune, being Neptune, already guessed one reason before the words finished leaving her mouth. Of course, she didn't say it outright. No way Noire would pull that out of her detached sleeves. Right?

"..." Noire was silent, and stared at the floor again, doing so for a few minutes. Neptune was about to comment why Noire found the floor so interesting, when an intense light suddenly enraptured the whole room. Neptune covered her eyes with her arms to avoid total blindness, and when she moved it down when the light died, she saw Black Heart.

That itself wasn't an unusual sight. What was unusual was, replacing Black Heart's outfit was… ribbons… Red ribbons that were wrapped around her nude body in a way that censored the enticing bits. And with the necklace she was wearing… Aaaaah…~

Black Heart was still blushing, but she gained enough confidence to look directly at Neptune, who shared a blush. "Y-You're present… is… m-me…"

Oh.

Ooooooh…

Black Heart ignored the face she was making, and went on. "I-I… I wanted to give you something s-special. I-I couldn't t-think of anything, but… but then I had an idea. I-I couldn't give you a-anything material you'd like, s-so I'm giving you… me. My body, my heart and my soul… is all yours. Take it."

Neptune looked like she was about to die of heat stroke. Black Heart wondered if she went too far too fast, but those thoughts were negated when she suddenly grinned, and a white light enveloped her. Floating in Neptune's place was Purple Heart, who wore her normal outfit unlike Black Heart.

"Well…~" Her deeper, more feminine voice oozed with an arousal that Black Heart didn't expect. She gulped when her love got closer to her, stopping inches between their bodies. "I certainly didn't expect something this bold from you. I love it…~" Her arm slid up to her neck, cradling the amulet between her fingers. "It looks just as good on you in this form. Although…" Her free hand tugged at the tie behind Black's back. She gasped when it came undone, the ribbon falling to her feet and leaving Lastation's Goddess bare before her. "I prefer it if it's the only thing on you…~"

Black Heart gulped, then yelped when Purple locked the door. She didn't know if she was ready for this…

Purple certainly was, and guided her to the bed. "What's say I enjoy my gift~?"

"... Y-Yeah…~" Black completely surrendered herself to Purple, hugging her and kissing her wildly. Purple only smirked, and laid her on the bed, beginning their love making at last…

A/N: And that's where I'm leaving it, because I didn't want this to be a smut and I'm an evil bastard. Regardless, I hope you enjoyed my first Neptune x Noire story on this archive. (Seriously, this is my first stab at a story for this pairing, and it only took four years!) I hope it was a decent attempt, because while I wanted to make stories about these two... all of the good settings were taken! So I ignored the most popular pairing in favor of more obscure pairings, but that era is over.

Speaking of obscure pairings, expect a one-shot about two gun lovers soon. (Hint, it's a smut.)

- Yuri