Enjoy this day while it lasts – for when the sun falls, this world will know light no longer.

Noire awoke with a start, her chest heaving as breaths came with great difficulty. Her heart was pounding as fast as it could, and her face felt hot as fire as it no doubt blushed with the power of a thousand suns. She found it difficult to process the image before her as real, eyes darting about, her mind still struggling to cross the threshold into awareness.

A few moments of peace did much to calm her nerves. She sat up, giving a stretch and a yawn. Golden light met her sight through the curtain across from the bed – the birds chirping their songs outside heralded a new dawn upon the world. Noire had always been an early riser. Yet, she had rarely felt so refreshed. The shadows slowly being dismissed by sunlight, the stillness of the morning air, and even the chill that met her nose with each breath contributed to an almost meditative state. Normally, she would be jumping up to begin her daily routine, and her legs did indeed itch to get moving. Today, though…

Something nagged at her. The smile that had unconsciously formed on her face fell.

Noire looked to her side and almost jumped out of her skin when she saw Neptune lying there, the sleeping goddess' snores filling the air.

Then, she remembered.

Neptune!

That was what she wanted to scream, at least. Instead, she simply remained silent, eyes intently focused on this enigma beside her. Even when lost in the clutches of dreams, Neptune managed to make a racket. It was a wonder that Noire had been able to sleep at all. Indeed, it was a wonder that Noire found herself here now, the companion of a ball of noise and stupidity that somehow managed to consistently make a fool of Lastation's perfect goddess.

Normally, Noire would groan in disgust – as she often did – at the thought that she would always be playing second fiddle to someone who treated life as a joke.

Normally, Noire would – if only briefly – entertain the idea that this would be an opportune moment to rid herself of a longtime enemy before anyone was the wiser.

Normally, a wistful smile would have formed at the memory of them crossing blades in battle for the first time – a moment lost in time to Neptune herself.

Today, though…

The goddess of Lastation could once again feel the urge to vent the confused mix of emotions within. Didn't this stupid girl know that there was more to life than lazing about every day? Didn't this stupid girl know that she had a whole nation of people who looked up to her? Didn't this stupid girl know that she hurt everyone who cared for her by ignoring them? Did this stupid girl even know that people did care for her?

Noire's awareness allowed several new observations into the fold. The first was that she was clenching her teeth together rather painfully – she should probably stop that. The second was that Neptune's snoring seemed to have trailed off. The third was that words were meeting her ears.

"Nepgear…"

Was Neptune mumbling in her sleep? Somehow, the words "mumbling" and "Neptune" didn't even seem like they belonged in the same sentence together.

"Nepgear…it's not too late to stop…you don't have to kill your big sis…"

Noire's eyebrow instantly shot up upon hearing this. What did someone like Planeptune's CPU dream about, anyway?

"Noire…"

"Hm?"

"Noire…why? Why did you do this?"

Noire felt a jolt shoot through her when Neptune's hand suddenly closed around her own.

"Noire…why did you make her kill her big sis?"

"I…er…" A cold sweat was forming upon Noire's brow, a dreadful chill sweeping through her body. She's only dreaming, but…what should I do?

Her question was answered when the death grip on her wrist grew limp. "It's okay, Noire. I forgive you. Nepgear forgives you. We all forgive you."

"For what?!"

It was then that Neptune gave a noisy yawn, limbs stretching out to their maximum length. She stopped when she felt her arm brush against something strange. A few blinks of those purple eyes later, and a broad smile was forming on her face. "Goooood morning, Noire. Watching me in my sleep, huh? That's very creepy and/or sexy of you! I wonder which angle you were going for?" A giggle. "If I know my Noire, I bet it was both! You sly devil and/or angel, you."

In the next moment, Noire was kicking her legs over the side of the bed.

"Leaving so soon?" A gasp. "Nepu! It's the dreaded Noire Cold Shoulder – the worst of all punishments from the Black-Hearted One Herself!"

"Go back to sleep. Histoire told me you don't even bother until noon."

For once, Neptune was left without a quip or a comment with which to lighten the mood. Those words had actually stung a little – and that measured-but-angry closing of the door lined her up for a two-hit combo that left her wondering just when Noire's tsundere heart had truly turned black.

You always know just how to make me upset.

The words came to mind unbidden. Had that been a dream?

What a stupid question.

These words, too, floated through without input. Noire shook her head, slapping a hand to her face and grasping with perhaps a little more force than was safe. Get a grip. You're the CPU of Lastation, not some angsty shounen protagonist.

You always know just how to make me upset.

The phrase repeated itself over and over despite her best efforts to control her thoughts, with each utterance digging deeper at the well of emotions buried within. Certainly, there was no denying the truth behind it – even being in Neptune's presence was enough to make Noire's blood boil at the same time that it made her heart flutter. Had it always been like this? She could hardly even remember a time when Neptune didn't cross her mind at least once a day.

"Hm. My writer sense is tingling – it tells me that somewhere over here can be found an anime character dealing with inner turmoil. How original."

Noire lifted her head to see a familiar face turning around the corner. "Blanc."

"Noire."

The two stared at one another for a time. They had never been much for words when they were not presented with a third party to break the ice. Each could sense the awkwardness brimming from the other, the long list of sentences too embarrassing to speak. Indeed, neither of them had given the other much presence of mind even when they were ostensibly friends – how many times had the goddesses gathered together for a night of fun, games, and flared tempers? A bit too many, perhaps, as Histoire might say.

"Histoire only does what she thinks is best for all of us."

Noire blinked a few times in surprise. "What – are you a mind reader now?"

"May I enter?"

It took a moment for the question to register. Noire managed what she hoped was a reassuring smile. "Ah…sure."

Blanc bowed before taking a step into the secretive little garden the Lastation CPU had stumbled upon on the outskirts of town. Something stopped her from sitting on the bench opposite of where Noire was seated, however. "Let me think. What could possibly ail the proud goddess of Lastation? Oh, I know – Neptune."

The urge for Noire to blurt out all of her troubles to a listening ear was a tempting one, but the "proud goddess" was too savvy to divulge such information to an enemy. And, besides – it would be a terrible blow to her pride.

"You were just thinking about how we might technically be friends. Now you're calling me an enemy. I almost feel offended. Almost."

"Gah! Stop doing that!" Noire rose to her feet, assuming her usual haughty stance, her smile having quickly turned into a challenger's glare. "What's your motive here? I can tell you want something."

"Oh? Is it not simply enough to want to talk to a friend?"

"No. You don't have friends."

"Speak for yourself."

Noire could definitely feel her teeth press together this time. How often did she do that, exactly? She'd soon start getting some stern words from her dentist at this rate. "Are you here just to make fun of me? Yes, it's true – I'm…not comfortable with Neptune." Her jaw clenched once again. Why did she even say that? Idiot.

Blanc raised a hand to her mouth in contemplation, her voluminous sleeve doing an excellent job of obscuring her face. "Have you considered talking to her about it?"

"Yes! I have! Countless times! And every time, she just laughs it off with some stupid joke!"

"I see. And have you thought about why, as you said, she makes you uncomfortable?"

"Of course! I—" Noire caught herself. "You already know these things. Why are you even bothering to ask?"

"Because it's fun."

The words struck a wound deep into Lastation's spirit, resonating with a kind of poisonous burn that only the truth could bring. Noire nearly yelled out another reply before stopping herself once again. Her hands were balling into fists, and she was forced to take a deep breath to let the anger flow away. Unfortunately, this only brought her to an even lower state, as evidenced by her frustrated sigh. "This is hopeless."

"'Hopeless?'"

A nod – and a step taken forward. "You know exactly what I mean. Being forced to be the butt of every joke for the rest of eternity…being forced to lose at every turn no matter how hard I try…being forced to fall in love with her, an idiot who can transform into a Mary Sue to solve all the problems she creates in the blink of an eye…"

"Ouch. Sounds tough. Also, that rhymed."

Noire could clearly feel the tears coming to her eyes, but there was little she could do to stop them. "So help me!"

"Help you? I thought I was the one who wanted something."

"You're a writer, aren't you? You have control over this story, don't you?! Change it! Make me fall in love with someone smart, and kind, and dashing, and…and…"

Blanc's gaze narrowed to a squint. "Who said that I have that kind of power?"

At this, Noire simply lowered herself slowly back to the bench, eyes cast downward at nothing in particular. Rarely had Lady Noire ever looked so defeated. "I guess I'm stuck with her, then, huh?"

"Just as much as she's stuck with you."

Noire merely continued to contemplate the grass at her feet. Around her was an oasis in a land of dying memories, a place where nature grew freely while its caretakers grew ever more neglectful. Soon enough, this garden would no longer be recognizable as a place once tended to by human hands.

The goddess reached down to pluck a flower that stood out among the rest of the foliage – almost any florist would be able to recognize it as a weed despite its beauty. She gave it a wistful look, twirling it to and fro in her fingers.

"I suppose a politically-arranged marriage could work in our favor…but I don't know if Lastation's people – my people – would be happy about it. Or Histoire, for that matter. I know I wouldn't be, although Uni and Nepgear…" A quiet giggle came from Noire. "I guess I'm a little jealous at how well they get along. I'm so used to going it alone that the idea of Uni growing up with a friend seems strange to me. Then again, the idea of having a sister is still so new to me – sometimes I wonder if I'm setting the right example for her."

Noire blinked away an errant tear before tossing aside her flower with an absent-minded gesture. A sigh followed while Noire propped her head upon a hand.

"I just…can't see myself standing beside Neptune, no matter how many times I picture it…" A groan. "…And no matter how many times I see others picture it. Maybe this is one of those moments where I'll look back on myself in a hundred years and think about how much of an idiot I was. Or…maybe I'll realize that I was right."

As her vision focused back to the world around her, she became aware that she was still in the presence of another. She gave Blanc a shy glance.

"Am I just an idiot? Is there some redeeming side to Neptune that I'm simply not seeing?"

The expression on Blanc's face was unreadable, but her gaze was practically burning a hole through the goddess of Lastation.

"Blanc?"

There was no answer. Noire rose to her feet slowly, cautiously. What thoughts were boiling within Lowee's CPU? Was she about to explode into rage, as she often did? Noire took a step forward, every muscle tensed and ready to jump.

"Blanc? Is something wrong?"

"'Is something wrong?'"

Noire blinked as her question was echoed back at her. Her eyes moved to Blanc's hands, noting that they were clenching tightly. On closer inspection, the girl's entire body seemed to be trembling!

Another step forward. "Are you…upset?"

The question was met with silence.

"Blanc? I—"

"Stop."

Noire had been in the process of reaching for Blanc's arm, as foolish of an idea as that was. Lastation's CPU did well to put some distance back between them in the next moment.

A sharp inhale could be heard from the goddess of Lowee. Her gaze remained unbroken as, in the same soft tone she always used, she spoke, "Never do that again." This was followed by her turning and walking away without another word.

It was all Noire could do to stare and wonder, a thousand thoughts playing upon her mind.

Today, though…

No – there was more that she could do.

"Blanc." She felt her legs move forward. A good start, but not good enough.

You're a goddess, not a socially awkward teenager. Get to it!

"Blanc! I'm sorry!" Now she had broken into a run. Better. "Blanc! Let me apologize to you, dammit! Blanc!"

"Oh my. It appears that credit pay apps do not function across dimensions. How unfortunate."

"Nepu! We came all the way here just to have our credits set to less than zero! Ooooohg…now we'll be forced to perform slave labor for the rest of our lives to pay off our debts – washing dishes until our hands bleed soap, scrubbing floors until the carpet shows our reflection, fulfilling all kinds of naughty desires for our money-holding overlords…"

"Good grief. Why do you always have to say such weird stuff, Neptune?"

Vert and Neptune turned to see their Lastation and Lowee counterparts entering the lobby of the Harbor Oak Hotel. The proprietor must have only just woken to have missed their prior exit, as evidenced by the bewildered glare he shot each of them.

"Ah…I would ask what occasion brought the two of you together," said Vert, "but I believe there may be a slightly more pressing matter at hand."

"We were having a friendly chat," was Blanc's explanation. The glance she exchanged with Noire was more than enough to make Vert's brow raise.

Mr. Oak watched their banter with disinterest, scratching his chin with a finger. "Yes, yes, missies. Either ye pay up a fair due, or I'll get a fair due of another kind. I would say it don't matter much to me, but I do like money! Real money, that is – not that counterfeit nonsense Monopoly money ye handed me last night! Teach me to not count the bills!"

The air in the room grew a little more tense when Blanc stepped up to the counter. She cleared her throat as the others moved aside. "I must give our deepest apologies, sir. We are just a few poor girls down on our luck, and we needed somewhere to stay for but a single night. Would you waive the fee just this once? For us?"

A silence passed while the occupants of the room tried to comprehend the words that had just been uttered by the CPU of Lowee.

Neptune gave a nervous giggle, placing a hand on the back of her head. "So, um…did an alien abduct Blanc and replace her with a clone last night or something?"

"I'm wondering the same thing myself," said Noire, her face clearly showing her disbelief.

The owner of the hotel appeared unfazed. "No can do, missy. No playing favorites – that's me motto." He leaned forward, his expression falling into a scowl as he slammed his hands onto the counter. "Pay up."

Only one person was surprised by the explosion that was unleashed in the following moment. Blanc reached over the counter with startling speed, lifting Mr. Oak by the collar of his shirt in the classic manner. The CPU's face bore no pretenses of innocence as she spoke her next words. "Our stay was free. In fact, we were never here, because if we were here, there'd be a really nasty scene left to clean up afterward."

A smug smile slowly crept upon Mr. Oak's face. "Eh? You think I can be intimidated by a little girly, do ye? You wanna have a go, girl? Can't believe I'm being threatened by a touri—"

His words were interrupted by being flung across the room with inhuman strength. A crack could be heard as he impacted the wall and sent a variety of decorative sundries – and dust – flying, though the source of the sound was not quite clear. Neither would the CPUs have a chance to verify Mr. Oak's health, as Blanc was already storming back through the entrance of the hotel.

"Let's go."