Alright, I've gotten some interesting guest reviews so let's go through the usual routine of getting them out of the way:

Saturn56: Saturn, my dear boy (or girl; hard to tell), I am disappointed that you have not realised at this point that anything is possible in this fanfic. Within reason, of course.

SS7x3: Yes! I am now worth three weeks of wait! Anyway, I wonder that as well.

Eisenfaust: Thank you very much. That was exactly what I was aiming for, given the hustle and bustle of the previous chapters. That's a possibility. That's also a possibility (and you mean "crushes"; "crushed" is past tense).

mastermind: That is also a possibility (I love screwing with you people :D). Yeah, I'm gonna do what I think's best, thanks a bunch.

woopassmcgee345: Somehow, I don't think shouting is going to resolve the issues of the party. That's not to say we can't try, just that we could wait until we're sure that the other methods won't work.

guest: Curious preference, there.

Guest: Alright.

Neptune Fan: Whoa now, let's not bring other people into this! And thanks.

And here's the chapter.

Chapter 30: To Ease My Troubled Mind

IF and Red rested in their beds in the night, protected from the usual chill that was carried by the darkness with the warm blankets provided by their beds. The red-haired girl wrapped her body like tape and slept away, her quiet dozing breaths providing the quieter sounds in the moonlit room. They were infinitely surpassed only by the snoring of her dragon coiled on the floor.

Despite this silence, IF couldn't sleep. She couldn't even find it within herself to close her eyes. Laying in bed, all she did was look up at the ceiling whose colour she couldn't even discern, her exhausted vision blurry. Although she looked at the roof, her focus was on the many thoughts spiralling through her head. Visions and sounds of the past came and went like targets at a firing range and she didn't even have a slingshot at the very least to keep them away.

"... your faith in Green Heart will remain forever, as will her faith in you."

"Are you still concerned about that? Iffy, you're not a subject here. You're a guest. It's not often I have those, you know."

"Then why are we fighting?!"

IF rolled over to face the window and let out a puff of air.

"Iffy?" whispered Red.

IF rolled over to the other side and saw Red, looking at her with the same economy of energy she had throughout the afternoon. It was like her dial was stuck on the Slightly Above Average setting. "Hey, Red... what's up...?"

"Heard you all roly and poly. You having a bad dream?"

"I wish... I can't sleep..."

"Aw, that sucks." Red reached over and pulled up the sheets of her bed, showing her red cotton kosode with a pink sakura pattern and red cotton shorts that kept her warm. "Wanna sleep together? Not in that way, though. Unless you want to."

IF would be very grateful that the dark of the night made her blush virtually invisible but Red's offer shocked her too greatly to think of any thanks whatsoever. "W-W-What?"

Red covered her mouth to hold back her laughter, causing her sheets to drop back on her. "You're so funny, Iffy. But seriously, if it'll help you sleep, we can share a bed. I get to snuggle with my wifey, you don't have bad dreams, we both win."

A smile set onto IF's face. "Thanks but... I'll be fine..."

"Maybe you can go for a walk?" Red offered. "A moonlit stroll's always helped me sleep easier."

"That... doesn't sound like a bad idea." After another moment, IF peeled off her bedsheets and sat up on her bed's edge.

"I'll come with you," Red offered as she lifted her sheets again to move her legs off the side of the bed.

"Actually, I'd like to be alone," IF answered as she slipped on her shoes and stood up. "Everything's a bit confusing right now and I think some time alone would really help clear my head."

"Aw..." Red whined. "Pretty please?"

"Red..." IF groaned.

The red-haired girl pouted before covering herself again. "Alright. Have fun on your walk. Don't talk to strangers."

The brunette rolled her eyes as she made her way to the door.

"Iffy?"

IF turned towards the red-haired girl. "... Yeah?"

Red smiled at her. "Have fun, okay?"

The corners of IF's mouth turned up slightly. "I'll try to."

IF's trekking had taken her to a very quiet forest. Not a single sound, not even that of a beetle scurrying over a leaf or the chirping of a cricket, could be heard throughout the natural environment. IF unconsciously walked with slow and light steps, as if the woods were sleeping in a thin blanket of night blue and she didn't want to wake them. Besides, the quiet also allowed IF's thoughts to circle in her head without any outside noise to interfere.

Her left hand softly went up to cup her cheek as she recalled Jacob's fist driving into it. She closed her eyes as the memory of Jacob's roars returned to her ears.

She saw Neptune lying on the floor with skin as white as a skeleton, looking directly at her with wide eyes. "Why, Iffy...?" the voice of Neptune asked weakly from inside her mind.

With a sigh, the Moderatist leaned against a tree. "Hold it together, IF..." she said to herself as she observed and analysed the fresh bark, taking note of the lines bending and running up and down the trunk. She pushed herself away from the tree and sat down on an older, fallen log. "Man, it's quiet here. It's driving me nuts..."

As IF was about to lie down against the log, a faint voice reached her ears. A small string of slow 'na na na na's, sung with the voice of a young girl, floated throughout the blue forest. IF perked up and looked around. All of a sudden, the forest felt unfamiliar. The blue of the night felt like the forest's life aura, shining dimly as if waking from slumber.

IF stood up and looked into the dark centre of the woods. "Is that... 5pb?"

The brunette's feet took her deeper into the woods, closer and closer to the song. "What's a popular underground artist like her doing here so early...?" she muttered to herself.

IF reached a clearing in the woods and immediately went behind a tree so that the person she found wouldn't see her. Using one eye to peek around the tree, she had no doubt: standing amidst small white bellflowers and in front of a lake was the singer known as 5pb. Her long, straight hair and bangs shimmered in the moonlight like ribbons of sapphire and a small beauty mark rested under the corner of her left eye. One hand rested on her black and pink headphones with small silver antennae while she kept the other lifted in front of her and, with her eyes closed, sang without any acknowledgement of the land around her.

Even though the night's chill would make even IF shiver without her coat, the idol still sang with confidence wearing what was essentially a silver-lined black bra with frilly straps and a black ruffled skirt with a black and pink belt and a plaid pink bow on the back. On her midriff, between these two pieces of clothing, was a tattoo of a treble clef with a small heart on top of it. She wore a lacy-edged black collar with a pink heart tag, two black and pink bracelets on each wrist and a black band decorated with silver music notes with pink frills on each of her upper arms. On her feet were two black skin-tight platform boots.

IF began to step out from behind the tree. 5pb didn't notice a thing, still singing to an audience that only she could fathom. 5pb's gentle song drew IF to take a step closer. Entranced, IF took one more step closer to hear more clearly this heavenly sound.

Crick.

5pb's eyes opened at the sound of the leaf cracking under IF's boot. Her singing faded away as her ruby eyes locked into IF's emerald ones. The instant emptied the area of all sound. IF and 5pb were both as still as the river.

IF's breath caught in her throat.

The pupils of 5pb's eyes had vanished and been replaced by a spiking horizontal line not dissimilar to one you might find on a heart monitor.

IF gulped. "H-Hi—"

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Completely startled by the idol's shrill cry, IF tripped and fell backwards onto the grass. "W-W-What the hell?!"

"Ahhhh...!" 5pb continued like a frightened mouse, shaking all over and keeping her upright arms against her torso while staring at the brunette. Her wavelength eyes were running across her irises in the same way an ambulance would speed across a highway in an emergency.

IF kept her hand over her beating heart as she breathed as hard and deeply as she could. "S-Sorry...! I-I'm going...!" The brunette forced herself to stand up and turn around to run back the way she came.

"U-Um...!"

IF stopped. After she turned around, she saw 5pb's head facing her even as her eyes were looking at the grass near IF's feet instead of her eyes. "Y-Yeah? Did you want something?"

The idol kept her hands close to her chest. Her eyes ran up the trunk of a tree. She said nothing still.

IF let out a quiet sigh. "I'll be going now..."

Before she even got a single step away from her, the idol shouted "W-Wait!"

Making sure her exasperation didn't show on her face, IF looked back at 5pb again. This time, the idol was looking at her with eyes free of the wavelengths. The idol looked at IF as if she was trying to hold two magnets of the same polarity together but the brunette wasn't going to complain after 5pb had been deliberately avoiding her gaze. "What is it?" the Moderatist asked.

The idol panted, her chest heaving up and down as she tried to force words out of her throat. "A-Are... Are y-you okay?"

IF flinched. Now it was her gaze that was turned to the ground. "Y-Yeah... why do you ask?"

The idol knitted her hands together. She watched her knuckles as she massaged them with her fingertips. "Y-You look v-v-very... s-sad..."

The brunette glanced at 5pb. She then blinked as she sighed. "Is it really that noticeable?"

5pb nodded. 'To me', she mouthed even though IF couldn't make out her mouth movements in the darkness.

IF walked over to a tree and leaned against it. "I've had a really hard day."

No response came from the idol. The silence that filled the space between them felt as vast as the forest they stood in.

"Had a big fight with my friend," IF added, chipping into the huge monolith of reticence.

"Mhm," sounded 5pb, nodding.

The tranquillity became even more unsettling.

Pushing herself off of the tree, IF brushed dust off of her jacket. "I just came out for a walk to calm down a bit. I should... probably get back."

"Okay..." whispered 5pb.

IF tapped her foot.

5pb didn't say a word.

IF turned around and began to walk back.

"A-Are you still... f-friends...?"

Stopping on the spot, IF turned once more. "I don't have a clue. It was a very big fight..."

5pb's light gulp was audible to the brunette. "D-Do you... s-still want to be f-friends?"

"Hell yeah I do, it's just..." IF sat down on the grass, crossing her legs. "You have no idea what happened. I don't know if they'll ever forgive me."

"W... Was it bad?"

"It was terrible." IF rubbed her forehead. "I don't know what to do..."

A breeze brushed past the both of them, tossing about dead leaves that released crisp cracking sounds as they skipped along the ground. Taking a breath, 5pb stepped forward with strength. "M-Maybe they're just s-scared... Th-They might not know w-what's going on..." 5pb panted slightly before taking another deep breath. "Maybe you should talk to th-them..."

The hung head of the brunette let out a tired sigh. "You make it sound so easy..."

A sudden yelp escaped the idol who immediately turned her head away. "S-Sorry!"

"Hey, hey, hey, it's fine!" IF assured with a strained smile. "You're at least trying to make me feel better. By the way, what are you doing out here?"

"M-M-Me...?" 5pb squeaked, pointing to herself. "W-Well... I-I'm just... p-practicing s-some vocal t-t-t-training!"

"Oh, okay," responded IF as she pushed herself back up. "I'm sorry for interrupting, by the way. You were really good."

The blood that surged to the idol's face glowed through her cheeks. "... D-Don't worry... And th... thank you..."

Silence separated the idol and the Moderatist once more. IF shrugged and crossed her arms. "I think I better go back. I was walking because I was having trouble sleeping and I have a friend who's waiting for me."

"O-Oh..." The idol's head sunk slightly. "Well... h-hope you feel better."

"Actually, I think I do a bit," IF said as she looked at the palm of her hand. "Thanks, 5pb. You've been a big help."

"Y-You're welcome..."

The Moderatist pivoted on her heel to face the inn and began trekking back.

"H-Hey!" 5pb called. "What's your name?"

As if shocked by a taser, the brunette's head shot up. "Whoa! I completely forgot about that!" IF turned to face the idol again, grinning all the while. "I'm IF. I'm actually a big fan of yours."

"IF..." A smile took shape on the face of the singer for the first time this night as she repeated the brunette's name. "I'm 5pb. I hope I see you again."

IF smiled. This time, she didn't force herself to. "Same here. Bye."

"Bye."

IF disappeared into the woods, leaving the idol alone at the lake with her hands still held together like they were in prayer. "IF..."

"BOOYAH!" shouted Red as she leapt out of the bushes, still wearing her pyjamas, towards 5pb with her frisbees held tight between her fingers. "Really endangered damsels have nothing to fear as Red expeditiously dashes to the rescue! Now where did that scream come from?"

"W-W-W-W-W-W-W-W-Wha?!" 5pb shivered, stepping back.

The shorter girl turned to face the idol. As she looked the scantily-clad girl's body up and down, she whistled in approval. "Hoo boy, you're one of those shy types, aren't ya? Name's Red! R-E-D! How are ya?"

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

The dust kicked up by 5pb as she dashed away completely covered Red, who was completely dwarfed by the dust cloud by five to one. She coughed out some of it that made its way inside her mouth before scratching her head. "Well, that was quick. Normally, they wait until after I've told them about being my wifey."

One of the dogs whined at the side of Jacob's bed in the early morning.

"Ugh, fine..." Jacob grunted as he forced himself up and awake. After he swung his legs over the side of the bed, he yawned as he wiped the rheum from his eyes. Blinking away the rest that remained, he looked around in the orange light provided from the window and found himself surprised that Nisa and Gust were still asleep. Compa's bed was empty, though. "Whoa, I'm the first one up... that's a first..."

The dog barked. Another dog walked up to Jacob and nuzzled his leg.

Jacob smiled tiredly before he reached down and petted both of them. "Hey guys..." After he decided enough was enough, he got up and looked around. "I wonder where... oh, I think I know..."

Without changing out of his red-striped pyjamas, Jacob walked through the currently illuminating corridors of the mansion to the room where he and the rest of the party talked with Jade. When he got there, he opened the door in the door to find Neptune still lying in her bed like a pale ghost. He also found Compa slumped over the edge of the bed, sleeping with a small smile. Jacob smiled as well.

"Oh, hello," greeted the doctor from Jacob's left before she yawned. "You're looking much better already."

"Thanks," Jacob answered as he rubbed his nose with his index finger. "That reflex is really a marvel."

"I know all too well," the doctor chuckled. "Have you had trouble sleeping?"

"No, I just noticed Compa was gone and I thought she went up here. Sorry, I got a bit worried."

"It is perfectly okay." The doctor and Jacob turned back to the serene sight. "You probably cannot tell but the face of Neptune has eased up more since Compa came here. The poor little girl couldn't sleep and she came here to check on her friend. There wasn't much for her to do though, so she fell asleep at the side of her friend."

Jacob's smile flattened as he turned back to the medical practitioner. "What do you mean 'not much for her to do'?"

The doctor might have smiled as she looked back at Jacob. "We found the vaccine."

Jacob's smile quickly came back. "Really? That's incredible. Have you made it yet?"

"Sadly, no. We need some ingredients but Jade will tell you more when you all wake up."

"Fair enough."

After Nisa, Gust and Compa woke up and the party got dressed and had a satisfying breakfast, they were all together again in the modest room with Jade. Jacob and Compa stood up while Nisa and Gust sat down on the chairs around the table. The male, with his arms crossed, rocked from side to side. The girls were much more subtle in their movements; Compa exerted very little energy where she stood, Nisa rubbed her gloves hands slowly and without paying attention to them and Gust's suspended feet twisted left and right.

"Morning, Jade," greeted Jacob. "Thanks for the new clothes, by the way."

The black clothing that Jacob wore previously had been replaced by dark green trousers and a white dress shirt with bright green buttons. He still had his black sneakers, though.

"It is no problem," Jade responded. "I cannot very well have you run around in clothes covered in grass stains. That would be very impolite of me. Are they to your liking?"

Jacob ran his fingers under his collar. "To be honest, they're not my thing. Long pants and shirts just make me itchy and feel weird."

"They also look a bit weird on you," Compa noted. "No offence."

"None taken."

"You only have to worry about them until we are finished washing your clothes. After that, you can have them back and we can go about our merry ways," said Jade. "Anyway, thank you very much for the poison. Without it, I doubt that the good doctor and I would have been able to identify it. That poison was so old that we could only find it in records from over a century ago. Where on Gamindustri Yvoire found it is beyond me but, thankfully, we managed to find the antidote recipe."

"So what is it?" Compa asked very quickly.

"The recipe is right here," stated Jade as he held up a sheet of paper. Compa's foot nearly stepped forward but the nurse exercised her restraint. The Aristocrat walked over to the seat in which Gust sat and handed her the paper.

Jacob trod over to the alchemist and looked over her shoulder to read the ingredients listed on it. His eyes gradually widened as he looked down the page. "The... hell is all this?"

Gust looked up at him. "You don't recognise ingredients?"

"Holokenoza, shepherd's purse, dropwort, hakobe, gogyo, radish, turnip... I only recognise the radish and the turnip. Dropwort sounds familiar, though."

"Seems simple enough," commented Compa. "We just need to get the ingredients and have Gust make an antidote."

"Leave it to Gust!" cheered the alchemist, winking and pointing a thumb at herself.

"I am afraid it will not be so easy," said Jade. "To combat a poison so old, the ingredients won't be kept in any old shop. They must be gathered."

"Except for the radish and the turnip," brought up Jacob. "You could by those in a supermarket."

"Perhaps but that is not necessary." Jade flipped the curl hanging over his forehead. "I have managed to locate the ingredients. They are all gathered in one dungeon, ripe for the picking."

Jacob raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

"Most certainly. Within a snowy forest, you'll find seven treasure chests, each holding one of the ingredients inside. Gather them all and return here so that we may make the poison and cure your friend."

"That is... unbelievably contrived."

Nisa rolled her eyes. "Are you seriously going to complain at a time like this?"

Jacob sighed. "Okay, I am tired and this isn't really the time."

A small smile began to form on the heroine's face.

"But you have to admit," Jacob started, making the heroine's smile vanish immediately, "that this is really stupid. Seven items of dire importance at this very moment are sprinkled around an open dungeon waiting for us to just waltz in and pick them up from their treasure chests. Most treasure chests only have potions or weapons and armour that we'll never use. The last time we got anything important was Compa's bell and Neptune's hammer in the tutorial dungeon. This is like a deus ex machina."

"We know..." groaned the girls.

Jade's mouth may have been hanging slightly open. "Jacob, are you... always the kind of person to look a gift horse in the mouth?"

"Yes," Jacob responded without a moment's hesitation. "Granted, I'll use the horse as much as I can but, if that horse has some disease or something, I'll want to know about it before taking it to my daughter."

"Fair enough but is this really the time and place for such caution?"

"It's always the time and place for it. For all I know, this could be a very poor and obvious trap set by Yvoire."

Like static, the suggestion surged through the bodies of the four other occupants of the room and imprinted itself on their minds. They didn't look like they'd fall asleep at another one of Jacob's complaints anymore; now they were all alert.

"That is... a fair thought..." Jade agreed with hesitation. "So what will you do?"

"Get the ingredients anyway," Jacob said with a shrug. "We really don't have a choice by this point."

"You said you were going to find IF, right?" asked Nisa as she stood from her chair. "Then I'll go find the ingredients with Gust. Compa, will you look after Neptune?"

The nurse paused for a moment but she nodded resolutely. "Sure thing. Nep-Nep's in good hands."

Jacob clapped his hands together. "Sounds like a plan. Just be careful in case it is a trap."

"Got it. I'm going to get Neptune's hammer. I may just need it." Nisa walked into Neptune's room, shutting the door behind her.

Jacob laced his fingers together and stretched his arms out in front of him. "Well, I better go find IF. I'll see you all later."

"Good luck, Jake!" Compa called.

Jacob opened the door. "I'll need it..." he murmured as he stepped out into the hallway, closing the door behind him.

Jacob looked intently at the alleyways before him. He walked diligently from the mansion, through the woods surrounding it and to here, but he didn't move from this spot. Without taking his eyes off the narrow space ahead of him, he took his jetpack out and wore it, making sure that the crossing straps automatically fastened correctly. With his jetpack on, he lifted himself an inch off the ground and remained there for a couple of seconds before setting himself back down.

Pursing his lips, Jacob hopped back and forth and side to side several times. When he was done, he took a deep breath. He then used his jetpack to carry his hops, going slightly further than normal. As he hopped and even after he finished, he still kept his eyes trained on the alleyway.

"Here goes nothing..." Jacob murmured.

Jacob used a burst from his jetpack to leap from where he was standing to dead centre of the alleyway intersection. He then leapt right into the centre of another alleyway intersection using another burst. Another burst took him back, right in the middle of another crossway, and one more to the left landed him in front of right where he started.

Jacob smirked. "Alright, I'm a bit faster now. I'll have to practice that in my own time, though."

He jet-hopped through the alleyways again and ended up on the main road. He looked left and right as he walked forward. "Okay... if I was a Moderatist who nearly poisoned her friend and got into a big fight with her other friend before he stole her poison, where would I go?"

Jacob took off and put away his jetpack before he sat down on a park bench. "I suppose I could ask Vert for... No, too risky." Jacob ran his hands through his hair.

Then he lifted his head. Maybe it wouldn't be too risky. The Basilicom was scarcely guarded and Jacob knew where Vert's room was. She liked IF and she'd listen to what Jacob would have to say if it concerned her.

Jacob stood up, put his jetpack back on and ran over to the Basilicom without a second thought.

Vert put down her freshly emptied green mug of coffee at her side and grabbed her pink controller with two hands again. Her eyes were glued to the golden-framed TV in her room and she mashed her controller's buttons like a game of Whac-A-Mole with her thumbs. She sat cross-legged on her green carpet and her back rested against her white pillow that stood vertically against the table behind her. Her thumbs and fingers continued pressing the buttons without respite.

"Why do bosses these days have so much health...?" Vert asked herself.

Knockknockknock knock knock...

"Hm?" Vert turned her attention to the window.

"Oh no!" cried a voice from her TV, causing her to snap her head towards it once more. 'GAME OVER' was printed across the dimming screen in bold, neon blue letters.

"Curses!" the CPU shouted, dropping her controller on the floor. With a frown, she stood up and headed to the window that the knock came from and opened it. The boy on the other side, with black curly hair and wearing black clothing and a black and purple contraption on his back, sighed. "Who are you and what are you doing here?"

"Hi. My name is Jacob," the male greeted. His right arm swung forward slightly but he forced it up to cross over his chest with his other arm. "I really need to talk to you. It's about IF."

Vert's irritation was wiped away. "Iffy? What do you know about her?"

"Well, she's my party member and she's run away. I don't know where the hell she is and I really need some help."

"Oh, is she in trouble?"

"No, not really. She's just..." Jacob rubbed the back of his neck. "It's about Neptune and the Console War."

The CPU's alertness spiked. "H-How do you know about that?"

Jacob took his eyes off Vert and looked at the windowsill. "Uh, hey, do you mind if I come in? It's a very long story."

The CPU regarded him with wary eyes. "I don't see why you can't tell me from outside."

Jacob sighed. "Fine. First thing's first. I'm actually from another world. Neptune fell to my world after the whole Console War and Momus thing and we both went back to Gamindustri. Neptune's got amnesia and she doesn't remember a thing."

Vert raised an eyebrow. "You're from another world?"

Jacob groaned and ran his hands through his hair. "That's not important right now... All you need to know is that our worlds are as separate as they get, Neptune popped by for some reason I still don't know and now I'm here. That's it."

"... I see," said Vert slowly and with suspicion. "A question, though. If she has amnesia, how did you know about the Console War and Overlord Momus' attack?"

"Noire told us."

Vert was slightly taken aback. "Really? Noire just told you? She's far too proud for that."

"Well, true. We fought a few times and we finally came to an agreement. She told us about what was going on and why she wanted to kill Neptune. We're actually on a quest, see. There are four Key Fragments in Gamindustri, one on each landmass, and we need them to release Histoire. She can help drive Momus from Celestia, or so we're told."

"And how did you know about this Histoire?" Vert asked. "I have never heard of her and I doubt Noire and Blanc are any different."

"She can telepathically communicate with Neptune for some reason. She says she's the tome of the world and the world's her everything and she's the world's everything. I don't know much about her, to be honest, but it's not like we can ignore it. You know, that thing about Momus."

Vert held her hands together in front of her stomach. "These Key Fragments... How many do you have?"

Jacob rolled his eyes. "Just one, unfortunately. We found Planeptune's in a tutorial dungeon guarded by a Guard Vermin but Lastation's tutorial dungeon didn't have a Key Fragment and we have no idea where to find other Guard Vermins."

"Aren't Guard—"

"I know that they're supposedly extinct but we found one," Jacob cut her off, clenching his teeth. "We've been to Lastation and Lowee but we've had no luck there. Noire's kind of tied up with the Tech Expo and Blanc's... well, Blanc."

A teasing and mirthful grin grew on the goddess' face. "That's hardly surprising. She's too immature and hot-headed to be a goddess."

"I'd probably be in a lot more joking mood if she didn't beat the crap out of me," Jacob sighed.

The goddess abandoned the grin and looked at Jacob seriously once more. "About Neptune's amnesia..." She paused. "... Does she truly not remember a thing?"

Jacob shook his head. "Nothing. I bet she only remembers her name because Histoire told her."

"Surprising..." Vert commented as her clasped hands moved up to in front of her chest.

"Not entirely. She fell through my roof and my second floor before destroying my first floor. I'm amazed she was only mildly irritated from that."

"Goddesses are much tougher than you think," said Vert. "Anyway, how does this tie back to Iffy? Why has she run away and why do you think I'd know anything about it?"

Jacob sat down on the floor. "Well, that's something else. Your Archbishop also knows about the Console War."

"... What?" Vert blinked twice as if she was trying to wipe off her windshield particularly stubborn fog.

"A few days ago, Yvoire said you invited my party to a banquet at the Red Ring Table. Is that right?"

The goddess thought in silence for a moment. Her eyes quivered as if she was reading an invisible record. "He told me that a party was held in this Basilicom two days ago but I never invited anyone..."

"Also," Jacob pressed on, "he took IF aside for a chat outside. My friend and I eavesdropped on them and he said that you wanted Neptune dead. So he asked IF to poison Neptune."

"What?!" Vert shouted. "That is preposterous! We may be in the middle of a conflict but I would never ask for Neptune to be poisoned! And, even if I did, I would never involve a human in our affairs! How did he even come by to know about the Console War in the first place?!"

"I'm getting to that. IF demanded to see you to see if you really did want to poison Neptune. I eavesdropped on the whole thing because Neptune's a friend of mine and I don't want anyone getting poisoned and I know she didn't say anything about it."

Vert's eyebrows lifted slightly. "So that was you..." she murmured before her gaze moved to the floor. "Still... that explains so much about her attitude..."

"I caught up with IF and she was heading back and we got into a fight," Jacob continued. "I managed to take the poison off her but we didn't finish before we split away from each other. I met up with my party again but, as it turns out, Neptune was poisoned while I was gone."

"How did that come to pass?"

"From what my friend told me, room service came by and fed Neptune poisoned food. When that happened, Yvoire and his men stormed the room to arrest them for treason even though we haven't done anything but my party was lucky to escape. I'm currently looking for IF and my friends are looking for a cure for Neptune."

Vert rested a gloved hand on her head. "... Tell me, how would the Archbishop know about the Console War?"

"I don't know but I think it might have been the Evangelist's fault."

The CPU looked at him with tired eyes. "The Evangelist?"

"We met her back in Lowee. She told us about how Momus was undefeatable and she also knew about Neptune being a CPU. If anyone could tell Yvoire about the Console War and Neptune, it would be her."

"But why? What motive could she have for leaking such information?"

"I don't know," Jacob admitted with a shrug. "Gust said she might be trying to sabotage Planeptune for Lowee but that doesn't feel right for some reason."

The CPU took a moment. She looked at Jacob, taking his measure in a way that unsettled him enough to make him take one step back. "Do you mind if I call you Jake?"

Jacob paused in surprise. "Uh— oh, sure," he answered.

"Thank you. Jake... forgive me but I'm having a hard time believing this. You say that Neptune, one of my enemies, is on my landmass and looking for objects I've never heard of. I will at least believe that. However, your claims of my Archbishop poisoning someone behind my back and Lowee's Evangelist being some sort of anarchist are, to be frank, ridiculous. To believe that you are actually from another world is out of the question." With a tired breath, Vert moved her hand up to cup her cheek. "Admittedly, you don't exactly look like anyone I know from Gamindustri but still..."

"I don't really care if you believe me. I just thought I'd let you know. What I really want right now is to find IF and you're a friend of hers."

Vert sighed. "Very well, Jake. Iffy is a friend of mine as well and I don't intend to let her suffer. Also, I can ask her about your story."

Relief broke out on Jacob's face as a wide smile. "Thank you so much."

"I'm coming out. Please make way."

Jacob moved away from the window so that the CPU could step out. Jacob opened his mouth but, before he could speak, a flash of light enveloped the blonde goddess before dissipating outwards in all directions. The goddess, now standing slightly taller, had her blonde hair replaced with bright green hair tied into a ponytail at the top of her head. Her irises had changed colour from the deep sea's blue to an amethyst's violet and her pupils had been replaced by white power symbols. Like the other CPUs, Green Heart was more or less covered in a skintight bodysuit. Hers was white but with green and place pieces scattered here and there. Like usual, the bodysuit came with claws and covered her feet, legs, forearms and waist but left her shoulders and upper thighs bare. Unlike the other CPUs, though, Green Heart's attire was even more revealing; it covered the top of her bust but left the cleavage and underboob uncovered in addition to her stomach. Her wings were refreshingly simple; just three very long pink diamond shapes floating off either side of her back.

Green Heart turned to look at Jacob with eyes as cold as gems. "Do you mind being carried?"

"Wait, we're going right now?" asked Jacob.

"Yes. We cannot delay this time. Iffy might be in danger and I will not allow her to come to harm. I know you are unable to fly but I will carry you if I have to."

"You won't have to." Grinning confidently, Jacob used his jetpack to hover slightly over the ground. "I have a jetpack. I can fly as fast as you need me to."

The tops of Green Heart's eyes lifted just barely. "I see. Well, that is one less inconvenience for me. Let's go."

Green Heart blasted off into the sky. After Jacob recovered from the shockwave generated from the goddess' acceleration, he took flight as well.

Gust's feet dug into the snow on the forest floor as she pushed the treasure chest open with a grunt. The alchemist gasped when she finally forced the box open, leaving her only to jump up and hang over the edge. She licked her lips as she found the key item she was looking for and quickly pocketed it.

"Got i—"

Before she could finish shouting to Nisa, a Weeping Grass was kicked into her, knocking her into the chest and shutting the door over her. Feeling rather indignant, Gust pushed herself up and banged on the walls surrounding her, generating as much noise as she could with her very thick gloves.

"Hey! Let Gust out!" she screamed.

She heard a rapidly approaching string of 'sorry's that quickly picked up in volume before the chest door opened, revealing the familiar face of the heroine. "I am so sorry! That random encounter came out of nowhere! I didn't mean to kick the monster into you, honest!"

Gust pouted. "Be careful next time," she warned before she escaped the gold-decorated deathtrap.

"So how many ingredients does that make now?" asked the heroine, dusting snow off her black jumpsuit's sleeve.

"Three. Four left. Basilicom?"

"No sign of them," answered Nisa as she looked into the trees. "This is really easy..."

"Some story events like that," Gust commented. "Can't draw anything out. Let's go."

Alright everyone, pack your bags because the train's going again.