Chapter 5: Duality
"Blanc! Blanc! Look who we found!" Rom and Ram dashed ahead of N and IF, heading towards their spot.
"So Blanc came with them… hopefully she'll let me back out of this…" N followed the two while IF gripped onto N's shirt.
The twins ran towards a spot off towards the side of the park, far away from the rest of the families. Blanc was sitting underneath the shade of a giant oak tree. The tree challenged residential buildings across the street from it with its height, giving not only the CPU underneath it shade, but also passing pedestrians on the other side of the street. Its similar sized brethren surrounded the park, creating a natural barrier that protected the park-goers from the sun's rays.
Ram kicked her shoes off and leapt at her elder sister. Blanc caught the girl with a blank eyed face. With a quiet grunt, she put the pink twin on the picnic blanket she was sitting on. Rom, on the other hand, stopped at the edge of the blanket and undid her shoe laces. As the blue twin panicked to catch up to Ram, N and IF reach the CPU trio.
"Lady Blanc!" N called out to his friend. Blanc nodded in response. N slipped his shoes off and sat down, unsheathing IF from her restrictive but convenient gear. Placing IF down on the blanket, N reached into his plastic bag for his sandwich and turned to Blanc. "Wassup, girl?"
Blanc shrugged as she watched Rom and Ram try to get IF's attention with coos and other random gibberish. "Nothing, just relaxing. I didn't expect a shut-in like you to be here." N grinned.
"Hey, I'm not a shut-in! I just go out if I need to get stuff." Blanc rolled her eyes.
"Sounds like a shut-in to me." N pouted. Unwrapping his sandwich, N opened his mouth wide until Blanc's hat hit him in the face. Quickly smacking the hat away from his saucy marinara food, N turned to see Blanc slowly shook her head. "If you're gonna sit with us, then you're gonna eat with us."
Grumbling, N wrapped up his sandwich and lied back onto the blanket. Turning his head to the side, N saw IF pulling on Rom's fingers while sitting in Ram's lap. Ram took off her head and put on IF's head, but the thing devoured the baby's head. IF whined as she let go of Rom's hand and felt around the hat.
"Heeey~" N reached over and plucked hat off of IF. "No hats unless they're Iffy's size, kay girls." The twins nodded.
"I'm sorry." Ram stroked IF's head. IF looked up and blinked. "Uh… What's her name, Mister N?" N smiled.
"Was wondering when you were gonna ask. Her names Idea Factory, but I'm lazy so I shortened it to IF, then made it slightly longer for a nickname by calling her Iffy." Rom and Ram blinked, staring blankly at N. Blanc raised an eyebrow.
"Why." N shrugged.
"Dunno, just felt like it." Rom and Ram went back to playing with IF, while Blanc scooted over to N.
"So why are you here?" N sighed and gestured to the twins.
"I was out tryna find a place to eat lunch, made a new friend by the way-" Blanc nodded. "And after that I ran into the twins, they brought me here and here I am."
"Well, at least this little story was short." N frowned and sat up, turning around to face Blanc.
"Wow, really?" Blanc made a small smile. "Already not gonna let me live it down?" Blanc shook her head. "Come on, Blanc! It was just a phrase!"
"Yeah, and knowing you, I expected you to be literal. Not metaphorical. Since you disappointed me and ruined my expectations, you will not be allowed to live it down unless something else dumb happens." N sighed and dropped onto the blanket.
"Aaah, you're no fair." IF climbed out of Ram's lap and crawled over to IF. "Ooo~. Hello, Iffy~." Hearing N call her name made IF squeal and rush over to N. Once she reached N's head, she placed her hands on N's cheek and pushed herself to her feet. "Uh, Ifve? Owffh." IF giggled and leaned against N's face. "Wuaaifth, Ifveee~!" Peeled IF off of his face and sat back up, placing the girl in his lap. "Stop that! Daddy needs to breathe, you know." IF blinked before smiling.
"Dada!" N smiled back.
"Yeah, I'm right here." N stroked his daughter's head while the twins gushed over IF.
"Awwww! She's sooo cuuuute!" N chuckled.
"She's gonna be a beauty when she grows up! Gonna have a hard time keeping boys off her." N leaned closer to IF. "You better pick someone who'll make you happy, kay?" IF grabbed N's sideburn. "I'll take that as a maybe."
N noticed that Rom's eyes were still staring straight at IF. Meanwhile, IF noticed that Rom was staring and stared back. Smirking, N lifted IF up and held her towards Rom.
"Wanna hold 'er?" Rom's eyes sparkled as she nodded her head quickly.
"Uh-huh! Uh-huh!" Ram pouted as N shuffled over to her twin.
"Aw, no fair!" N glanced at Ram.
"You can hold her too." Now, Ram's eyes sparkled. "Okay, Rom. Come here." N held out IF towards Rom. "Hold out arms." Rom held her hands out, hesitantly keeping them close to her. "Hey, be a little more confident!" N urged Rom's arms out as far as they possibly could, coaching the CPU Candidate into holding IF. Once Rom was safely holding IF, N let go and waved his hands in the air. "Ta-daaa!"
"Howaaaaa-!" Rom gaped as IF laid in her arms. IF curled herself into slightly to fit into Rom's grasp. IF stared at Rom, blinking as the CPU Candidate sat frozen. "Um… uuuh-" Rom fidgeted as she looked left and right.
"Rom," N reached for his sandwich, digging his hand into the bag. "Try smiling at her. See what happens." The girl nodded after hesitating. Taking a deep breath, Rom gave IF her best smile.
"He-hello!" IF stared at the girl holding her. A droplet of sweat rolled down Rom's face as silence beared down on her. Seconds passed. Ram held her hands over her heart. Blanc raised an eyebrow. N unwrapped his sandwich and opened his bag of chips. Blanc turned to the young man.
"What flavor is that?" N chomped down on a handful of chips.
"Var-fe-cu." Swallowing, N held the bag towards the CPU. "Barbeque, want some?" Blanc silently reached into the bag.
"Thanks." Blanc quickly nibbled on her snack. N bit into his sandwich and glanced at the blue twin.
Rom's face twitched from smiling. IF blinked. Ram held her breath. Blanc munched. N chewed as he watched the two stare it out.
N returned to his sandwich, nodding. "Three…" Rom's mouth began to quiver as IF's eyes bored into hers. "Two…" Ram began panicking as tears began to well up in Rom's eyes.
"R-Rom! I-It's okay! Just cause Lil' Iffy's not doing anything doesn't mean she hates you!" N swallowed another mouthful of food.
"Aaaaaa-nd one." Blanc turned to N.
"One wha-" Blanc was cut off by tiny giggling. The two adults turned to see IF reaching out to Rom, laughing and smiling. "Hm." Blanc summoned a book from her inventory. "Guess that'll keep 'em busy for a bit." N shrugged as Ram leaned closer and started making funny faces at his daughter.
"Prolly not." The twins turned to N.
"Look! Look, Mister N!" N smiled at Rom, nodding his head.
"Nice." Ram puffed out her chest, smirking.
"I totally knew Rom could do it." N snickered as he finished his sandwich, opening his drink.
"Good job, girls!" N took a swing of his soda. Letting out a sigh of relief, N leaned over to Blanc. "So, uh... Lady Blanc?" Blanc grunted, not looking up from her book. "I know that picnics are nice and all, but I thought the snowy courtyard at your Basilicom would have been fine for you." Blanc flipped through a page.
"It would have, but we were invited." N put his drink on the ground.
"...I don't like where this is going…" N gulped. "By… who?" Blanc glanced up and raised an eyebrow.
"Who else?" N capped his drink, fearing for his throat and lungs if he took another sip now. Rolling up his plastic bag, N pushed himself to his feet.
"Yeeaaaaah, I should get going." Blanc glanced at N. "I finished my food so I don't wanna get in your wa-" The young man was met with the puppy eyes of the twins once again.
"Y-you're leaving already!?" Ram pouted as Rom held IF close.
"Awww, but I didn't get to hold her yet!" N stepped.
"Girls, I'm glad you wanna play with Iffy. I am. Bu-" N widened his eyes. IF had her eyes wide and shining. "Iffy already knows how to do puppy dog eyes!? Oh, come ON!" N took a step back.
"Please, Mister N!" Rom nodded.
"...Can you please let you stay a little longer?" A droplet of sweat rolled down N's face.
"I- uh…" N bit down on his fear, swallowing as hard as he could. "O...Okay." The twins looked at each other and cheered, IF copied them. "I guess I can wait for a little longer." N sat back down and hunched over. Feeling a hand on his back, N turned around to see Blanc slowly blinking.
"You have to do this one day." N sighed.
"I just can't. Not yet." Blanc furrowed her eyebrows, frowning.
"Then when are you going to?" Clenching his fist, N gritted his teeth.
"I… I don't know!" N felt his eyes welling up. "It's just… everytime I think of meeting her, I…"
"Sorry we're late!" N's blood froze, his bag of food slipping through his fingertips. Blanc leaned forward and caught the bag, slightly crushing the chips inside.
"Oh sh-" Blanc bit her tongue as she glanced at the twins and the baby. "...sorry." Looking up to N, she saw the man standing still. Upon a closer inspection, Blanc realized that N was trembling. She could hear a sharp, quick breathing coming faintly from him. "Hey," N jolted, slowly craning his neck to his CPU companion. "You good?" N didn't respond.
The two girls behind N rushed to the picnic area, panting for air.
"Sorry, Blanc! We stopped by somewhere real fast to get some food." Blanc grunted, not prying her eyes from her paralyzed friend. Quickly nodding, Blanc poked N on the side. "...Who's that?" One of the girls behind N asked.
"Oh, an old friend. He used to live in Lowee but moved here. The twins ran into him and yanked him over." Blanc set the bag of food down. "Hope you don't mind him and his kid being here."
"His kid?" The girl looked past N to see IF playing with Rom and Ram. IF was playing with Rom's pom poms on her coat while Ram tried to show off hers. "Hey, that was the kid at the sandwich shop!" N blinked.
"Huh?" N slowly turned around. As he was turning, he saw another girl with black half updo twin tails walk past him and towards the twins. She wore a sleeveless black dress that blended nicely with her hair. N's eyes followed the girl as she sat down next to Rom and Ram.
"Hey, you two!" The girl greeted.
"Hi, Uni!" The twins chirped at her happily. IF quieted down and stared at the girl as well.
"...What's with the baby?" Uni asked. Ram gasped and opened her mouth to answer.
"She's-" N's attention was ripped away as he was turned to face the voice behind him.
"Hey, I remember you!" Her furrowed eyes were red again. Her clothes and hair were back to normal again. Her slight frown and cheeks flushed from always working hard. N could see the small bags underneath her eyes.
He wanted to be relieved. He wanted to open his mouth underneath and tease her with a small grin again. N wanted to hug her, startling her like old times.
"Um… Hello." The girl leaned back, putting her hands on her hips and let out a small content sigh.
"So, you lived in Lowee huh?" N nodded, trying hard to break away from her face.
Neptune didn't miss Histoire. Histoire always came by whenever needed. Blanc would call whenever she was free so Neptune didn't miss her either. Neptune did miss the twins, but as long as Blanc was in contact, the twins were closeby. Since Neptune now lived in the Leanbox-sanction portion of Planeptune, Vert and Nepgear always appeared in Neptune's media feed. In fact, Uni popped up often out of concern for Nepgear's safety.
"...Yeah."
While Neptune was too afraid to see Nepgear, there was one person Neptune did want to see. Someone that was closer to Neptune than either Nepgear or Blanc. She was the yin to Neptune's yang. The shield to Neptune's sword. Someone that would never leave Neptune's side. Unless Lasation was involved, which was often. Neptune missed her.
"So, what's your name?" The girl held out a hand. N gently took and shook it.
"N. N Cast." The girl smiled.
"I'm CPU Black Heart. CPU of Lastation. Although, people also call me Lady Noire. Either one is fine for me." N fought back the tears as he smiled back.
"Nice to meet you, Lady Noire."
Neptune missed Noire.