"K- Kurome?"

This couldn't be real... No... no, it must have been a dream. And yet, the small flicker of blood dripping down her face, with its creamy and slick texture rolling across the cheek, felt so sickeningly real to Uzume. Those pale, now lifeless eyes staring vacantly, not even carrying within them their once soul-sucking darkness anymore: such orbs were flat as the pavement roads criss-crossing throughout the city.

"Oh my... Would you look at that?" Dreamsy lowered her arm as she looked out almost pitifully at the fallen woman, who sat motionlessly on her knees. "Even though a fraud, it seems she possessed the same kindness as the real one once did." Sighing, she floated a little bit closer, but not too close, as she paused just some distance away. "A pity it was wasted on another fake. But, I suppose whether you were real or not didn't matter to her: the real Uzume would have saved an illusion if she could, so at least the both of you retained that trait from your originator."

Any and all continuation was put to a stop as her head flicked to the side, and said flick was accompanied by a startling 'bang' which played out at the very moment of the act. Dreamsy, more intrigued than upset, turned towards the direction of what she identified immediately as enemy fire, only to see Uni staring down the sights of a rather large, and quite sleek, gun. It appeared as though the little goddess candidate had seen enough, and be it by emotion or Dreamsy's own lack of attention, the girl had transformed outside of her sight and taken the risk of firing upon her.

It was only a single shot, but still: it was one shot too many.

Looking around, Dreamsy could see that all of the previous restraints she'd held the others with had faded; freeing the false Uzume too. However, unlike the other girls who'd all transformed, and with Big Nep who'd armed herself with a sword and gun, the shocked woman merely stared at her blue counterpart, with what Dreamsy could only describe as heartbreak. The red one's jaw was slightly slacked, and the edges of her eyes were wet, with fresh unnoticed tears trailing around the sides of her face. Her body was limp, but twitched and shook periodically with each breath.

In their current states, neither image of the once beloved friend Dreamsy held dear was a threat, and so she made the decision to forgo her focus from them, and instead set it onto the others who'd taken to circling her. While wiping both fakers from the world would be the only viable mercy she could offer to their illusionary existence, she did not take joy in the pain and heartbreak each would need to endure. Breaking their wills was a necessary step to felling them though, and so she'd never mention anything in the way of respect or love. And so, sighing to herself and exuding the brunt of her inner delusion, she would deal with the other and suitably less worthy of opponents first, before returning to commence with tucking the red one into bed for her final, and eternal, slumber.

"You..." The white haired one's voice flickered, with barely restrained rage leaking out uncontrollably. "You bit-"

There would be none of that, and Dreamsy made sure of it by wrapping her own hand around the young one's throat. She seemed shocked at the display of speed, but what this little candidate was about to learn today was: you did not tempt your betters. These children may have been powerful by mortal standards, but when challenging a goddess, they should have been more prepared for a fight. Although, Dreamsy supposed it wasn't the children's fault, because if anything, it was up to their elder sisters to make them aware of the dangers such foes presented; something the big sisters clearly hadn't done properly.

Uni tried beating her arm, and seeing her mouth open and struggling to draw breath was both unflattering, and pathetic.

Something crashed into her back, and as she turned around to check, she never even bothered to tighten her grip. The attack left shards of ice sprinkled around her, and seeing the glassy pieces slowly evaporate into fumes proved they were of a mystical creation. Uni continued to struggle in her grip, and Dreamsy smirked at the light blue coded twin, who while shaking as she pointed her weapon, ought to have been proud of herself. While the attack hadn't so much as made her flinch, and certainly wasn't enough to loosen her grip, it had been felt; certainly more than what any would expect from a child.

The pink one at her side glared hatefully, looking ready to rush in, but was holding back for some reason. It was obvious why: the sight of the failed attack made it clear their magic was no use against her, and they were probably coming up with a different plan of attack to be flung her way. Dreamsy cast an eye to the one in her grip, and seeing Uni's face now significantly darker, and pairing that with how little she now struggled, it was obvious the girl was hurting badly, and perhaps might even pass out soon.

So they want you back... Smirking, she lowered the arm holding Uni. Then I suppose it's only polite to comply, is it not?

The twins were about to risk another spell, this time one which trapped, as opposed to damaged. This was, though, put on hold when Dreamsy jerked. Without being able to fully see the near lightspeed - from their perspective - movement, something heavy smashed into the both of them. They were sent tumbling back and ripping into the grass and dirt as the force dragged them across the park grounds.

So young, and yet so delightfully energetic. Dreamsy could only afford a faint regret to tug at a single strand of her heartstrings; although they were trying their best to do what they saw as right, the girls lacked the experience and skills necessary to even do damage to her, which made all their attempted heroics fall on deaf ears.

Dreamsy decided she'd let them play their games; there was no real rush in her goal.

Casting an eye over towards the twin lies gifted her with the exact sight she expected, with the red girl both baffled and overwhelmed with a delicious frosting of despair just waiting to collapse from within itself. The woman who called herself Uzume would be easily dispatched soon enough, and while most attackers made the mistake of giving the goddesses a chance to fight back, Dreamsy knew for a fact Uzume wouldn't recover from this.

And she was right, because down by her other half's corpse, said girl was falling to pieces just trying to comprehend what had happened.

The more she stared, the worse she felt, but nothing could compare to the pit of eternal loss raging in its usual place. That tiny inkling of something, who'd taunted and picked at her very insides for so long since taking the relic, was wrathful in its constant wailing for her attention. What was once so small, had grown astronomical in size, and it made sense too. Uzume could understand it now; she finally got it. That... terribly familiar emptiness, who'd morphed between simple and indistinguishable, was no ordinary worry.

It was her soul itself reaching out for her other half.

And now it screamed, silently, but not quite painfully for the loss of the darker portion of itself. Uzume had no idea if this meant she'd fall apart, or would lose part of her personality, but really, she didn't care. No, Uzume was too busy trying to delude herself into believing what she was seeing wasn't real. But no matter how hard she tried, or what logic she applied: her soul knew the truth.

Kurome had long since been ripped from her place within their heart, and had skewered herself taking a javelin not even meant for her.

It was getting harder to see now, and Uzume's chest felt so unbearably tight, as if someone were crushing it from all sides. But the pressure of having her heartbeat forcefully stopped would be nothing compared to the terrible hurt she felt as her mind finally came to grips with what was real. Really, she knew all along her other half had been unleashed upon the world; she'd known it since the day they mentioned the fake Uzume carrying the blue variation of the relic now situated within her own pocket.

Though jittering, she reached for her dead counterpart, and yet, stopped before touching her. Uzume's hand hovered, frightened, before her counterpart's cheek. Seeing was one thing, but illusions had been used on them in the past, and internally, the often cheerful gal wondered if this was one such illusion. So long as she just looked; so long as she never touched the body to confirm the truth...

She'd be capable of believing that lie.

Her fingers lay softly on the steadily cooling cheek, and once more the stuttering of her breathing picked up. Uzume couldn't do it, she couldn't lie to herself like that. She had to… absolutely needed to know the truth: she needed to know if a part of her had died, and that very grasp, though small and careful, had proven her nightmares true. Kurome Ankokuboshi sat before her: lifeless and limp. The other half she'd fought so hard to save when given a second chance at life, was now finally erased from the world for good.

And it hurt.

"H-hey..." She laid her hand fully on the cheek, giving it a little shake. "C-come on... wake... w-wake up..."

Her very words were beginning to crack, but Uzume never noticed, she was too busy trying to lie some more. She shifted closer, drawing right up to her other self's front, and wrapping her second hand around the opposite shoulder, Uzume gave it a rigorous shake.

"Hey... hey, do you hear me...?" She took both shoulders, giving them more force in her plead to show that everything just looked bad, that her other self was not only stronger than one stupid spell, but also just playing around in her own sadistic way: that was okay, she'd forgive her other self anyway, because it wasn't completely her fault she went coo-coo. She'd only gone nuts and split them apart because she loved her nation and people, and that was heroic, even if she was totally bonkers.

The shaking had left the corpse lopsided, so much so it began to tumble once Uzume let go. In a small bout of panic at seeing her second half about to tumble over, she rushed to catch her. Uzume did so easily, but to do it she had to embrace the stiff, and it was here everything broke. The blood had pooled significantly by this point, and as it continued to spill, it began wetting Uzume's own clothes. That wasn't what told it though; Uzume had felt the warmth of fresh blood many times before during other fights.

No, what revealed the sickening truth in such a way that it could no longer be ignored was the lack of a pulse anywhere in the body, and the missing rhythmic rise and fall of a breathing chest. No more lies could wash away these facts, and though she stared into the empty eyes of her once deceptively cunning adversary turned accepted memory, Uzume realized there was no waking up from this one. No terror could stir her from the slumber now engulfing her remains, and Uzume knew that no matter what cries she made, or prayers she whispered...

Kurome was gone.

Uzume never noticed the slight glow coming from her pocket; only the fading of everything around her as her mind lost itself to despair.

.

.

For the first time in her life, Kurome didn't care if anybody saw her weakness, and she certainly didn't give a fuck if the shadow ghost saw her bawling. She screamed, she swore, and she slammed her fists fruitlessly into the flawless reflection of the water; a reflection which still failed to include herself, and yet apparently had no issues mirroring her dark guest.

She wasn't sure how long she was at it, but once she'd calmed down into a bitter, pitiful mess, the shadow let its voice be heard.

"Hey... uh... you good now?" It was such a stupid question, which only acted to reignite her ire.

"What do you think?!" Sly and vicious, Kurome made no attempts to ease up on her rage filled grief, and the shadow sighed.

"Yeah, I probably should have guessed." Really, she was sure her act was, perhaps, the most obvious sorry sight to ever exist. And yet, due to a mix of pity, respect, or whatever other positive excuses it made up for itself to hide the taunt, Kurome believed them all lies, and drew away from his words into her own headspace.

But running from the only other sentient being in this entire... What was it, afterlife? The woman really didn't know where her soul was right now, other than the fact it was her very soul which felt these things; if anything, her body was probably back in Planeptune, just waiting for the maggots to begin their feast. It was revolting, but unavoidable, and that was the easiest truth to accept.

Maybe that was what she needed: to know what happened now, and what was going to happen to Uzume.

"Hey." Her dry, worn cough of a call appeared enough to draw the creature's attention; or maybe it was better to call it a specter. Regardless of what it was, it silently faced her - if that was even possible for a faceless entity - with wordless attention, having apparently learned its lesson from only moments before. "I died... yeah?"

"You did... and really violently too." It hissed a little in a mocking display of pain... or was it trying to mimic a recoil? "Ouch. Real messy; not a nice sight for anyone."

As if she didn't know.

No, don't antagonize it. She'd already screamed enough at it, but yelling and crying like a baby wouldn't do any good now: she was gone. Still, maybe it wouldn't mind answering a few questions. What was its name... Blade? Yeah, yeah that was it: Blade. Kind of a weird name, but the spirit proved the title's accuracy with its display a little while ago.

"I know." She said, trying to keep a cool head. Once upon a time such despair was pleasing to her heart, and a flavor for her tongue she couldn't get enough of. Empathy was a myth during those times, but like learning a new skill, it somehow found its way back to the forefront of her mind with time. "Do you know what's happening out in the real world?"

"You're worried for the other girl, right?" It didn't sound all that surprised. "Uzume was her name, yeah?"

"Yes." Apparently, that was enough to elicit a pleased hum.

"I knew it!" The short fanfare was dashed a second later, and it took on a sheepish tone. "But the truth is... well, calling it bad would be a little bit of an understatement."

"What's happening?" Kurome didn't know if she should let her worry grow; hell, she didn't know if she had the energy to do so in the first place. The fatigue was weighing her down, and unlike her once darker rage, it lacked the luster and prestige to hold itself above the waters of apathy.

It was kind of hard to feel worse when your expectations were already digging a ditch.

"Your sister-soul is currently crying over you; it's kinda heartbreaking."

Yep, it could get worse.

Kurome hadn't been lying to herself either: she really didn't have the energy to break down anymore, and so settled for quietly crying instead. Oddly, the hurt wasn't as bad as she thought it would be, but considering she was probably just a soul at the moment didn't point to it being a good thing. That didn't mean the event had no effect on her though, and Kurome popped up once more, curiously.

"She's crying?"

"Yep." Blade's tone was almost... chipper, and if the news of her better half's reaction hadn't confused her the most, she might have seen fit to challenge him over the almost happy voice he spat with. "Not as crazy as you went with your screaming though; kind of just... broken."

"Why?" Why would Uzume care about her? Yeah, her crimson twin accepted her back into their body and mind, but Kurome remembered only ever being a source of pain and suffering for Uzume and her- their friends. She had no real right calling Nep and them her friends, but she couldn't shove the thought away. Here, in the realm seemingly beyond life where nobody else was there to see, Kurome had a sense of honesty bestowed upon her… or maybe she just felt more comfortable admitting her feelings now that she was dead.

Both Neps, Gearsy, and all the rest: to Uzume they were close friends, and while Kurome was still a part of her, she grew to think the same of her own accord. Uzume always carried within their heart all its sympathy and the other confoundingly happy emotions and memories. But even with such kindness being second nature to the girl, Uzume should not have wept for her. Would she burn with an honorable, and even vengeful rage? Yes, but to break down and cry?

It just didn't make any sense. But despite this logical fallacy, Blade hit her with the simplest of answers.

"Because you died, silly." It chuckled a bit. "How else is she supposed to react when someone she loves dies?"

"Love...?" She... loved me? That couldn't have been right, but once again, Blade slapped her upside the head with another fact, as if it were common sense.

"Well yeah." She could almost hear its sass. "She loves you. I mean, you're a part of her, aren't you?" Its tone fell again, and this time every word was blunt. "This is simple stuff; how are you not getting it?"

Not getting it? Twisting quicker than Blade apparently expected, she leveled an accusatory look.

"How the hell am I supposed to get it! What am I even supposed to get?!" Reeling her anger in, she simmered while her mouth ran on and on. "I hunted her and her friends down; I enslaved them personally, and I invaded the pathetic land itself all in an attempt to erase her! How can she do anything but hate me!?"

Blade didn't sound all that impressed, or even shocked.

"She chose to save you, didn't she?" Her eyes narrowed at that, wondering what his point was. But really, she knew his point; Kurome just didn't want to believe it - she didn't deserve what it implied. "She wouldn't do that to someone she hates."

"And what would you know about that?" Uncomfortable as it was, Kurome's own logic was quickly falling apart. Uzume would save just about anyone, but what she didn't like to admit was: she'd eradicate those she hated just as quickly. While Kurome herself took ownership over most of their negative traits, their unbreakable wrath was shared between them both. Uzume heralded the righteous justice of a loving hero, whereas Kurome bore the eternal hate of humanity's deepest depravity.

Their relationship was akin to night and day.

"More than you, certainly." It giggled this time. "Although it's kind of adorable how hard you want to convince yourself." Kurome's growl knocked Blade down a peg, although really, it chose to get serious at this point all on its own; it could feel her nearby, meaning the time had come. "But in all seriousness, you should count yourself lucky."

"And why is that?" Kurome again made no attempts to hide her discontent, but like before, Blade didn't seem to care.

"Because you, my cute little goddess, have stumbled into the perfect loophole for me to exploit." It's voice tripped up a bit. "Eh, well, not just you I guess. Uzume's done it too."

"What?" Whatever its point was had been lost on her again. "Loophole?"

"You see: normally, when people die, that's it. No retries, and no resets. The slate is wiped clean. Most mortals think there's some sort of grand afterlife awaiting them, but that couldn't be further from the truth. Everyone pretty much just respawns immediately after in a new form, be it plant, animal, or even person; always in infant form, of course. Those that don't just wait in a dream-like state until a new slot opens up and they can be dropped in as a newborn or sprout."

"Okay..." Kurome squinted her eyes. "But what does that have to do with anything?"

"Well... everything really." It began to circle her. "You're dead, and sorry to say, but without something like those one-up's the Maryo family likes to grow, you ain't coming back."

Way to rub it in. Blade didn't notice her expression fall, and just carried on regardless.

"Thing is, though, you do have something just as good; even if you never really noticed it all that much recently."

"What are you talking-?" Kurome was cut off when her chest began to glow, and upon further inspection, she realized the glow was coming from her pocket. She reached for the area, but before her hand could draw close, something popped into her palm, and the glowing vanished immediately.

There, within her grasp, was the blue cartridge, which she identified verbally.

"This thing?"

"Yep." Blade popped the p. "Your former friend's tool, and the very same one which freed your personality into its own body. Funny little thing is caked up with so much energy that it managed to trap your soul the moment you died, which is what allowed me to reach out to you personally." The dark mist sounded rather pleased with itself. "And it's a good thing too; I wasn't exactly a fan of how your story was about to end."

"Huh?" Kurome was getting caught off guard too much for her liking, but Blade spoke on.

"Usually, I can only speak with individuals favored by Gamindustri itself, but luckily for you, Dreamsy's tampering has made it possible for a soul to stagnate temporarily in an enclosed space. To spell it out directly: I'm able to interact with you, face to face, while the magic within both relics holds the two halves of your soul hostage."

"Hostage..." Kurome's eyes widened once her mind fully processed what Blade just said. "Hold on: two halves?"

And just like that, a flash of light reached out from behind her, and Kurome whipped around to see a figure which both delighted, and horrified her. There, floating peacefully and suspended in the air, was the sleeping visage of Uzume Tennouboshi. Another prick jabbed itself into her chest, and overwhelmed with disbelief, Kurome took a trembling step forward. The girl was so close to her, and yet so far, but despite Uzume being a good meter away, Kurome reached for her.

"Overwhelmed with just as much grief as you, she pulled you in as close as she could, trying to convince herself your death was just a bad dream. Sadly, your demise is as real as her entrapment now, albeit less tragic and more... heroic."

Kurome couldn't speak, merely watching as Uzume was lowered down. She possessed no reflection either, even as she sank into the waters below, twisting to lay against it.

"Uzume!" Kurome took off, frantically reaching out for her twin, who appeared to be laying on her back below the waters. "UZUME!"

But it was no good, because despite shoving her hand under the water to reach for her other self, it was blocked by the same invisible barrier keeping her from sinking underneath. In a bit of panic, she punched, slammed, and beat as hard as she physically could against the unseen obstruction; intent to shatter the sightless glass into a billion shards of oblivion as punishment for its slight against her.

Blade floated over again, and she could feel its voice as it addressed her once more.

"She'd do anything to save you, even if it meant sacrificing herself." Gravity itself felt as though it twisted, and suddenly, Kurome discovered she wasn't being pulled down anymore, and her body began to float away from the sleeping girl, who appeared to do the same. With her breath caught in her throat, Kurome reached for her other, but it did nothing...

And then Uzume opened her eyes.

"Wha...?" Taking a glance around, the redhead's expression morphed into shock, as she appeared to realize her own weightlessness. "Woah! Hey!"

She'd then taken to flailing her arms as though she were losing balance, at which point Kurome yelled again.

"Uzume!"

"Who said that- you!?" With her electrified expression, Uzume herself seemed to see the way her midnight companion reached for her, and opted to do the same. This appeared to have a magnetic effect, as both halves were drawn to each other. Their open palms met, separated still by the smooth wall between the two, and the red one questioned, "you're alive!?"

Kurome's heart broke again.

"I-I..." Steeling herself and sucking in some air, she breathed out. "No... no I'm not." Kurome was very much having trouble, but she pushed herself through to the truth. "I died trying to protect you."

"She always loved you." Blade's voice caught the attention of both women. "Even when she was fighting you, she still desperately wanted to save you somehow, because you mattered so much to her."

Kurome let her eyes fall to the other twin, silently asking if such a claim was true. Uzume never spoke, but appeared to get the unasked question regardless, nodding slowly, which only conflicted with Kurome further. It didn't stop there, because Uzume had the absolute gall to smile.

"She even tried to merge with you again, hoping it would somehow save you both, and it worked... to an extent." It's voice shifted, which both took note of; it was not a positive shift. "But it didn't quite work. She merged your memories and powers, yes, but she couldn't merge your consciousness. And so, you sat unheard in the back of her mind: a passenger of her life, and forever doomed to watch her live for the both of you."

"What are you talking about?!" Uzume cried, downright insulted by what Blade said. "I took her back in; I accepted her into me. What's this garbage about it not working?"

"Your other half, Kurome as she calls herself, was not fully reabsorbed." Blade's tone evened out once more. "You only let her back in, but with both of your personalities developing separate from each other, you were incompatible as a single person. You share the same split soul, but you may never again be one... At least, not without my help."

"Your help, huh?" Uzume snarled with a face lacking any and all amusement. "And why do you believe that? Better yet, why would you offer to help us?"

"Simple!" It was cheerful again. "I love happy endings, and I don't like the idea of your twin's death being the climax of her journey."

""What"" In perfect unison, both girls spoke in harmony, casting one another slightly confused looks at the incredible timing. Blade didn't care, as it was apparently too absorbed in its own giddiness.

"Yep!" A few giggles came after. "Normally I can't tamper with things, but thanks to those relics, I get to speak with you, and make you an offer." Strangely, its excitement fell off here. "But it isn't a perfect deal either. Sadly, there's a catch."

"There's always a catch." Uzume sighed, but looked back up regardless. "Look, I don't get anything that's going on here, but this ain't the first time metaphysical nonsense showed up in everyone's time of need, so fine: what's the catch?"

"I can restore you both to your perfect self: linking your minds and souls back together. You'll be back to your former glory, power and all... but..."

"Buuuuut?" It sounded like the perfect deal to both girls so far. For Uzume, it meant truly, truly saving her other half, and she wasn't about to turn that down so easily. For Kurome, it was everything she'd been searching for since the split: to be one with her better half again. Sure, Kurome would miss being her own self a little, but she'd have the comfort of being a single person, and would never again be separated from Uzume.

"You'll end up losing who you both are now." Blade actually sounded kind of sad as he said it. "Your individual personalities will be replaced with your initial one, back before you split apart the first time. And, as if that weren't bad enough, you'll lose all of your memories hence. The friends you've made, and adventures you've been on since you both became your unique selves, will all be forgotten. You won't get all of your old memories back either. The only thing you'll retain is your sense of self... your original one anyway, and the memories you do get will be nothing but an incomprehensible mush; whether you can eventually decipher them will remain to be seen."

"Stop right there!" Uzume shook her head to clear it. "Are you saying I'll forget about Nep and the rest."

"Yes. You'll both forget everything, but you'll be together again, and you'll be powerful. Your strength will be on par with the best you were before sealing yourself away, and maybe even better. Resurrection gives the one brought back a bit of a boost, and you'll certainly be strong enough to face your old friend."

Silence filled the space, until Uzume saw fit to break it.

"Is... is there really no other way?"

"I'm sorry, but no. This is all I can do. I can send you back alone." It then shifted over towards Kurome's direction a bit. "But you will die if that happens." Blade returned to its original spot between them, seemingly unaffected by the barrier between the pair. "That is the extent of my power, and the loophole of our special arrangement here. I may join you together, or let one of you die, so that the other may live alone."

It grew quiet again, until this time Kurome broke the air.

"Let me die."

"WHAT!?" Uzume slammed her other hand against the wall. "Are you freaking kidding me? What the hell, me?!"

"I'm not going to deprive you of everything you've been through so far." Kurome's voice was solid, but the keen ear could catch the crackling hidden within. "I'm nothing but a distant memory; one best left forgotten."

"Do you even hear yourself?!" Uzume nearly growled. "You're me, remember?!"

"I was you... but not anymore." Kurome didn't like making her better self angry, but she couldn't put it any other way. She badly, badly wanted them to be one again, but not at Uzume's expense, and told her so with sorrow covering every word. "I'm my own person by this point. Listen: I'm not the one who's spent her new life making memories with Neptune, and I'm not the one who spared the world a monster's wrath. That was all you." She stretched her arms wide, letting go of the wall, and thus causing both to float away from each other again now that they were no longer seemingly tethered. "I've ruined your life once, and I'm not about to ruin it again."

"Oh yeah? Well you're ruining it pretty good right now!" Uzume tried to swim back to the wall, but pushing the air did nothing. "You know I hate stupid shit like sacrifices, so why are you trying to be all mopey now?!"

"You'll lose yourself if we join together!" Kurome was having a hard time holding back her feelings, but even so, she spoke what she believed to be the truth. "It'll be just like death, and even if our body remains alive, it won't be us."

"You idiot!" Uzume was screaming now. "Of course it'll still be us! So what if we forget things?! We can always make new memories after! I've had this empty hole inside myself for weeks now, and it only got worse when you died!" Fresh tears fell effortlessly in a stream down her face; some of which dribbled off and began floating in the air. "I don't want that feeling anymore! I don't want to be alone, and I certainly don't want you to die just so I can keep some stupid memories! I love you, you freaking dumbass! I-I can't just abandon you! We're family!"

"I-I..." Kurome couldn't stop it either, and even as her spirit yearned to be reunited, she did her best to decline. "I don't want to hurt you..."

"Then stop it already." Uzume slipped on a tiny, content smile. "I'll never abandon you, not for any reason whatsoever. Besides: we can't just leave the others to die." She looked towards the shadow. "You said we'd be powerful enough to stop Dreamsy: is that true?"

"Yes." Blade sounded content. "Nothing in Gamindustri will be able to stand in your way."

Uzume then looked back at Kurome; her smile now brighter, and even a little playful.

"See?" She reached both hands out... and cautiously, Kurome did the same. Both women gravitated back to each other. "I need you. If not for me, then to save everyone else."

The blockade between the two shattered, with only Kurome looking surprised as they linked fingers; Uzume just carried on, all the while tightening her grip.

"We can't let the others down; I'd never forgive myself."

"E-even if it means we forget ourselves?" Kurome was still hesitant, Uzume could see that, but like she had for all her juniors, she offered her sincere comforts.

"Yeah. Heh, you know, it's kind of funny."

"What is-!" Kurome's eyes widened as Uzume drew her into a tight embrace.

"I saved you last time, but now, you're the one who's saving me." A soft, complacent face fell into place for Uzume, and although Kurome couldn't see it, she could hear the happiness in the woman's voice, and felt within herself that same acceptance and peace. "Thank you for that."

Kurome couldn't deny it anymore, and she didn't want to either. Embracing Uzume just as hard, she said the one thing on her mind; the one thing she always wanted to tell her sister-not-sister.

"I love you."

"I love you too." Uzume then pulled back, wearing a bright, cheerful smirk. "Now come on; we've got some ass to kick."

Kurome nodded, and bore a similar look.

"Yeah..."

Both women turned to Blade, and each wore the same determined mask as they spoke as one.

""Make us whole again.""

Blade smiled, although it couldn't be seen.

"You got it!"

.

.

Purple Heart didn't know whether to feel enraged or saddened at the sight of her city burning to pieces.

On one hand, she felt sad for Dreamsy: the girl really didn't deserve to go through what she did. But on the other hand, the ancient woman was attacking her nation, and as the guardian goddess, she couldn't let that slide. As tragic as her story was, Dreamsy had to go. If anything, Purple Heart hoped the woman would find peace afterwards; that was, if push came to shove, and she had to permanently defeat her.

She didn't like thinking along that path, and instead decided to distract herself by finding the woman of the hour. Dreamsy probably had her mind set on Uzume, meaning all she needed to do was find her valley-girl friend and she'd find Dreamsy.

Ironically, it didn't take too long, as one of the central parks had a strange lack of any real chaos going on within. Although up high, Purple Heart could see how the candidates below were gathered... getting their backsides broken in by the far too happy looking Dreamsy.

Crap...

Noire, Blanc, and heck, even Vert would probably have her ass if she let any real harm befall the girls: if not for Noire and Blanc having sisters in three of the four, then for Vert's sis-con obsessions with Nepgear - but really, Vert loved all little sister folk, regardless of who they were.

As she floated down however, a stark tension rippled across her skin. Down on the grass, and a little ways away from the ensuing - and one sided - battle between the sisters and Dreamsy, sat Uzume and her dark half: Kurome. Now, seeing Kurome in the flesh should have been cause for concern, but taking into account the blood pooling around the pair and the lifeless look the dark one wore: the sight had Purple Heart more worried than ever. Uzume held her close in a hug, and although her face couldn't be seen, she was sure her friend was weeping.

Uzume had, after all, chosen to accept the darker side of her back: reuniting the pair as one. So to see her other half not only gravely injured, but also separated... Purple Heart did not like the look of things, not one bit.

She landed some distance away, but before she could move, Dreamsy called out.

"Well well. And so she appears." Turning to face her adversary, Purple Heart extended both arms, catching the twins in one and Uni in the other. Her human counterpart hadn't been launched her way, and stood defiantly on the other end of the park, visibly much worse for wear from the fighting. "I was worried you'd take longer, but I suppose such worries were unfounded." The smirk Dreamsy sported was downright diabolical. "Out of all the goddesses this age, you always were the most sensitive when it came to your people."

"I'm not the only one." Purple Heart had no issues defending her friends, because they weren't here to do it themselves. If anything, they were probably trying to develop a plan to stop Dreamsy permanently, and Purple Heart herself was just buying time. "But the others are caught up on their own problems, so you'll need to give them time before they can join us."

"Is that so?" Dreamsy laughed. "I guess I did put a little too much work into the assault." Sighing, she righted herself. "Maybe I'll have my minions tone it down in their nations. After all..." The surely crazed woman clapped her hands, and a deep bloody aura enveloped her, paling her skin and hair, and tinting her previously blue attire to an equally scarlet red. "I can't let you have all the fun."

The menacing appearance was enhanced by the raw force exuded from the change, but even such an alteration could be one-upped in shock factor by something else, which was what everybody learned immediately after..

To the pair's utter surprise, a blinding white light erupted across the park, originating from the spot where Purple Heart saw Uzume and Kurome kneeling. Turning her head to look as the light began to dim, the goddess was stunned to see a new figure stand from where the previous two sat. Almost a perfect copy of both, but sporting the violet lochs only seen in Croire's visual history, Purple Heart knew immediately who it was, and couldn't stop the name from passing through her lips.

"Uzume...?"

"Uzume?" The woman echoed, standing from her kneeling position and shaking herself a little. She was faintly glowing a soft contradictory vibrant pale blue, with little shimmers and shine flanking and twinkling around her in an almost ghostly manner. Her eyes slowly opened, and she looked down at her hands, clenching them and admiring them, as if it were the first time she'd ever seen the limbs. Her face contorted with confusion blatantly clear across her features, and then asked, "is that my name?"

Purple heart didn't know how to respond, but she didn't have time to either: Dreamsy beat her to the punch.

"So you're still alive..." The malevolence was unbearably cruel as it sprinkled every syllable. "And you've chosen to mock her memory even further... Fine." A vile swell of pure hatred burned across the field, and from her place, Purple heart was able to look upon it all. "I'll simply do away with you, once and for all."

Uzume turned, looking curiously at the enraged woman, and it was here everything clicked for Purple Heart. Dreamsy's dark red aura, contrasting perfectly with the gentle blue waves of the air around Uzume, and the burning city behind finished off the painting perfectly. With the idea of the scar in mind, Purple Heart wondered if the images she and the others had seen within the shrines were not only Dreamsy's doing, but the scar itself plastering warnings of the future.

Regardless, it seemed Uzume had realized the gravity of the scenario, but her voice was confoundingly calm in spite of everything happening.

"Me?" Uzume pointed to herself before looking behind, and then back to Dreamsy. She squinted after, and muttered just loud enough to be heard. "Why? I don't even know who you are..." Her expression changed again, and Purple Heart oddly couldn't read it. "But... I guess I don't need too."

Solidifying her standing, Uzume spoke clearly as her face relaxed.

"I don't know who you are, but I know I need to stop you." She paused for a second, and then shook her head. "No... that's not right." Her eyes toughened their glare. "I..."

Uzume seemed to get something: an understanding which had the girl taking a calmer, almost relaxed standing, and every single bit of confused hesitation previously filling her words had now left her voice. Her jaw tightened, and all were greeted with the raw determination Uzume herself had been known for.

"I need to save you."

Author's note

…

A long one this time, but I really didn't feel like splitting it up and having you wait another week just to see it all. So Uzume's back, now as one and lacking the memories she and her friends had made; both on the Uzume and Kurome side, and supposedly containing ultimate power. But is that it for our heroine? Were all the adventures marched by the pair, and all the relationships along the way utterly worthless?

Guess you'll have to find out next time.

Until then.