Planeptune, Gamindustri

Place: Planeptower

Date: August 14, 2012

Time: 12:42 P.M.

"Plutia…"

"Plutia."

"Plutia!"

The girl snapped her eyes open as she sat up. She looked around the room and saw a small trickle of light coming through her window curtains. The sound of knocking came from her door along with the cries of her name.

"Plutia! Are you awake?!"

Plutia yawned and replied, "Yeeeees, Histy!"

When Plutia flipped her fluffy pink blanket away, she saw the plushie beside her. The purple-haired girl picked up her handmade doll and gazed at it with sleepy eyes. The sight of the doll brought a hint of bitterness, prompting her to fling the plushie across the room.

The door to her bedroom opened, revealing a petite fairy dressed in purple floating in while sitting on a book. She barely had time to react when she avoided the plushie that flung her way. "My goodness!"

Plutia sheepishly giggled. "Oopsies! Sooooooorry, Histy."

The small fairy fixed her hat and hovered down by the plushie. "You should treat your Nepgear doll better. Think of how your predecessor would feel if she was still here."

"But she's not," Plutia murmured. "She left this world after turning me into one of her."

Histoire felt how the room got colder and decided to drop the subject. She flew back up and moved towards the window, opening the curtains to let the sunlight in. "It is already afternoon, Plutia. It's time you get up."

"I knooooow." Plutia slipped out of bed and retrieved the Nepgear doll she had thrown.

Despite making the Nepgear doll, Plutia can't help but want to punch it. She still hasn't forgiven her all these years. Even so, after becoming a CPU, Plutia learned to respect Nepgear again as her predecessor and as once her goddess. Taking care of a nation was no joke. She wondered what Nepgear saw in her that made her think she could become Planeptune's greatest ruler.

Plutia placed the Nepgear doll on her bed and moved to her dresser. She looked down at the pink crystal that neatly rested in a glass case. The goddess gently lifted the glass and picked up the crystal.

"Hiiiiiisty!"

"I'm coming." Histoire hovered over to her side and took the crystal. She held the silver chain and helped Plutia clasp it around her neck.

Plutia blinked into the mirror, watching the crystal dangle from her neck. "Thank you."

"Breakfast has already been left at the kitchen table," Histoire informed. "Hurry, before it gets cold."

Plutia smiled as she tucked the crystal safely into her dress so it wasn't visible. "Okay!" She quickly skipped into her bathroom to get her day started.

"After your late breakfast, make sure to finish those documents today. Understand?"

Plutia nodded. "I understaaaaaand."

Histoire was content. "Good. I'll be in your office first."

The fairy left Plutia to herself and flew off. She exited the living quarters of the Basilicom and headed towards the working area. She greeted a few employees and arrived at Plutia's office. She pushed through the large wooden doors to see a desk covered in papers. She closed the door and floated towards the purple couch and coffee table on the left side of the room. She landed on the couch and faced the large painting on the pale walls.

Histoire bowed her head and smiled. "It's been five years since you have gone, Nepgear. Plutia is shaping up to be an excellent successor. Now, if only she could get out of her sleeping habits."

Histoire stared at the portrait, expecting the still image of Nepgear to start speaking. But the happy smiling face of her old friend stayed the same along with the pose she had. A soft sigh left the fairy's lips as she pulled a small handkerchief from her dress. She flew up to wipe the dust off the painting's golden frame.

"Seems like it's time for a wipe. Your frame has collected a lot of dust, Nepgear. We can't have you dirty on your big day!"

"Are you talking to Lilac Heart again?"

Histoire turned to the door to see the magenta-eyed CPU. Plutia walked in through the door in her pink slippers. She didn't spare Histoire a glance as she made her way to the desk filled with paperwork she had to go through.

Histoire floated away from the painting and hovered beside Plutia. "I was just letting her know how far you've come as a CPU."

Plutia picked up one of the documents and pouted. "Did she have to do so much paperwork too?"

Histoire huffed and answered, "As I've stated numerous times. Yes. Nepgear had to go through the same amount of paperwork as you are now."

Plutia leaned against the desk and whined, "It's sooooo boring. I just wanna sleep…"

"Do not close your eyes, Plutia. These documents must be signed! You held them off yesterday, so you must finish them today!" Histoire yelled. "The Lilac Festival is happening tonight, so please have them done before then!"

Plutia sighed, "I know, I knooooow."

Without any more complaints, Plutia went to work, signing her name on the documents and stamping her nation's seal of approval. Histoire helped organize the papers and sent them to the employees who needed them.

Time flew by fast and Plutia's momentum started to slow. A yawn escaped her lips as she stretched her arms. She got through a huge bulk of her documents and was almost done. She was lucky that most of the paperwork was complaints from the Seven Sages so she could ignore them. She just wanted to turn in for the day.

Plutia leaned back against her cushioned chair and glanced at the framed painting. She subconsciously touched her chest where the crystal rested as memories returned her to that fateful day.

'You will be what I couldn't be! You will be Planeptune's greatest ruler!'

Plutia frowned as she ripped her eyes away. She turned her chair around and looked out the giant window. She could see a large Lilac Heart balloon floating high above the street. Her people certainly went all out for this year's Lilac Festival. She understood how much her people loved and admired the previous Planeptune goddess.

Plutia admired Nepgear too. Everyone spoke great things about her. About how strong she was, how smart she was, and how kind she was. Nepgear gave everyone hope during times of war. She gave Plutia hope, but it all shattered. The day that Planeptune fell was the day when all hope was lost. It was also the day when Plutia was forced to become a CPU and carry Planeptune on her shoulders. And that very day… was today.

It was hard. To rebuild what was lost. If Histoire hadn't found her after chasing White Heart away, Plutia would have probably died. She had nothing left in this world. Her home was destroyed and her parents were killed. Everything she cared for was taken from her, so why was she still alive? Why was she the only one? If Histoire had been a second late, Planeptune's newest CPU would have died by her own hands.

"Plutia? Are you almost done with the papers?"

Plutia smiled as she sat up straight. The small fairy flew in while carrying a plastic bag. She gently placed the bag on Plutia's desk, being mindful of the documents.

"I ooooooonly have a few papers left! What's in the bag?" Plutia asked curiously.

Histoire pulled out a pudding cup. "An employee down in the lobby was handing out pudding to everyone to celebrate the Lilac Festival. I figured you could have a treat as a reward for your hard work."

Plutia took the pudding from Histoire and said, "Thank you!" She quickly opened the dessert and dug in. "Hmmmmm!" The custard filled her mouth with sweetness. "Delicious."

Histoire smiled and pulled out another pudding to have herself. "We should move to the resting area. It's bad to eat at your desk. We don't want to dirty the documents."

Plutia nodded and made her way to the couch. She plopped herself down and sighed. Her eyes automatically went up to Nepgear again. Anytime she wanted a break from her work, she would nap on this couch. And Nepgear's face would be the first thing she sees every time she wakes up.

"Heeeeeeey, Histy?"

Histoire ripped open the pudding's covering and answered, "Yes?"

"Do you miss her?"

Histoire blinked and turned to look at Nepgear as well. Her eyes softened as a bitter feeling appeared. "Of course… She was my very first friend after all. If Nepgear never appeared, I would still be trapped in my seal."

Plutia frowned as the pudding suddenly tasted less sweet. "Lilac Heart… was amazing, wasn't she?"

Histoire nodded with pride. "She was a magnificent goddess! One that would go down in Planeptune's history! That's why we have the Lilac Festival! To honor what she's done for us!"

"Someone like me…" Plutia looked down at the pudding cup in her hand. "Someone like me could never be like her…"

Histoire looked at Plutia with sad eyes. She floated over and landed on her lap. "Plutia, I know it has been hard. For me, and for you. But you don't have to be like her. I'm sorry if I made you feel like you have to be like Nepgear, but I never wanted you to."

Plutia looked at Histoire.

"You are Plutia. Not Nepgear. How you became a CPU may not have been ideal, but she chose you nonetheless."

Plutia growled, "She didn't choose me. She had no other choices, but me!" She abruptly stood up, knocking Histoire off accidentally. "She could have forced aaaaanyone to be her successor if she met them on that day! She just happened to find me instead! She made a mistake!"

Histoire recovered from her fall, though her pudding was gone, that was something she needn't worry about. She was more worried about the Iris CPU as she saw tears when she levitated up to her face. "Plutia."

"You saw how I was." Plutia clenched her hands, causing her to crush the pudding cup. "I was no Lilac Heart. I was a crazy CPU. You should've just let me die!"

Histoire slapped Plutia across her face and shouted, "I THOUGHT I TOLD YOU TO NEVER SAY THAT!"

Plutia gritted her teeth as her left cheek stung.

Histoire shook with anger as she looked at the purple-haired girl. She understood the iris goddess would get emotional on this day, but how long must she keep beating herself down like this? "She risked her life for you and this is the gratitude you give her?! How many times must I repeat myself?! I will not let Nepgear's hard work go to waste!"

"I never asked for this," Plutia whispered.

"No. Of course not. Nepgear wouldn't have wanted this either," Histoire voiced. "She would never force her citizens to fight her battles, but this was the choice she made. I may not have been present, but my book recorded everything. You may not know, but Nepgear was proud! She believed in you!"

Plutia whimpered.

"A new CPU would not last long in a battle if they aren't powered by people's faith. You couldn't have won against White Heart that day if you didn't have any faith. Have you ever thought about that?!"

Plutia slowly shook her head.

"It was Nepgear. She was the only one to witness the birth of a new CPU, she was the only one who knew who you were. That day, she placed her faith in you!" Histoire jabbed Plutia in the forehead with her finger.

Plutia winced back from Histoire's finger and her yelling.

"So don't tell me she made a mistake or that I shouldn't have saved you." Histoire's angry eyes cooled down as tears appeared. "Didn't Nepgear tell you to live?"

Plutia could hear the desperate voice echoing through her ears. 'Please, Plutia… please, live!'

The Planeptune CPU quivered as hot tears finally fell. It's been five years since she rebuilt Planeptune and claimed herself as the nation's new CPU. Day by day, Plutia was plagued by stress and uneasiness. She worried that she couldn't be what Nepgear was to the people. Worried that people wouldn't accept her for who she was. Worried that she couldn't lead Planeptune. Plutia knew very well what her personality was like as a CPU. And that made her scared.

"Plutia." Histoire pressed herself to the CPU's chest in the best attempt at a hug. "You are not alone. I am still here. And I will do my best to support you as your oracle and as your friend. So please don't ever say that again. Please. It would break Nepgear's heart and mine too."

"I'm sorry, Histy. I'm sorry… hic… for being difficult… hic… all these times." Plutia hiccuped through her apology.

"It's all right." Histoire chuckled. "It's not like I didn't have my troubles with Nepgear." She moved back and gave Plutia a bright smile. "Please talk to me if you ever have any worries. Don't bottle them like you always do. Pretending to smile can get very tiring. Nepgear was like that too."

Plutia sniffled and wiped her tears, only to end up smearing pudding on her face. "Ah…" She looked at the crushed cup in her hands and the pudding splattered on the floor. "Sorry for the mess."

Histoire laughed. "I'll call for someone to clean this up. Why not get some fresh air? You can go to the Festival. You don't have a lot of papers left so you can finish them later. The Festival is a celebration in honor of Lilac Heart but it's also a celebration of your birth as a CPU. I'm sure it would mean a lot to the people if you gave a brief appearance."

Plutia smiled. "I'll do that… Thank you… for everything, Histy. "

Histoire beamed, "Always, Plutia."

Author's Note

I'm not sure if I was able to capture the emotions that well as this a whole new territory for me. I've never written a character with survivors guilt, depression or trauma before, so this project will be a fun challenge.

I don't want to trigger/anger anyone, so just reminding that this is just a fanfic and that my writting of people with survivors guilt or PTSD is not accurate. I am researching while I'm writing this so I'll try my best to be somewhat realistic.

Thank you for reading!