Neptune was nervous.

Not because she had to make a confession to anyone.

Not because she wanted to sneak up on anyone.

Not because her sweetheart was lying in wait for her.

Not because she had lost a battle against a mirror image of herself and had to walk around the Basilicom naked to get new clothes.

Oh no.

Oh no no no.

This was not a whimsical, pitter pattering, heart fluttering nervousness such as those.

On her left sat Noire — Neptune's wife. The real one. The one she had been married to for over 60 chapters, a year, and most of the previous Special Stages before this one. That Noire. Her fists were clenched in her lap. Her jaw was set. Her gaze was directed at the television that had just finished its screening of the new Special Stages. She had gone into shock at some point during the first one, and hadn't made a peep throughout the rest of the showing.

This was not good.

This was not good at all.

To make matters worse...

On Neptune's right sat her "co-stars" of those Special Stages. First of them, and closest to Neptune, was Blanc. Despite the events of the Special Stages that had followed hers, Blanc was glowing more than Neptune had ever seen her... which wasn't a lot, mind, because this was Blanc, but it was still pretty darn noticeable. She wasn't saying anything, just quietly smiling at the screen, looking strangely fulfilled for reasons an oblivious protagonist like Neptune would need a much higher Understanding stat to ever understand.

That... was not going to help the Noire situation any at all, was it?

Next to Noire sat "co-star" number two. While Blanc was sitting quietly, like she was... ruminating over what she had seen, Vert was doing anything but. She had a palm pressed against her cheek and seemed to be gushing about the whole thing, occasionally making comments to Nepgear, seated on a chair furthest away, who was looking rather annoyed at the attention the blonde was giving Neptune for some peculiar reason. She even kept giving Neptune obviously repressed dirty looks! She hadn't done anything here! She was the victim! The victim!

But wait. There was another. For though the viewers at home hadn't gotten to see it, as they had been stuck with an emergency news bulletin while it had been airing, the CPUs here had gotten to watch a special showing of a third "Special Stage" in the Crackombo Zone — the true final form of the boss, so to speak.

That's right.

Last but not least, next to Vert...

... was Plutia.

For some reason, after the first two Special Stages, a condensed version of Neptune's time in the other world had shown up on the screen that took the place of a third Special Stage. Neptune didn't see the harm in that, especially compared to the things the other two had shown the group, but from the way Plutie was looking over at Noire, she was starting to wonder if there was some subtext she had missed. Was it a big deal that she and Plutia had been like that for all those years? She wasn't sure. To tell the truth, after the second Special Stage, she'd kinda stopped paying attention considering...

"N... Noire? Those weren't real, you know that, right...? I mean, the one with Plutie was kind of real, but, uh, there was a lot that it left out...! So..."

... the situation on her other side.

Yeah, Neptune was definitely nervous. This was completely new territory for her — what the heck was she supposed to do with this? She had been macking on two of Noire's former enemies and then... okay, she really didn't get why the Plutie thing would be considered bad, but the other two had to be getting to Noire! They were getting to her, for Histy's sake!

"It's okay, Neppy." To her surprise, it was Plutia who spoke up. All heads in the room turned to look at the CPU from the other dimension, and she faced the various expressions with a beaming smile that could only be described as clueless... perhaps purposefully so. One had to be careful when it came to her. "Just because you two will neeeeeever raise or even get to be part of such a loving family like we had... That doesn't mean your relationship with her isn't as real and beautiful and magical and meaningful as ours was... It's just different. That's aaaaall..."

All eyes widened and all jaws dropped as the CPU, her devious mission accomplished, hopped off her seat, started humming, and began her way out of the room. She wasn't allowed too many lines with the main cast yet, after all, but it was nice to be able to drop by and play with them like she had just then. She was starting to understand why Neptune liked messing with her dimension's Noire so much — they were so similar, but the dynamics were just so different! It was so much fun!

Even with the speaker now gone, Plutia's words had been like a bomb. After all, while those Special Stages may have been peeks into things that could have been or were in some crazy other universes and stories, things just as real to those places as this story was to this one, they weren't real to this one. On the other hand?

Neptune absolutely had lived with Plutia in a way just like or fairly similar to what they had watched on the screen for over a decade — no, she had lived that. All of it. It had just left out all of the times where she had interacted with anyone other than Plutia... which still left years of material of just the two of them and their "kids" at times. There was another Noire who had spent a good deal of that time secretly jealous of it out there who could testify to that.

"Neptune..." Neptune gulped audibly as Noire spoke her name. That was not the tone of a forgiving woman. In fact, that was not the tone of a woman Neptune wanted to be near at all — which was not good, because it just so happened that the woman talking like that was someone Neptune happened to like being near very much. "You have three choices. Get them out, get me out, or get yourself out."

A bead of sweat rolled down Neptune's neck as she considered the three "options."

Even though she'd made it sound like this situation was really, really bad with her other "choices," that was really just the tsundere talking — the angry tsundere. Basically, Noire was saying she wanted to talk to Neptune alone and Blanc and Vert needed to leave before that could happen — she needed to reaffirm that Neptune cared about her and not either of them. Her "ultimatum" was just her way of asking.

Boy, Neptune was really glad she had gotten that Tsunderese diploma in her spare time.

Before Neptune could start the process of getting Blanc and Vert out of there — she was really glad Plutia had taken care of leaving herself — someone unexpected spoke up.

"Oh goodness, I'll go get the sheets, sis! You know, just in case you have to sleep on the couch after this..." After finally recovering from Plutia's comment and starting on Noire's, Neptune found herself gaping once more — this time thanks to Nepgear of all people! Seriously, Nepgear, have mercy...!

There was nothing she could say to her little sister, for she had already gone the way of Plutia and left the room, leaving Neptune to wonder what the heck she had done to deserve this.

As soon as she was off screen, Nepgear found herself leaping into the air and delivering a high five to Plutia (who did not leap into the air, much to Nepgear's embarrassment and disappointment), who had been lying in wait after her own exit to see how that went for her remake buddy. She had finally gotten to say something with the rest of the main cast around! Sure, it had only been because the line was a way for her to leave the scene, but it was a huge improvement — and it was the cause for celebration for sure!

She just wished she could have gotten to do it over something that wasn't so... so...

"Uwaaaaah... Neppy Jr... You are mad...! You're really mad! Your jealous face is so cuuuuute...! I wanna eat it right up..."

"W-W-What the goodness?! I am not angry, not at all! That was just a pretense for me to be able to leave...!"

"Suuuuuure... I believe you. Reeeaally..."

"P-Plutiiiiiaaaaa...! Stooooop...!"

For some strange reason, Neptune felt like she should be worried about something, something other than Noire, but at that moment, she just couldn't quite place what it was or why she should invest the time to figure out why she should care. More importantly, she had the situation right in front of her to deal with. Whatever was happening elsewhere was none of her concern with this happening right before her very eyes!

Three pairs of eyes were watching her expectantly — though Neptune only was particularly invested in the red ones.

"Okay, you heard her. Go on home before she gets really mad." Taking the bolder approach, Neptune stood up and put her hands on her hips, turning to Blanc and Vert and waiting. There wasn't really a reason for them to stay here, right? So her asking should have been enough, but strangely, this... didn't seem to please Noire — nor did it have any effect on the two CPUs she was addressing.

Instead of getting up, which is what Neptune was really going for here, Vert and Blanc exchanged looks. They weren't very agreeable looks — at least agreeable as in "we're going to abide by what Noire is asking and leave," at any rate. They were looking pretty agreeable with each other, though, and that was definitely not a good sign for Neptune. Exasperation already started sneaking its nasty way in, and they hadn't even started talking yet...

"My, I don't think she has a problem with us being here at all. What do you think, Blanc?" Looking far too pleasant given the circumstances, Vert looked cheerily at Blanc, practically ignoring Neptune's existence at this point.

"For someone who was looking so pleased with hooking up with me, I'm starting to feel kinda left out here..." Neptune grumbled under her breath — perhaps it was lucky no one heard her saying this. She didn't want Nepgear to have to get her sheets for the couch in Plutia's Basilicom rather than this one, after all.

"For once, I agree. She looks like she's just fine with us sticking around." Neptune might have expected as much from Vert, but Blanc too? This was starting to feel like she was still in one of those crazy Special Stages! Since when did those two ever agree on anything? "Why don't you ask her? I'm sure she'll tell you the same."

"Guuuyysss! You both know she wants you to leave! Don't make me find a Powerful Pellet, because I know Histy has some around here." Stomping her foot, Neptune looked back and forth from one of the two normally opposing CPUs to the other, who were just looking at her knowingly. Neptune didn't like this one bit. "I know! I'll let you have some of my special, limited edition pudding that I've been saving if you do what Noire wants and leaves. Whaddya say? Pretty sweet deal, right?"

Nothing.

She held her ground for a moment just in case, but... No movement from her enemies. Seeing this was going nowhere fast, Neptune sighed, turning to Noire helplessly, waiting for her to reiterate how she felt about this. After all, Neptune wanted to talk to her too, but she couldn't do that if they didn't have any privacy. Even Neptune understood, no, wanted that much. She had a lot of things she wanted to say to Noire after seeing those videos too.

"They're right. I don't care one way or the other." Instead of agreeing with Neptune... She says that?! "If you don't mind them being here, I don't mind giving you time with them. You must have a lot to talk about them with."

Neptune blinked.

That was not at all the answer she had expected to hear.

"So... You're okay with them staying after all?" She was really confused now. Had she missed something? Had there been an exchange of notes that she had missed while she blinked? Was there some secret narration going on somewhere that she wasn't able to see? What was it? "Because a minute ago, you said..."

"I never said I wanted them to leave... Jeez, Neptune. If you want them to stay, then I have no problems at all with them staying. Not. One." Looking even more upset — Neptune was definitely sure she was upset now — Noire crossed her arms and looked at the wall. No... No, she was glaring at the wall. "Just pick your choice and just... Just do what you want!"

"Did you hear that, Blanc? Noire doesn't mind us staying at all. If that's how it is, well, I don't see any reason for us to leave." Smiling much too pleasantly for her own good, Vert turned to Blanc and tilted her head ever so slightly. "Do you? I rather like it here. Maybe I'll even... stay the night! Why don't you join us? After all, we're being welcomed!"

Neptune's eyes widened at this suggestion — and she was downright flabbergasted that Noire wasn't protesting it. Something had to have happened during that break when Nepgear left. It was the only explanation! At least Neptune could count on Blanc not to put up with this ridiculous idea. After all, logical, smart, testy Blanc would never not only want to stay over here with all the tension, but do it by agreeing with Vert on top of-

"Yeah, that's good. I'll let Mina know I'll be crashing here for a while." Nodding as though this was the most natural course of action for her to take in the world, Blanc gave her assent to Vert's plan without missing a beat. She glanced at the other CPUs in the room, before returning her gaze back to Neptune. "No one wants us to go after all."

"But... Noire... She..." The purple haired CPU looked over at her wife one more time, hoping against hope that Noire would finally say what she must have wanted from the start. And yet, even with Neptune looking at her at her like that, desperation clearly starting to seep into her voice, Noire didn't budge an inch. It didn't take a genius to see what she really wanted, so why was she acting this way?

"Noire... What? She said she was fine with it, Neptune."

"She did. So it's settled. We're staying."

"Thank you both so much for having us."

With their plan of action seemingly decided, the two troublemaking CPUs began taking things out of their inventories and making themselves right at home. Vert pulled out a handheld and got right to playing some game or another, while Blanc had a book in her hands and had switched out her hat for a nightcap despite the fact that it was still early in the day.

Confusion at how things had gotten to this point was one thing, but more than that, Neptune was starting to just get frustrated now. What were they doing? What were they thinking? Didn't they realize...?

"My, Blanc, what book is that? Is it new?"

"It is. I can loan it to you sometime."

"That would be lovely."

Noire stood up. She wasn't looking at anyone else — her eyes were trained in the direction that Plutia and Nepgear had gone in earlier... The way out of the scene.

It made sense. Neptune wasn't making a move to leave and Blanc and Vert were making themselves at home. If she was going to follow through with her ultimatum, then that meant she had to leave.

Neptune looked helplessly from the pair acting like they were in their own Basilicoms to the other person besides herself who actually did belong in this Basilicom — because it was hers.

She was leaving.

Noire was leaving.

Noire was leaving.

Noire was leaving.

Noire was-

"Would you two just leave already!?" She hadn't meant to raise her voice — she hadn't, she really, really hadn't — but she couldn't help herself. Neptune just couldn't let Noire leave. She ached just thinking about it, even in a Special Stage like this. "I don't care if Noire is okay with you staying! Maybe her tsun limiter is broken and it's taking over her brain, I don't know, but I don't care, 'cause you know what? You're being more annoying than me on a bad day, and I want you out! I don't care what it takes, but you're not staying another Nepping minute! I have to talk to Noire about a lot of things right now, so get going! Shoo!"

The three CPUs stared at her. Awestruck? Surprised? Angry?

Whatever it was, Neptune was ready to take them all on if it meant she...

"Well, I suppose there's no helping that, then. If we're not wanted, there's no reason to stay, now is there, Blanc?"

"Yep. I don't think it makes sense to stay either."

"Indeed. It was lovely chatting with you two — we'll see you later."

"Later."

Neptune unclenched the tightly held fist she hadn't even realized she had clenched as she watched what seemed like something more absurd than anything else that had happened today transpire. Before she knew it, she realized she felt like a deflating balloon as she watched this — like the steam that had been building up within her from the moment Noire had declared her "ultimatum" and Vert and Blanc had rejected it had just fizzled away into nothingness.

Because, without putting up so much as a fight or even a single comment to the contrary, Blanc and Vert both packed up their things and were heading out of the Basilicom, and both of them were smiling.

It was like they had wanted that to happen all along. It took the wind right out of her, confusing her once again — but only for a moment.

After looking over the scene again later on, Neptune would come to notice the abundance of triggers and flags that had been waving around throughout the course of the scene — they had all, even Blanc and Vert, wanted Neptune to be the one to want Neptune and Noire to be able to be alone. Obvious, no?

Well... To Neptune? No. Not so much.

Sadly, that's just what someone has to deal with when they get their Tsunderese diploma online instead of taking the proper classes.

None of that mattered to Neptune at the moment, though. Not one bit of it. All she cared about, as soon as she was sure those two pests (or... helpers...? nah... couldn't be!) were leaving for real, was the last CPU left in the room besides herself.

Then, just as Neptune had declared she had wanted, they were alone after all.

Collecting herself as best she could, Neptune approached Noire, not even sure what to say now that she had her alone. There was a lot she wanted to say. She wanted to tell Noire that no matter what any other Neptune in any other dimension or story or game felt or did for anyone else, she only cared about Noire. She wanted to tell Noire that no matter how many Special Stages came about with her with anyone else, she still only cared about Noire.

She wanted to do all that and more, but as she found herself standing before the taller CPU, ironically, raising her face just to look at her was proving to be a challenge. She hadn't really "cheated" or anything, yet from seeing Noire's reaction, she felt like she had all the same. Slowly, she raised her head, preparing for whatever may come — she had gotten Noire alone and stopped her from leaving, so now was not the time to be chickening out.

"Noire, I..."

To Neptune's surprise, and stopping her words then and there, rather than a face with disappointment and pent up tsundere rage, with nothing stopping it from being unleashed now, what she saw when she looked up at Noire was a smile. An honest to goodness smile, shining at Neptune and looking happy.

Had Neptune woken up in a different story all of a sudden?

Did it matter with Noire looking at her like that?

Actually, did anything matter with Noire looking at her like that?

"Geez, Neptune... I didn't even know you knew how to mad like that. Why did you go and do that? They didn't... They were just... Oh, never mind. I-I'm actually... Really glad that you didn't figure them out. This way was a lot better." Trying to force her gaze away from Neptune, because she just couldn't bring herself to stop smiling despite the need she felt inside to bring out her tsun, Noire sighed. "Still, I didn't think you'd go that far... Actually, I was starting to worry you wouldn't do anything at all."

"S-Shut up-! Of course the main character would do something!" Her cheeks starting to burn, Neptune looked away from the tsundere that was being way too mature and held together compared to her earlier attitude for her to be able to handle it. Then again, someone had to be right now. With Noire right in front of her, looking like that now, Neptune couldn't find the words she had wanted before — rather, she felt like Noire probably already knew them after what she had done. Knowing this, she could only manage to gaze downwards and speak quietly. "It's your fault, y'know... This is all your fault. You're the one doing this to me. Take responsibility, Noire."

Ba-bump.

Noire felt her heart skip a beat after that — quite possibly due to all the blood rushing to her face in that moment.

"H-Hold on a minute, you're messing with our dynamic too much now. I'm the one who says things like that, remember...? You can't... You can't do that or I... I'll..."

Their roles somehow completely reversed from normal, Neptune gently reached for the fabric of Noire's dress and looked up at her with an expression only Noire would ever get to see.

Open.

Caring.

Vulnerable.

As she looked into those eyes, lost for words, Noire was pretty sure her heart stopped completely then and there.

"I can. I can do whatever I want if I have you... I can do anything, even if it ends up hurting, because of it. You did this to me, Noire." The shorter of the two closed her eyes, raising herself onto her tiptoes. Her voice got lower and lower with every sylable that left her lips. Noire could feel Neptune's warmth, her breath, it was so close she could practically... "So take responsibility already... Would you? Stop making me wait, or I'll be the one to leave."

Even as she said it, it was clear she wasn't planning on going anywhere.

Not that Noire was about to give her a chance to after that.

The Special Stages
Fin

... for now