A.N: Next chapter was originally part of this one, but I'm splitting it. Also, it's not done yet.
CHAPTER SEVEN: THE CAT AWAKENS...
Blanc stood upon the podium in the center of the city, decked out in her nicest dress; it was a beautiful, frilly, yet warm and fluffy white dress that was perfect for Lowee's harsh winters. She glanced nervously to her sides...she was alone upon the fine marble stage that overlooked the biggest open space in the city, which was currently filled with not only Lowee's citizens, but excited tourists from other countries as well. Her heart sank when she saw Noire and Vert, subtle and human, standing casually among the humans, furries, and sentient robots who were normal residents of this world. All of their eyes gazed upon her...watching...expectant...
Blanc glanced to her sides and behind herself again...nobody was there...save for the massive evergreen tree that had been planted there. It was decorated with a rainbow swath of lights, and small dolls of some of Lowee's more famous residents, topped off with a large, shining star.
"Where are those two?" Blanc whispered to herself. She looked back at the crowd, who were shuffling and mumbling among each other. Blanc sighed as she walked towards the microphone, and tapped it. It made a loud tapping noise that echoed across the plaza, drawing any attention that was not directed towards her...well...towards her. She moved her mouth a fair distance to the microphone.
"Excuse me, everybody." Blanc said to the crowd, "I know you're all eager to hear me speak about this year and its events and whatnot...but we're having some problems right now. Please excuse me...I'll be back shortly." The crowd spoke up a bit, their vices incomprehensible as their words drowned each other, but Blanc stepped away from the microphone and walked to the back of the stage, opened the red door leading to the red building behind it, and she stepped inside.
The building was a dusty, rustic prop room for stage plays intended for the plaza stage; all sorts of flat cardboard pieces of scenery were leaned against the walls, with ladders leaning against them. The dusty, grey floor was littered with empty paint cans, sandbags, and paint brushes, all placed around black chords that just coiled around with seemingly no direction whatsoever. Several Lowee guards, clad in their typical red attire, were moping about the place, but their heads jolted up when Blanc entered.
"Lady Blanc," One of the guards asked, "Is there something wrong?" Blanc sighed as she leaned her left hand against the wall.
"Rom and Ram are supposed to be here by now," Blanc said, "Do you or any of the guards have any idea where they are?" The guard shook her head.
"Mina and the others haven't reported anything back yet," The guard reported, "It seems they're getting better and better at hiding." The guard smirkedasshe leaned towards Blanc, but Blanc shook her head.
"I don't find that very funny," Blanc huffed, "I...I'm not sure we can even start without them."
"Didn't Mina tell you to start without them if needed?" The guard asked back. Blanc swallowed air as she looked around.
"Look, I..." Blanc replied, "I'm starting to get nervous." Another door at the far end of the building swung open, causing Blanc to jump and all of the guards to snap their heads in the direction of the door. Nepgear, that familiar purple-haired goddess, stumbled into the room with her older sister in tow. Blanc raides her left eyebrow as the Planeptune sisters stumbled before her.
"What are you two doing here?" Blanc asked, "You should know that this area is offlimits to the public."
"Oh, hi, Blanc!" The smaller, yet older sister Neptune squealed in her normally cheerful tone, "We just noticed that you were having a bit of trouble up on the stage. So...what's wrong? Stage fright? Left the oven on?"
"My sisters are supposed o be here, but they are not." Blanc said in an annoyedtone as she turned towards Nepgear, "Nepgear...you're one of Rom's close friends, right?"
"Well...yeah, I suppose," Nepgear replied softly, "But...they should be somewhere in the city, right? Both of those twins love playing around, you know."
"The guards can't find them anywhere," Blanc said as she shook her head, "Nepgear...do you know where they might try to hide."
"Goodness, I thought you would know," Nepgear replied, "You're their older sister after all." Blanc looked to the ground, emitting what sounded like a stressed moan as her eyes squinted a bit.
"Aww cheer up Blanc," Neptune cooed as she placed her right hand on Blanc's left shoulder, "Whenever I goof off, Histy or Iffy usually bust me in an hour or so."
"Rom and Ram are not you, Neptune," Blanc replied, "Besides, Histoire and IF do not live here."
"But they're visiting," Nepgear pointed out, "They're your friends, too." A loud, blaring beep came from Blanc's dress, shaking her into a completely straight posture. She looked down, and reached for her phone. She picked up the small, practical, white phone and placed it against her ear.
"Hello?" Blanc said quickly, "Who is this?"
"This is Mina," Mina's voice came out louder than Blanc expected...and it sounded frantic, "I have really bad news...I believe your sisters have been kidnapped!" Blanc's pupils shrank as a choir of gasps erupted from around her.
"Wh...WHAT?!" Blanc shouted over the phone.
"I believe somebody...possibly associated with ASIC abducted them last night while we were asleep," Mina panted, "They also may have taken a train out of Lowee." Blanc's eyes began to water up as she struggled to maintain something resembling composure.
"Wh...where did they head?" Blanc hesitantly asked, "Did they leave for Planeptune?"
"According to what I could gather at the train station, no." Mina replied, "They went Southeast towards Lastation instead." Blanc shut her eyes and sighed with a mild form of relief.
"There's a problem, however," Mina said, her voice faltering, "That train SHOULD have arrived in Lastation hours ago...but the conductor and crew have not reported to anybody since they left." Blanc's eyes widened once more as her mouth fell agape.
"Do...do you think...?" Blanc asked with a trembling voice.
"There is a well known tribe of mutated human bandits located somewhere in the desert between here and Lastation," Mina said somberly, "It is possible that they have attacked the train your sisters were on..."
"Shit!" Blanc cried out loudly as she dropped her phone. She trembled in place for almost an entire second before her worried grimace twisted into a scowl. Her body erupted into a flash of light as she turned into CPU White Heart, her short, messy hair flaring with rage as her crimson eyes flashed towards Nepgear and Neptune. Shepushed her way through the two siblings as she went for the door.
"I'm going after them." Blanc loudly growled, "Guards...tell the crowd that there will be no speech today due to an unforseen...whatever!"
"Wait!" Nepgear cried out as she reached for Blanc's left arm, "I'd better go with you. They're my friends, you know."
"And me three." Neptune spoke up, "Because I go where Nep jr goes." Blanc huffed as she looked at them.
"None of you need to come," Blanc argued with a sigh, "They're MY sisters. They're gone because I wasn't vigilant enough...and I'M going to get them back."
"Please, Blanc," Nepgear insisted, "We don't know what we're up against out there. What if ASIC is planning to use them as bait?"
"Besides, we're your friends, Blanc," Neptune added cheerfully, "Your pain is our pain. Your burdens are our burdens..."
"Okay, fine." Blanc snapped, her tone low and growling, "But don't get in the way and don't fall behind. Guards...you already know what to do." The guards stood straight up, and saluted Blanc with stoic faces and stiff hands. Blanc nodded as she kicked the exit door open, and stormed out.
"Hey! Wait for us!" Nepgear squealed as she followed behind. Neptune trailed shortly behind her as the door closed behind the three goddesses. The guards collectively sighed as they shot worried glances. The streets of Lowee behind that building were shockingly sparse...the people were likely gathered in the plaza instead, as evident by the empty, lockedup shop stands that lined the streets in front of the colorful buildings.
"Blanc, this is just a suggestion," Neptune said as she caught up with the fiery hearted goddess, "But maybe we should get Vert, Noire, and Uni to help us as well." Blanc shook her head.
"We don't have time for that," Blanc argued, "We need to get my sisters back ASAP. Trying to deal with the crowds and talk them into helping us will give the kidnapper more time to get farther away."
"Goodness, we should at least call them," Nepgear said, "You know...tell them to look out for anything suspicious." Blanc launched herself into the air with a powerful jump, then she turned towrds Nepgear with a grunt.
"YOU can do that," Blanc said, "Then I want you to transform your ass and catch up with me. I'm headed for the train staion, and I'll follow the railroad to Lastation." Blanc did not even wait for a response before she dashed off through the air, blowing powdered snow into the air like a dust storm as she flew away.