"Huh... This is already pretty interesting stuff." An evil, amused voice of a small, dark fairy said as she observed Hyperdimension, "In one world, that woman's past tyranny earned her the fear and respect of all of Gamindustri and caused Tari to prosper and overtake the nations... at least until her tyranny went south. In another, she's a sorry loser schoolgirl who's romantic feelings will never reach the boy- or girl she's chased after for so long. And here you are again, rising up from the failures because of how much she did on her own, and instead of falling from grace, she dropped into the arms of another."
"The arms of someone she's opposed all her life! She's settled into her new life so quickly, it's like she doesn't care about the new world she wanted to make anymore...!" A familiar voice came from a familiar woman, looking at her identical twin on the other side, "Mere days ago, she was working tirelessly to end the Goddess' reign! Now she's accepted them and is serving one as her maid? How could you, Rei Ryghts?! How could you turn your back on your ideals?!"
"Uhh, are you... doing okay there, sugarcakes? I haven't seen you this upset since the time I ditched you for that one post-apocalyptic dimension."
"I'm perfectly fine! It's her who's become blinded and thrown away her goals of a world ruled by the people and not the goddesses! Also, must you remind me of that awful time alone I've had to endure because you wanted more 'interesting' events to happen?"
"Urgh, I was hoping you'd ignore that part... I got bored of you being a weakling and wanted to go to other worlds with more interesting histories, so I went to those interesting dimensions and tried to record a bunch of those histories. But you would catch me every time, and you even punished me accordingly."
"Th-That's because...! You were all I had left that still supported me... even after Tari fell into ruin! I couldn't bear the idea of my one and only friend leaving me too!"
"After? You had me in the palm of your hand ever since you first became a Goddess! I leave this dimension for a more interesting one, come back to see how you were holding up, and end up being stuck to a wall with my limbs chained for a minimum of 3 days! Your clinginess nearly gave me Stockholm Syndrome! ...That sounded less dark in my head."
"I-I just... I love you, Croire. I didn't know what I'd do without you, so I made you promise to always stay with me. Always and forever by my side."
"You're blowing it way out of proportion. But... Yeah, I-I... love you too, Rei. Now... what was that favor you wanted from me, and how does that relate to this other you?"
"I want to use that power to create a link between me and her."
"What?! Rei, we can't! You know how crazy it drives you! That's not worth-"
"Yes it is, Croire! And maybe I still am crazy! I've wanted a world that can be saved without the aid of a CPU. One where none of them can make the same mistakes I did. But that peaceful world I wanted never existed, no matter what world we live in! SHE is proof of that! If the people around me don't want that peaceful world, fine! I'll just drive Lowee and Planeptune so far down into chaos, Tari will look like a safe haven in comparison! Besides, I can't even get a hold of my own Seven Sages anymore, not without the power to put all those fools in their place."
"A-Are you sure? If we do go through with this... you might not ever be back to your normal self." Croire spoke out once more.
This time, Rei's response was a soft kiss onto the fairy girl's lips. The two remained like this before the woman pulled back and looked into Croire's eyes, "I don't know if I'll ever go back this time. But one thing will never change." Rei picked up her dark fairy and held her gently in her hands, "I'm grateful for everything you've done for me... And I'll always love you."
Croire still looked hesitant, but after giving the idea some thought she figured, not only would her lover rise back up to the top, but it was one way to make a boring old world filled with interesting stuff. And whether she could admit it or not, she had become quite attached to the Rei Ryghts of her own world.
"Yeah yeah... Love ya too." A small smile on Croire's face, the fairy wiped her face of any tears forming in her eyes, "...Wait, I just realized! Why would you help out the other you if you hate her so much?"
"Heh heh heh heh! So she can understand what it is we fight for. If she can't see it for herself, I'll just have to make her see it. Not only will Tari be remade, but we will deal with any opposing CPU accordingly. And she WILL help me... whether she knows it or not."
"I do like me some Multi-Dimensional Conquest... Alright, let's do it." A large, dark blue energy sphere formed in her hands, then she split it into two smaller spheres of the same size. Then, with reaffirming nods at each other, Croire pushed one of the small spheres towards Rei.
"Nnngh... A-Ahhhhh! Yes! This power... I feel it coming back! Haaaaah, it feels so good!" Rei moaned out as the sphere entered her body. The dark blue aura spreads through her body, enveloping her form as she lets the power from the sphere inside her body, "Hahahahaha! I can hardly wait for my full power to be restored!"
"Hm. It wasn't a whole lot, but she seems happy with what she's got. Now... To show that faker what happens to those who dare betray my Rei's ideals!"
Hyperdimension Neptunia
Nepgear: A Savior's Tale
Chapter Four: Omen of Chaos
"In other news, rumor has it that Leanbox staff have sped up production of their new title, Scarlet Nexus, to launch soon on their new system later within the year." A blond newswoman with classic 90's gloves and overalls spoke on the TV, "Lady Vert has also announced that she will also be releasing her new title on Lastation consoles with the goal of 'Broadening out the horizons for Leanbox representation across all of Gamindustri.' How will releasing Leanbox titles on multiple platforms work to Leanbox's advantage this time? Past history has its doubts on Scarlet Nexus' potential success in its home turf, but only time and sale numbers will tell. Good luck, Lady Green Heart. You're gonna need it."
Nepgear had her head literally buried in her paperwork as she let the news play in the background, "Vert... What are you doing?"
"What's the big deal, Nepgear? The humans are getting their precious game early?" Nepgear heard CFW Purple Heart speaking in her head. She picks her head up from her manga and sits up straight, "Didn't Blanc say in a live interview that a rushed game will forever be bad? This is Vert's chance for an opportunity to one-up the other goddesses, and she's squandering it!"
Arfoire's voice rang out this time, "Aren't you one of the other goddesses that she would one-up, kid?"
"I'm out of the running, remember? Planeptune games are multi-platform now."
"Then why do you care?!"
"Then WHY do you care?!"
"OWW! You didn't BOTH have to shout inside of my head at the same time!" Nepgear said while holding her head, "Goodness, you two may very well be the death of me."
"Hmph! Here's hoping."
"Don't get any funny ideas, Arbore."
Before Nepgear could call out CFW Purple Heart's outdated insult, the door to her office opens. Nepgear looks forward and smiles in relief, "Ahh, perfect timing."
Instead of her usual business clothing, Rei Ryghts now wore a light blue maid's dress with the top part cut enough to see her collarbone and a small part of her chest. The dress also had short, puffy sleeves, a flowing miniskirt that goes down to the mid-thigh level, and a white apron over the dress' front, with cross-ties on the back holding it together. The apron's rims and straps looked fluffy and seemed to cover her shoulders in some areas, and she also wore a black choker around her neck, also with white fluff around the rims. Rei was also wearing white thigh high stockings and a pair of sky blue high heels, which had ankle straps on the back. Her long blue hair flowed freely and she had a white hairband to keep her bangs out of her face.
"M-Miss Nepgear...? I brought you a plate of cookies for that snack you requested. As well as some tea to wash them down." Rei spoke up as she walked in the office with a black tray in her hands. The tray had two saucer plates, one with a tall glass of green tea on top, and another saucer plate with cookies on it. She picks up the saucer with the plate of cookies and sets it on Nepgear's desk. But when she grabbed the saucer with her tea on it, a shift in balance caused the glass to lean towards Nepgear. Rei also felt the tray losing balance and looked worried, "Huh- Aah!"
"Oops!" Nepgear reached over and grabbed her drink and Rei's tray in each of her hands to prevent a spill. Both Nepgear and Rei looked at each other with nothing happening, neither one of them moved. Neither girl could determine if this was a sweet moment... or just plain awkward.
Nepgear gave a slight smirk as she broke the silence, "Rei, if you wanted to see what's under my shirt, you could've asked me to take it off instead of spilling something on me~"
"M-Miss Nepgear!" Rei blushed red from Nepgear's words. The CPU gave a soft laugh as she helped Rei place the tea on her desk, "Hehehehe~ Come on, I'm just teasing."
Rei sighed as the cup was placed on Nepgear's desk, "Haaa... That would've been the 3rd time this week if you didn't stop my clumsiness."
"Yet you managed to bring it to me all the way from the kitchen today. I'd say you're improving." Nepgear said to comfort Rei, "Especially with those shoes I had you wear with the uniform."
"Most maids don't have to wear stiletto heels, miss Nepgear..." Rei said as she turned her attention to the TV.
"On the subject of CPUs, it seems we are but a few months away from the CPU Shift Period: A season where citizens search for new CPUs to follow rather than place their faith in our current 4 rulers. Some citizens have seemed to have gotten a head start on the phase where rumors are spread to tarnish our current CPU's reputation. Give us a moment as I read them out to you all."
"Urgh, I keep forgetting that was coming up." Nepgear said as she got up from her seat, taking a cookie from the plate and eating it.
"CPU Shift Period...? Could my group have taken off if I had waited for that time?" Rei said to herself out loud.
"How coldhearted of you, Rei." Nepgear said in a fake hurt tone, startling Rei in the process.
"For Lastation, the rumors surrounding its goddess, Lady Noire, state that she treats her employees harshly with no time to properly rest, and even chains her own sister to abide by her perfectionist demands, as some citizens eloquently put it. Lady Uni and what appears to be a reformed ASIC elite member have frequently appeared to deny any of these claims. Stating that while her sister can be pushy, she wants more than anything to have her nation at its best condition so her citizens live freely under her deeply loving care."
As the rumors were being read out loud, Nepgear took a sip of her tea, "Ahhh... Classic Uni, always having her sister's back. Even though I could see where those rumors come from."
"Miss Noire is not as harsh as people say, are they?" Rei asked.
Nepgear shook her head, "Not to that extent, anyway..."
"Leanbox's CPU, Lady Vert, has a variety of accusations, ranging from too much playtime on MMO's to blatant kidnappings of young girls, claiming each one as the little sister she desperately desires to have. One subject includes what appears to be a woman resembling CFW Magic, but no traces of ASIC returning can be proven. Notable Leanbox representatives, 5pb. and Cave, have claimed to have heard no such activity regarding the latter subject, but are working to resolve some issues of the former."
Rei blinked twice as she looked at Nepgear, "Wait... there's no Green Sister? Doesn't Vert get lonely running Leanbox all by her lonesome?"
"Honestly-... I can't tell whether Vert or Noire is supposed to be Lonely Heart, as Neptune would have put it." Nepgear said as she stopped to think for a bit, "Though it might be a cause of her obsession with me."
"...O-Obsession?" Rei asked before the reporter kept going.
"And just this week, Lowee's CPU was metaphorically hammered with allegations regarding the "terrible" decisions that she made when building the Lowee U system, calling it the most unstable, offensive, insulting piece of gaming software that looks like it came from the same trash can as Lady Blanc's light novels. An extreme claim to be sure, and when asked for sources, the news crew received none, save for the common name of 'TrustM3-Bruh'. ...Wait a minute..."
"..." Neither CPU or maid had an immediate response for that. Rei then asked, "Sooooo... what happened with miss Blanc's console that made it flop that hard?"
"Oh, just a case of bad marketing." Nepgear said casually, "The Lowee U was shown to be this mini-tabloid device that could connect to the TV to allow for play at home and on the go, and everyone thought it was going to be something akin to a console-handheld hybrid device with its own library of games to differentiate from the 3DS. ...Nope, that was just the main controller. The actual console was never shown off in commercials, so everyone who got a Lowee U received something other than what they thought was advertised, so sales for the Lowee U were far and few in-between... but at least Blanc called the system quits when she did instead of constantly trying to milk it and justify it's downgrades in quality, like Vert did to the somehow-even-worse Leanbox One. Like I'm glad Vert had enough Shares to get by and remain with us after 'Project Scorpio', but man... that girl is on thin-ice at this point."
"A-Ahh... haha..." Rei laughed nervously at Nepgear's mini-rant. But then as she turned back to the TV...
"Moving on to Planeptune's CPU, Lady Nepgear... oh god."
"Haa, here it comes..." Nepgear sat down at her desk while sighing.
"Anonymous sources have made several claims throughout the three years of leading her nation that Nepgear has been biding her time to seize control of Planeptune from under her sister's nose for years, and was responsible for Lady Neptune's untimely end. When confronted, Lady Nepgear says that she had been responsible for that, but not for the reasons the people claim. Others claim the new CPU has had moments of bloodlust out in the open, most notably when asked about past events regarding ASIC members... even a mere Underling could awaken the violent beast within Lady Nep-"
SMASH!
"Kya!" Rei let out a high-pitched scream and fell onto the floor.
"ONE TIME!" Nepgear screams as she drives her sword through her TV, "I LASHED OUT AT LINDA ONE GODDAMN TIME! WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO TO GET PEOPLE TO LET THAT INCIDENT GO?!"
At that moment, she heard a whimpering sound and looked at Rei scooting away from her. A ping of guilt rang through Nepgear as she made her sword disappear into data and spoke out in a softer tone, "S-Sorry, Rei... Maybe I do have some stability to work out..." She held out a hand while stepping closer to Rei.
"...M-Miss Nepgear, please..." Rei said with a bit of fear, even as she took Nepgear's hand and was pulled up to her feet, "Anyone would react in not-so-nice ways to false allegations being talked about out in the open."
Nepgear looked down at the floor, "Thing is, Rei... those rumors are very true..."
Rei's eyes widened, "...Huh?"
"Not the part about wanting Neptune's position and doing anything to attain it, but the part where traumatic past events are brought up and I explode in fits of rage, as you saw earlier." Nepgear clarified right away, "I did say I'd tell you about those rumors if you were ever interested in them. Now's as good a time as any, so... take a seat."
"Y-Yes, Miss Nepgear..." Rei said as she pulled out a chair a few inches in front of Nepgear's office desk.
Nepgear herself sat down in her usual seat behind her desk and took a deep breath, "Haaa... This took place during my first year as Planeptune's official CPU. I had worked myself to the point where Histoire of all people had to drag me out of the Basilicom just so I could take a much needed break. I took the opportunity to visit my friends from the other nations, since there wasn't much I could do on my own at the time. It felt nice seeing the other CPUs, Oracles, and even the Makers of each nation greet me with warmth and open arms. But while I was in Lowee, surviving members of ASIC started to attack Lowee. I was helping Blanc stop the crew responsible for these attacks. And during that time..."
Lowee, 2 Years Ago...
Nepgear and Blanc, both in their transformed states, were fighting off a crew of ASIC Remnants that had invaded Lowee and attacked buildings and people on sight. Nepgear spots a feminine figure tripping and calling out to the rest of the crew, but she was left behind. "I'm going after them!" Blanc shouts as she flies after the main crew, leaving Nepgear to confront the straggler alone.
Nepgear descended in front of the hooded woman, grabbing her by the back of her jacket and got a good look at the woman's face, her eyes widening as she recognized who it was, "You...! That Underling from last year!"
"And you're that brat who foiled all my plans back then!" The Underling says in fury as she punches Nepgear's face to make the CPU drop her. As Nepgear reeled back in slight pain, Underling got up from the floor and dusted herself off, "And how many times do I gotta tell you? My name is Linda, not Underling!"
"Nngh...! Don't misunderstand. I haven't forgotten you, Linda." Nepgear said as she glared up at Linda, "How could I when you worked for the people responsible for bringing my sister's killer back to life!"
"Your sister's killer...? Ohhhh, so our Deity of Sin slew that sister you worked so tirelessly to save from the Graveyard." Linda said with a smirk on her face, "Tell me, 'Purple Sister'. What broad became the new CPU in charge of your home turf?"
"The new Planeptune CPU? The one who has taken the mantle that my sister has left behind, and fights so she can protect everyone else she cares for? You're looking at her!" Nepgear's Share energy aura flared as she pointed her gunblade at Linda, "Your encounters with me were against the CPU Candidate Purple Sister... but no longer am I a mere Candidate. I am the new CPU of Planeptune, the successor to my big sister! I am Lilac Heart!"
Linda stood there nearly motionless, save for the few steps backwards she took during Nepgear's speech. She knew then and there that she wasn't gonna beat the broad who ruined her plans a whole year back when ASIC was resurrecting the Deity of Sin. If this girl really wanted to, she could kill Linda here and now.
But a painless, merciful death would be too generic for Linda. If that happened, she'd be remembered as the useless Underling until her very existence faded away from the people's mind. All Linda ever wanted was to stand out, to be the best at what she does, and to be acknowledged for her actions, not even giving a care in the world for morality.
Linda will make sure Nepgear remembers her name for good, even if her blood would stain that sword/gun hybrid weapon of hers.
"...Ha. Hahahaha! You? The CPU of Planeptune? In what universe?" Linda openly mocked Nepgear as she smirked knowingly, "You couldn't even take Magic on in a fight and let yourself and your broad friends be captured for three whole years! Heck, you couldn't even hold a candle to my own fury in our first meeting. Not without getting some lip from that brunette girlfriend of yours. Literally!"
"What...?! Why...?" Nepgear looked startled at that moment, "Why are you bringing that up?!"
"I've heard of those exploits you've gone through to get your sister back. Nearly every embarrassing detail, including that spat of yours with that Lastation Candidate. I didn't care much at the time, but wow. All she wanted to do was apologize and you had the assumption that things were all rainbows and sunshine, not even remotely considering how that Uni girl felt about her own sister's predicament, not just your own sister. How selfish of you!" Linda spat at the frozen Nepgear, "Speaking of the Candidates, how come you haven't gotten those kids to help you out? Does pinky still think you're a 'giant dummy'? And that girl in the blue coat Trick and I controlled? Did she reach out for you only to leave her behind again? Her first outside friend who constantly abandons her? She was practically begging you to run away and abandon everything to be with you, y'know?"
"Y-You made that last one up!" Nepgear shouted as her left fist was clenched.
"And my big Leanbox scandal? Sure I could've done the disguise a lot better, but at least I got to see the stupid look on your faces when you realized how obviously bad I was. ...Wait, I'm supposed to be roasting you, not myself!" Linda corrected her attitude and kept going, "A-Anyway, how could Planeptune survive with a crybaby like you holding the reins? Its people are practically begging for the more confident of the two to come back. Where did you say she was? On vacation? Business leave? Scoring a hot stud? ...Wait no, she's six feet under! I legitimately forgot that happened."
"P-Please stop!" Nepgear spoke up, "Don't talk that way about Neptune!"
"Why the fuck not? What do you have that she doesn't? You're not cut out for the role of CPU, not when you hide behind those other broads all the time." Linda smirked as she continued to egg Nepgear on, "You really thought that everything would be rainbows and sunshine in Gamindustri after ASIC fell, and then one broad up and died on your ass. What's worse, she was the sister you fought to save from Arfoire, the entire bloody reason you even left the comfort of home to begin with."
"...Shut up." Nepgear said with a growl in her voice as a faint purple glow started to surround Nepgear's body as she had to listen to this Underling yammer about her now dead older sister, "Shut your trap, Linda...!"
"Aww, is the widdle baby CPU gonna cry again? 'Waaah, waaah! I want my big sis Neptune! Come back from the dead already, precious sister!' As if that attitude's gonna bring her back from the dead, you stupid pathetic dumb broa-"
"SHUT THE HELL UP!"
"Hey, don't interrupt my totally rad and awesome- ...Speech?"
In front of Linda wasn't an ordinary Nepgear, but one with a dark purple glow around her body and shining red eyes, her hair started to float around her as smaller parts of it seemed to reshape itself into a pair of... bunny ears? The "ears" faded into a dark shade of purple while blending with the rest of Nepgear's hair.
"What do you even know... About what I had to go through to get where I am now?!" Nepgear spoke with a venom in her voice that felt familiar to Linda, but the former underling couldn't place her finger on what it was, "How much I had to push against your people just to even see Neptune again?! You and your Four Felons were responsible for everything that happened four years ago! The people's faith in the goddesses was all but lost because of ASIC, and then not even all 8 of us could stop that Deity of Sin! The only out was to sacrifice all but one CPU and have her be the one to strike Arfoire down! I'd have rather died before I let that happen! But NO! IT WAS MY BIG SISTER'S LIFE SHE HAD TO TAKE! IT SHOULD'VE BEEN ME BACK THEN, NOT NEPTUNE! WHY SHOULD I BE THE ONE WHO HAS TO SUFFER THE HARDSHIP OF SEEING MY LOVED ONES DIE BEFORE MY VERY EYES?!"
Linda could only walk backwards as fear overtook her being, the violet aura around Nepgear's body shining brighter and her gun sword became a darker purple with black lines on it. Linda even felt her back against a wall as she finally spoke up, "S-So what'cha gonna do, huh? Make me your prisoner? Your personal Underling? Gonna go BDSM on my ass?"
"What I'm gonna do to you, Linda... is something I should've done a long time ago." Nepgear pointed her weapon at Linda and charged a light at the tip before she reels her arm back, "Now... DIE!"
"Haaa...!" Linda gasped in shock and fear as Nepgear flew forward with her gunsword ready to blast through her body while stabbing inside of it! But before it could do either...
A white and blue axe was flung in Nepgear's path and knocked her away. She looked around and found White Heart flying towards her.
"Enough already!" Blanc yelled out before her fist collided with Nepgear's face, very hard.
Planeptune Basilicom, Nepgear's Office [Present Time]
"...After Blanc punched me, I was out like a light for five hours. The dark aura and bunny ear things disappeared off of me." Nepgear spoke as she had her broken TV taken by a pair of Planeptune Guards to be delivered to the repair shop.
"Oh my god..." Rei could only stare in shock while she was listening to Nepgear's tale, "...I-If you don't mind me asking... what happened to that Underling girl you almost killed?"
"Linda? She's still alive, but Blanc drove her out of Lowee in a heartbeat after what happened. Or so I heard..." Nepgear admitted as she took another bite from her cookies and swallowed, "That one moment gave the citizens all they needed for the CPU Shift Period to start earlier than intended."
"...You mentioned you were planning to visit the other nations that same day." Rei pointed out, "Did you... lash out again there too?"
"I almost did when Vert wouldn't let me go back to Planeptune and leave her without a 'proper sister' to pamper and dote on. Poor Chika, by the way..." Nepgear said that last part quietly as she placed her cookie back on the plate, "And then Uni wanted a fight with me the moment I entered Lastation territory, saying something about unfinished business with me. But Noire made her call the fight off before I got too into it. I'm guessing she saw something off with me and didn't want to take chances."
"And were you able to control that explosive power of yours?" Rei asked out of a growing fear.
Nepgear took notice of that fear and held up her right arm in front of her, "Actually, that's what this is for."
"Huh? Your bracelet?" Rei asked as she took Nepgear's hand and examined the object on Nepgear's wrist. She could clearly see the purple glow on the letters.
"This was crafted with pieces of my own Sharicite, pieces I originally wore around my neck to keep my power and rage in check, on the off chance I do lose my marbles again." Nepgear explained as she admired the bracelet that helped her retain her sanity, and gave her a more harmless connection to Arfoire and her... anti-heroic big sister. Which reminded Nepgear... "Hey Rei? Can I share a secret with you real quick?"
"Uhh... sure?" Rei said in slight confusion.
Nepgear grabbed her right wrist and looked at her bracelet intently, "The reason I have outbursts like that time I almost killed Linda is because... of the Deity of Sin's soul being bound to my own, as well as the soul of a CPU who she turned into a Criminal of the Free World, a CFW for short."
"The previous CPU... Neptune..." Rei spoke as she saw the PH part of the bracelet. Nepgear nodded and gave a sad smile, "My sister, Neptune... Well, she's CFW Purple Heart now. She sealed the Deity of Sin, Arfoire, into my soul after she tried to possess me. That seal will only break when me and Purple Heart are both dead and gone. But as a CFW, Purple Heart can only cease to exist when Arfoire does and is basically immortal otherwise. A dark immortal spirit who looks and acts almost exactly like my sister. A revenant of Neptune, if you will."
"...Huh? Aren't revenants people who have come back from a missing place after a long time?" Rei asked.
Nepgear looked sternly at Rei, "They're also beings who have died and are reborn into inhuman beings or evil vengeful spirits. Like this one ninja dude who was killed by a necromancing demon and became a Scorpion spectre, or that one silent dude with a hockey mask you see in horror movies."
"I-I see... so she's an undead ghost?" Rei asked. Nepgear shrugs, "I guess? Jury's still out on the technicalities of whether her or the other CFW's are ghosts or not." She looks back at her bracelet, "Anyway, the bracelet was made to keep Arfoire in check even if I get angry again so I don't harm the people I care about, like Histoire, my friends, and even you, Rei. But if the citizens out there know I have the Deity of Sin inside of me, they'll lose faith in me in a heartbeat, and Planeptune as we know it will fall. Everything I worked so hard to save will be gone, and me along with it. That's the true reason I quit competing with the rest of the nations."
Rei stood up from her seat in shock, "You did WHAT?! How are you alive?!"
"Because the proof of a CPU's power is in the faith of her people. Making games for people to enjoy isn't the only way to gain faith." Nepgear explained, "Yeah there's the occasional paperwork and patrol routines I do, and I even make time to do quests with my friends. Monster slaying, hunting down missing people or lost items, all sorts of gadgets and inventions down at my old lab for quality of life improvements... I still do that sort of stuff because I want to do them, not because I'm obligated to as the CPU of Planeptune. There were a few people who didn't quite understand that, but once I reminded everyone what faith in the CPU was and how Shares actually work in regards to that faith, those people came around... eventually. And now Planeptune is making slow and steady improvements, even if those changes don't come around as often as other nations' changes... then all Planeptune can go from here, is up."
Rei stood shaking in her seat as she took in all that information about Nepgear's reasons for not competing for Shares anymore. A CPU who wants to rule with her people, not over them? How much about CPUs did Rei herself misunderstand all this time? As soon as those words clicked, she had an extremely guilty look on her face as she spoke quietly, "That... that's not... what I heard that day..."
"Oh? Were you there when I announced that I was dropping out?" Nepgear asked her maid.
Rei nods and explains her perspective, "I was one of those people who didn't understand your intent. No one noticed me walking away from the crowd, and I was in too bad a mood to go back in there. Before that announcement, before you became the CPU, I started hearing people talk about the CPUs not caring for anyone but themselves and that the people were underneath them like pets. When I heard your announcement that day, enough was enough. So I did everything to overthrow you with the Citizen's Group..." Tears were forming in Rei's eyes as she looked down at the floor, "And now... you're telling me that I... that I turned against someone so kindhearted and genuinely caring for the people around her... I tried to hurt you... because of a misunderstanding?"
"I'm guessing you didn't have much faith in me to begin with back then." Nepgear theorized as she pressed her thumb and index finger to her chin, "If that's the case, I'm sorry I led you even further away. But at least we've cleared things up now-"
"Are you even LISTENING to me, Nepgear?!" Rei shouted at her goddess, "The moment you announced your dream where the CPU and her citizens can live happily on their own terms, I tried to make a world ruled by the people and turn your subjects against you! Yes I failed miserably at it, but aren't you even remotely mad at me?!"
"I-I mean... I never said I wasn't, but that's not worth lashing out at you for." Nepgear kept trying to calm Rei down, "What kind of tyrant would I be if I got angry at every accusation thrown my way?"
"Mmmmmph!" Rei pointed at the wall where the old TV stood, the slash hole from Nepgear's stabbing at the TV earlier clearly visible.
Nepgear sighs as she places her hands on Rei's shoulders, "Haa, my point is that there's no need to get so worked up about it. There's no reason for it anymore, you have a new life. You have new friends. Please don't let your past actions get to you like this."
"N-Nepgear... I..." Rei looked at Nepgear in the eye for a moment before her tears welled up too much. She closed her eyes and ran out of the room crying, "I NEED TO BE ALONE!"
"R-Rei, wait!" Nepgear reached out to the maid girl and stood outside the door as she watched the bluish-silver haired woman's figure fade from her vision. She felt immense guilt from what had transpired and had her gaze shifted to the floor. She turned back around and walked to the center of the room.
"Heh. For another lowly human, she sure can run fast in those heels, huh?"
Nepgear wasn't in the mood for CFW Purple Heart's snark, so she pressed a button on the wrist strap and made the bracelet's letters glow red instead of purple, indicating that CFW Purple Heart and Arfoire are muted. Just as she did so...
"There you are, Nepgear!" Histoire's voice called, sounding a bit upset herself as she floated towards Nepgear over the tear stained carpet from when Rei stormed out, "I've just got word of the rumors surrounding you and the other CPUs. I trust that you have an idea about ways of dissolving the charges being made against you?"
"..." Nepgear silently pointed to the wall. Histoire looked and noticed a slash hole in the wall where Nepgear's TV was supposed to be. Histoire took 3 seconds to remember what Nepgear's rumor was, and from there was able to figure out what happened here. She turned around and floated away, "...Yeah, I'll come back later."
Nepgear's hair covered her eyes in a dark shadow as she let a few tears of her own drop on her desk, "Rei... did she feel that strongly about her ideals before realizing where she went wrong? How much did she... hate me?"
Planeptune, Dark Alley
Rei didn't bother changing out of her uniform as she ran from the Basilicom all the way to a dark alley further downtown, where she thought she was taking a shortcut to her old home away from Nepgear's... but she finally trips on her shoes and falls.
"AAH!" Rei yelps as she collides with the cold ground beneath her. She pushed herself up and looked up from where she layed, "H-Huh...? Where am I...? How far am I from home...? From the Basilicom...?"
Rei moved herself to sit against a wall so she could catch her breath, "Haa... haa... M-Miss... Miss Nepgear..." The tears in her eyes flowed down her cheeks as she looked down at the floor, "...All those years of working to make proper rules and regulations to survive without the goddess have been for naught from the beginning. Miss Nepgear... why did I oppose her? My misunderstanding? How could I treat someone so kind and brave... with so much disrespect for her own cause? Can she truly forgive me just like that?" After talking with herself, Rei placed her hands on her face as she continued crying, her guilt eating away at her emotions.
At the same time, a small portal opened up above the brick wall on the opposite side. Out from the dark portal came a pale-tan skinned girl with bright blue eyes and choppy, platinum blonde-white colored hair worn with black ear pieces with red on them. She has a pair of purple and blue gradient themed wings and wears a black dress with silver and red accents, a crimson ribbon tied around her right wrist, and a cape-like piece that attaches to her top by the big pink orb in the center of it. With smaller pink orbs below her shoulders. The girl looked down at the crying maid with disgust, but was also relieved that she didn't have to go searching for her. How she got all the way out here was no concern for the mischievous fairy girl. No... all that mattered to the tan fairy girl... was her. ...And any sources of entertainment she could find. That too.
Rei's crying sounds seemed to have softened as her red eyes gazed forward at nothing in particular, "...I was an idiot to think I could make a change for the better. I should be happy that I gave up when I did, especially now that I know Miss Nepgear's true goals. But then why...? Why did I push her away like that? Why did I feel so... empty, even when coming to terms with what I was doing wrong?" Rei took a few deep breaths and stood up, dusting off her dress with her hands, "Maybe I should head to my old home for the rest of the day. I haven't slept there in 10 days, so I should use that time to pack up anything I might need when I go back to work... if Miss Nepgear will let me back in after my outburst, that is."
"Outburst, huh? And here I thought you were just another quiet and boring crybaby like she used to be."
"Aaaah!" The frightened Rei turned her head to the east. She didn't see anybody by her side, "...Huh?"
"Mmmm... You're just as jumpy, though. A rat could crawl up your leg and you'd be none the wiser."
"A rat?! That'll ruin my- ...dress?" Rei turned her head to the west... still nobody in sight, "Wait... Who's talking to me? I'm hearing voices, but I can't see where it's coming from."
"At least your ears work better than your eyes. But if it's any consolation... I am pretty small."
"Small? I didn't see any small creatures when I was laying down... Though that could've just been because I was crying." Rei turns her head to the north... she looked down at the floor and didn't see anything strange, "...Didn't think so. Whether I look left or right, you're nowhere to be seen... Behind me, then? No, my back was against a brick wall. So that leaves..."
"Uh huh... That leaves...?"
Rei's gaze shifts upwards towards the sky... and she sees a fairy girl floating up in the air above her. The girl looked down and gave a small wave, "Yo!"
"AAAAAHHHHHHH!"
"Whoa!" The fairy girl backed up and almost fell over from her book from Rei's scream, but she grabbed the front edge of her book and pulled herself back up, "...Phew." She floats down to Rei's level and looks a bit angry, "You didn't have to scream like that! I almost fell off my book again!"
"I'm sorry...! Wait... again?" Rei looked at the fairy girl closely and noticed something... familiar, "A small girl... floating on a tome... Are you related to Histoire? Did miss Nepgear send you to look for me after I ran off?"
"Don't compare me to that slow as molasses brat!" The fairy girl yelled out at Rei, "...But thanks for making my job easier. That stupid goddess of yours gave you some useful intel underneath all that goody goody mush."
"S-She's not stupid! Miss Nepgear's the kindest goddess... the kindest person I've ever worked for!" Rei said in response to what the fairy girl said, "But wait... if you're not with Miss Nepgear or Histoire, then why were you looking for me?"
"To put the ungrateful bitch before me back on the right track, against the very CPU who has you at her beck and call." The fairy girl spoke with malicious intent laced around her tone, "She knows what you did. You turned against her ideal world. A world where the people have the power- ...No. A world where she controls all, rules over all. All things, mortal and goddess alike, are her subjects!"
"She rules over... all? The people and the goddesses?" Rei spoke with a horrified look in her eyes, "Who's 'she'? And why does she want to control everything?!"
"Shut it, traitor! I have half a mind to erase your sorry ass from history! But I'm supposed to give you a gift from her instead." Croire held out her hands and formed a lump of energy between her hands. The lump had a dark blue and black glow around it, a glow that radiated a chaotic energy from within it.
"A gift...? From her...?" Rei said as she watched the lump of energy form. As soon as she felt the chaotic energy from the lump, her back was pressed against the brick wall again, "What the hell is that?!"
"Her gift. You better be appreciative of what she's offering. Now quit running your mouth, open it, and eat this."
"E-Eat it...? That's not food at all!" Rei said loudly as she shook her head at what was happening, "I... I don't want it! No matter what she offers me, I won't go against Miss Nepgear again!"
The fairy, refusing to take no for an answer, zoomed in close to Rei and pulled her mouth open, "If I tell you to eat something, you better damn well open up like a good little birdie!"
"N-No! Get that away from me!" Rei shouted before the dark fairy shoved the lump of chaotic energy down in her mouth, "S-Stop! Augghhh! Mmmmgh! Mmmmgh!"
"That's it! Accept your free meal and be grateful for it!" The dark fairy shouted at Rei with a smirk on her face, "Take it all in, bitch! Every last bite! I don't wanna see a crumb left, got it?!"
"Mmmm! M-Mmmph! Nnnngh!" Rei's pleas were muffled as the fairy made her eat up that dark lump she was given. This went on for nearly a full minute until the fairy retracted her hand and let Rei breathe, "Mmm-gaah! Haaa...! Haaa...! Haaa...!"
"Hmph. Done stuffing your face?" The fairy said as she backed away, "How're you feeling?"
"N-Nnngh...!" Rei held her head with one hand as sudden headaches pounded in her head while also grabbing at her throat with her other hand, "Aaaaagh...! M-My head...! What have... you done to... me?"
"Given you a taste of her power, that's what! She'll guide you down the right path, whether you like it or not!"
Rei tried to look up at the fairy girl, but as soon as she leaned forward, she started to feel dizzy and was losing her vision, "N-No... I can't... hold on... haaagh... urrrrgghhh..." Rei fell forward and fainted, laying on her side. Her body shakes a bit as a dark blue and black light surrounded it, her breathing heavy and shaky, "Haaa, haaa, haaa, haaa..."
"...She's unconscious. Good, it didn't kill her. Would've defeated the whole purpose if she died while linking with my Rei." The fairy girl said as she floated up from where the unconscious maid laid, "The CPU went out of her way to get that girl working for her, so of course she'll come looking or file a quest to get someone to look for the girl after enough time passes. ...Tch, whatever. My job's done, so the traitor's not my problem anymore. I'll leave her to her fate."
The dark fairy flew away from the alley and opened up a small portal in the sky, then she looked down at the alley she was just in and smirked, "Later, bitch. Enjoy 'your' new life." With that, the fairy dove in the portal before it shut behind her.