Hello there, and welcome back. I've been busy for the past few weeks and distractions didn't help, so I apologize.

For the first part of this chapter, imagine nao singing the song.

Episode Three: CPU Trouble in Leanbox

Leanbox Stadium

Neptune, Noire, Blanc, and their sisters were attending a live concert. IF, Compa, Tendou, and Kagami were dragged along. The star of the show was 5pb, a widely known idol in Gamindustri.

"Wow!" Neptune said in awe.

"You wouldn't expect anything less from Leanbox's diva, wouldn't you?" IF rhetorically asked.

"Yeah, but I prefer rock, though," Kagami stated, "What about you, Tendou?"

"Classical. Can't you hear it every time you visit my house?"

"Uhh, no."

"Good grief, guess I can't blame you."

"By the way Kagami-san," Nepgear asked, "Have you ever sung before?"

"Once, the time when Misaki-san dragged me to a karaoke."

They stopped talking as they saw two jets flew in a shape of a heart, then another jet through it, symbolizing 5pb's voice going right to her fans' hearts.

Beneath the docks near the stadium, a mouse in a diving suit was skipping on the seafloor.

"I don't care if it's a live concert or whatever, but you're being too noisy!" it complained, "Put yourself in the shoes of those who have to work in this racket."

It looked at its portable radar and noticed a red X on it. "First things first, I'd like to know why a mouse has to go underwater. A 'sea mouse' means something else entirely!"

The diving mouse finally found what it was looking for; a glowing red stone.

Back to the surface, 5pb had finished her song. "Thank you, everyone! The next song is popularized by a fellow singer, YU-KI. It's the NEXT LEVEL!"

Leanbox Basilicom

The gang went to the Basilicom after it was over. Oddly, Vert herself didn't attend it.

"It's all well and good that she invited us to the concert, but what's with Vert not showing up herself?" Noire pointed out.

"I'm sure she has her reasons," Blanc said.

Neptune, Ram, and Rom were trying to open each door in the hallway, but most of them were locked. One door wasn't, and Neptune opened it to see what was inside. There were video game boxes, unopened figurines, and posters featuring two men with a little too much bromance.

"Wow, it's really messy in here," Kagami commented.

"Someone's not keen on cleaning it up," Noire added her own opinion.

"Look, this is a game that can be only be bought by those over eighteen years of age!" Neptune exclaimed.

"Hey, we've got little girls here!" IF said.

"We can just clean it up and–" Tendou said before noticing that Nepgear was admiring one of the posters. "Don't look at that!" he ordered, covering the Purple Sister's eyes in the progress.

"Eh?" Nepgear said in confusion of the sudden darkness. Then, Vert's voice filled the room. It came from the other side of a door in the room. When they entered, they saw Vert playing a game called 'Four Goddesses Online' on her computer.

"Hey! Sorry to see you couldn't make it!" Neptune said, grabbing her attention.

"Oh my, welcome," Vert greeted, "Sorry, I'm a little tied up right now."

"Hold it! Why did you ditch us to play games!?" Noire asked.

"I thought I'd just play for an hour before leaving, but my faction ended up laying siege to the enemy. I couldn't just leave."

"I thought you were going to throw a party for us here after the concert," Blanc reminded.

"We're right about to topple their castle, so if you could wait just a little bit longer..."

"Now what? Looks like we'll be waiting a bit longer," IF said.

"Let's see..."

Later Noire changed into a maid outfit. With a broom in her hand, she commanded, "Let's get everything ready!"

"Why do we have to?" Neptune objected.

"Quit whining. We've come all the way to Leanbox, so let's make it a party worth the trip."

"For once, I agree," Tendou said, garbed in his robe.

"First off: Nepgear, IF, Compa, go shopping for ingredients!"

"Make sure you get tofu!"

"Yes sir!" they said all at once.

"Everyone else can help clean up the room."

"Alright, let's go!" Kagami shouted, wearing a headband. Everyone then got to work.

Shopping District

Compa was waiting for IF and Nepgear when someone, or something, tripped on its foot. It was a gray male mouse with bat wings and a spade-tipped tail. His boss never calls him by name, but his name's Pirachu.

Trying to get up, Pirachu saw Compa and at that moment, he was lovestruck. Regaining his senses, he shot a glare, "Is it that amusing to see a mouse trip and fall?"

"I'm glad that you're okay. You look a little bruised, though."

She took his wounded hand and treated it with a Band-Aid. "There, all better! Be careful, Mister Mouse."

"O-okay."

"I'll take my leave then."

"W-wait!"

"What is it?"

With a blush on his face, he asked, "Um... could I have your name, please?"

"It's Compa."

"Compa-chan, such a sweet name."

Nepgear, done with the groceries, noticed a red cross-shaped crystal which Pirachu dropped when he fell. Out of curiosity, she picked it up and suddenly felt weak, dropping her paper bag in the process. Pirachu saw her, quickly snatched it, and ran away. Compa went to her aid.

"What's wrong, Gear-chan?"

"I don't know, it's like all my strength just left me."

"Is it anemia?"

Pirachu passed IF, who was carrying a bowl of tofu with one hand. She caught sight of him and looked back. Running into an alley, he sighed in relief.

"That was close. Never thought I'd run into one of the CPU Candidates. That aside," he paused, "Compa-chan is an angel, a total angel!"

Leanbox Basilicom

The food was served and Vert began the party with a few words.

"Everyone, sorry to keep you waiting."

"You didn't do anything, Vert!" Noire yelled, "Not even the food! Tendou-kun and I had to cook for us all!"

"On that note, you were quite the cook," Tendou looked at her with a small grin, "Did Yaguruma teach you a few tricks?"

"N-no! I'm the cook of the two sisters, I-I always cook for her!"

"But Uni said you're busy all the time and earlier you said that you wanted mapo tofu, which is Yaguruma's signature dish."

"It was a slip of the tongue!"

"So you admit it?"

With nothing else to say, she confessed, "O-okay I admit it, he's the chef. He taught me how to cook in my spare time, which is not a lot, to be honest. He even gives me a plate of mapo tofu sometimes when I skip a meal."

After she said that, the rest of the Riders arrived.

"Where have you guys been!?"

"Kageyama and I went to some dungeons to train," Yaguruma spoke up first.

"I was practicing my sword fighting," Tsurugi then followed.

"I had a make-up quest downtown," Daisuke ended.

"Now that everyone is here, let us eat, drink, and make merry! I've prepared an extraordinary game for us today!" Vert announced.

"But first, let us eat," Tendou reminded, "Grandmother said this: 'Each meal only happens once in your life, so make each one the most important.'"

The feast was uneventful, save for some girls saying "Delicious!". Then Vert started the game which 'console' could generate a virtual reality and capture movements from a specially designed camera. Vert also mentioned that there was a combat simulation mode for training. They played this for a while until someone knocked on the door. Vert opened it, revealing one of the servants of the Basilicom. She told the goddess an urgent matter. Noire stopped the game and approached her.

"What's wrong?"

"Well, I hear a lot of monsters showed in a waste disposal plant in the Zune district."

"Why is it a big deal?" Neptune wondered.

"It's an area under this nation's rule, so this shouldn't be happening."

She went to the door, saying, "I'll be going there now."

"Let me tag along!"

"This is a problem for my own country to deal with."

"C'mon, fate must have brought us here today. Let us help."

"Doing the whole 'we're all friends because we signed a treaty' thing again, are we?" Noire interjected.

"You got that right."

"I'll help too," Blanc also offered, "I owe you one ofter you helped us during the kidnapping incident, after all."

"Okay then, the three of us–"

"I-I'm coming too! Who knows how long you three would keep us waiting otherwise," Noire reluctantly said.

"Very well, let the four of us go," Vert finished.

"Um, I'll come too!" Nepgear said, and the other Candidates soon followed.

"You girls stay back. This isn't a game," Blanc advised.

"You can't even transform yet," Noire pointed out.

"Nepgear, leave this to your trusty ol' sis. I gotta show off once in a while!" her older sister reassured.

"Okay."

"On that note...

"Henshin!"

Outside the four goddesses transformed to their CPU forms with the rest watching. After saying their goodbyes, they flew to the waste disposal plant. As they leave, Nepgear had a look of worry on her face.

Later, Nepgear was on the balcony staring at the city. All of a sudden a voice entered her ears.

"Nepgear?"

She turned around and saw Tendou's friend of fate, Kagami approaching her.

"Kagami-san."

"You seem out of it, is there anything wrong?"

"No. It's just I'm kinda worried about Onee-chan."

"She's strong, so what are you worried about?"

"I don't know, but I have a bad feeling about tonight."

"Bad feeling?" 'Now I feel something's gonna happen to them.'

They went back inside and was informed by IF who got the info from a friend of hers that the mouse she saw back then was a wanted criminal. Compa was shocked by this as she thought he was just another mouse. She went on and said that he went to the Zune district a few hours ago. Her conclusion was someone probably arranged the monsters to appear at the plant.

"If I leave now, I can still make it by ebb tide. I'm gonna go check things out."

"Take me with you!" Nepgear asked.

"No way, I can't put you in danger too."

"But I'm worried! Please, IF-san!"

She was still adamant on not getting Nepgear into it. However, a certain Rider was going to change her mind.

"Take her, IF," Tendou spoke up

"Why?"

"Because I'm going there."

Every non-Rider shouted in unison, "What!?"

"Of all people you should be the level-headed one!"

"I've done some reckless things in the past, trust me. Besides, Neptune's little sister is my little sister. I also don't want her to get hurt."

Surprised by this statement, Nepgear thought, 'Tendou-san...'

Finally, she was convinced. "Alright, I'll take her with me."

"Before we go, catch!" He threw three things at her. The first two were...

"A helmet and gloves? Wait, how did you know that I have a motorcycle?"

"Rider's intuition."

The next item was something she didn't expect.

"A bracelet? No, it's more of a watch." She put it on nonetheless.

"That's for the tofu."

So, the three of them rode for Zune. IF and Nepgear were riding a green and black motorcycle, and Tendou the recently built Kabuto Extender. Both IF and Tendou wore full face helmets and gloves: blue for the former and black the latter. On the other hand, Nepgear wore a lilac open face helmet.

Zune Waste Plant

"Listen up, Nepgear," IF began, "Whatever happens, don't try the impossible. We'll retreat the moment we sense any danger."

"Right. Thank you, IF-san."

They sped through the dry land and saw a faint dome of light. It felt ominous. Reaching a vantage point, a transparent purple pyramid entered their field of vision. The CPUs were bound within.

"Onee-chan..." Nepgear tried to go to save her sister.

"Don't!" Tendou warned.

"But she's–"

"I said don't!"

To hear him raise his voice was startling since they never saw him do that.

"IF, bring her back to the Basilicom."

"What about you?"

"I'll bring them back."

"Wha–? By yourself!?"

"Can't risk anything here."

"Fine, make sure to come back okay?"

He didn't answer and instead rode towards the pyramid and the goddess captor.

"Onee-chan..."

"You hear him, Nepgear. Let's go!"

"Onee-chan!"

Inside the pyramid, the already de-transformed goddesses looked at the source of the shout.

"Nepgear?"

Then, another sound went into their ears; the sound of an engine. Someone came with a motorcycle. Stopping near the pyramid, the rider took off his helmet, shocking the goddesses.

"Tendou!?" Neptune and Blanc shouted.

"Tendou-kun!?" Noire and Vert followed suit.

"Yo," he replied. Getting off the bike, he gazed at the woman before him. Her skin was pale, had pointed ears, and was dressed like a witch. "So you're the one who has captured the CPUs."

"Yes. It was I, Arfoire," she introduced. "It was possible because of this."

She showed him the red crystal. His mind went back to the time when he sensed something back in the caves, and that same sensation happened again.

"This is an Anti Crystal. It severs the link between you and your Share Crystals, robbing them of their powers and abilities. CPUs inside an Anti Crystal field will continue to lose their strength and energy. They will die a slow death." When she finished, she let out an evil laugh.

"In that case, I'll use something other than Shares to break them out."

Raising his hand, the Kabuto Zecter latched onto it and then he said the magic words.

"Henshin."

HENSHIN

Transforming into Kabuto, he charged at the field and swung the Kunai Gun. It didn't go through and was repelled.

"What?"

"Physical attacks won't break it."

He pulled the horn of the Zecter to the other side, not wanting to waste more time.

"Cast Off."

CAST OFF

The armor flew apart and some of them hit the field but to no effect.

CHANGE BEETLE

Then he quickly prepared for his finishing move.

ONE TWO THREE

"Rider... Kick."

RIDER KICK

Stepping back a few steps, he ran and went for a flying side kick. Although it was a tachyon-charged kick, it didn't leave any kind of damage.

"Hahaha, that weak kick won't give any lasting effect!"

'Tch, not even a Rider Kick.'

"As you continue with your useless attempts, let me tell you my true power."

She summoned a spear as she explained.

"I have the ability to copy others. When you were trying to destroy the barrier, I took the time to copy you."

"She's like that bastard Nogi," he thought out loud.

"Now, feel the irony as I defeat you with your own power. Clock Up!"

"What!?"

All of a sudden she disappeared and Kabuto was slashed at various places.

"What the hell was that!?" Blanc asked in shock.

"It's like that time back in the caves," Noire remembered.

With haste, he tapped his belt pad. "Clock Up!"

CLOCK UP

He disappeared as well. The girls were left with questions.

In Clock Up time, Kabuto and Arfoire were trading blows. However, it was in the favor of the latter. Every time he hit her, she would pay him back tenfold.

CLOCK OVER

Knocking him back, Arfoire set him up for the finishing blow.

"This is the end of your futile struggle."

She charged her leg with tachyon. She ran towards him and yelled, "Rider Kick!" The roundhouse kick connected and Kabuto was knocked out of his armor and consciousness.

"Tendou!" Neptune shouted hysterically.

"Hahaha! Your savior has been defeated!" Then she looked at his unconscious form and had an idea. "I intended to leave him like this, but it's even better if he dies along with the Goddesses."

She made a hole on the field and wires inside it latched on his arms and legs. He was hung between Neptune and Noire. Unlike the girls, he was hung in a crucifix. The hole was closed once more, encasing the only human in the pyramid.

And I have to leave you hanging.