Author's Note

After posting this chapter, someone reminded me that I should probably put this as a warning, so...

WARNING: Attempted suicide! You have been warned!

Planeptune, Gamindustri

Place: Planeptune City

Date: August 18, 2007

Time: ???

Histoire flew through the air as she took in the destruction of Planeptune. All the years of hard work were gone in minutes. The safety of a home was no more and the ruined city became a monster-invested place. Fear and anxiety plagued her tiny heart as she searched for her friend. The sounds of battle had finally ceased, but there were no signs of any life. Histoire couldn't stop the shaking in her hands.

As she searched around, she noticed something shining in her book. The fairy stopped her movement and looked down at her book to see the words forming on her blank page. What was written caused her face to pale. "No… No! Nepgear!"

Filled with disbelief and sadness, the small fairy rushed to the scene. Tears filled her blue eyes as she called out her friend's name. She refused to believe what was recorded. If it was true then what would become of her? What would become of Planeptune?

Loud explosions and screams could be heard all around. Histoire slowly approached the area where Nepgear was last stated in her book. What she saw wasn't the goddess of Planeptune nor the goddess of Lowee, but someone completely different. She had long iris hair and wore a black processor uniform.

"Where are you, Lilac Heart? Come and explain yourself!" She whipped her sword and smashed a large boulder into pieces. "What have you done to me?! Lilac Heart!"

Histoire was appalled by this new CPU. Her attitude was similar to that of White Heart's. This new goddess was born right when Lilac Heart passed. The fairy was curious about what her connection was to Nepgear. She glanced down at the pages of her book. The events have all been recorded now. She didn't read it over since she was more worried about finding Nepgear. What she read made her burst out with more tears.

Histoire looked back at the new goddess with pitiful eyes. "So that's what you decided, Nepgear? This girl… She'll be the one to carry on your will. Iris Heart, the new CPU of Planeptune."

Iris Heart let out a crazed laugh. "I see how it is! I defeated White Heart, so now you're scared of me, right?! Well, get your cute little tush out here!!" She charged into a nearby building, breaking through the wall.

Histoire winced at her action. "It's a bit hard to approach when she's like that…" The tome floated down to the ground and followed the traces of share energy she felt. The closer she got, the more her heart stung. Avoiding the blazing fire around, she came across a large pool of blood, and in the center was a small pink crystal. "Oh… Nepgear…"

Histoire picked up the crystal and wiped away the blood with her handkerchief. She gazed at the power symbol in the center and whimpered, "What shall I do, Nepgear? The girl you have chosen might not be the right choice…" Histoire glanced over at the new CPU who stumbled out from the collapsing building.

Iris Heart wiped away the blood oozing from her head. "If you don't come out soon, I'll have to punish you, Lilac Heart!" She smashed her serrated sword against the ground, flinging dirt and stones into the air. "Stop being the coward you are and explain to me!"

Histoire clutched the crystal close to her chest. A newly-born CPU shouldn't be able to keep her form for that long. Not when she wasn't supplied with share energy. If she defeated White Heart, she must have depleted the backup energy from the CPU memory she consumed. She'll faint soon if she keeps up that form.

As if on cue, Iris Heart began to wobble. She was losing energy fast. The goddess thrust her sword into the ground and used it as support to keep herself upright. She took many deep breaths as the fatigue settled in. Tears formed in the corner of her eyes as she whimpered, "If you're not here, then what the hell does that mean for me?"

Histoire didn't expect to see the raging goddess cry. What looked like a frightening beast had cooled down to a whimpering pup.

Iris Heart slowly dropped to her knees as tears freely flowed down her cheeks. "You turned me into this and then abandoned me? What happened to wanting to protect me, you bitch…" Iris Heart shut her eyes as she thought of Lilac Heart's face. "You're the one who told me to live! You're the one who wanted me to see you as a goddess again, so where the fuck did run off to?! Lilac Heart!"

"I see…" Histoire murmured. "So you're hurting too…" What she felt was fear turned to empathy for the new goddess.

"There's nothing left for me here… My parents, my friends… my home…" Iris Heart pulled the sword out from the ground and rested it against her shoulder, with the blade towards her neck. "Someone like me… doesn't deserve to be alive…"

Histoire's chest lurched from what she was seeing. "NO!!!" The tome flew at full force and rammed into Iris Heart's back.

"Wha-!" Iris Heart fell forward and her sword slipped from her grip, sliding across the ground.

"Who do you think you are to take the life Nepgear worked so hard to protect!" Histoire screamed.

Iris Heart turned around to see the small fairy. "You're…"

"You are all she had left!" Histoire zoomed in close to the CPU's face and shouted with fury. "I will not let her sacrifice die in vain, you hear me?!"

Iris Heart scowled, "What do you know, you dumb bug?! Lilac Heart ran away leaving me to take care of White Heart! What kind of goddess does that?! She's nothing but a coward! Just like what White Heart said!!"

"If you're talking about Nepgear, she didn't run away. She's been here this entire time!" Histoire threw the crystal at Iris Heart, who easily caught it. "Nepgear… Lilac Heart. Didn't run. She's been watching you until the last of her breath, so don't call her a coward when you know nothing about her!"

Iris Heart peered down at the glowing crystal in her hand. She could feel the energy radiating off it. "You mean… This is…"

"She exchanged her life for yours…" Histoire hiccuped as hot tears poured down her face. Her nose turned red from the mucus. "She chose you to carry on her will. She made you into a CPU! You will not insult Nepgear… Lilac Heart in my presence! Not after everything she did!"

Iris Heart gritted her teeth as frustration boiled deep in her heart. She stood up on her heels and threw the crystal to the ground with great force. Histoire gasped as she flew down to retrieve the core. She carefully held it in her palms while glaring at the iris goddess.

"Who asked her to make me a goddess?! I never wanted this!" Iris Heart seethed. "All she cared about was herself! She never thought about me! She can have fun in hell for all I care!"

"Tch! You, shut up!" Histoire leaped off the ground and head-butted Iris Heart in the chin.

Iris Heart yelped as she fell back on her back.

"So what if she didn't think about your feelings?! Do you think she cared about that when her nation, her people; when everything was destroyed right before her eyes?! How do you think she felt?! She thought about the future!" Histoire screamed. "She thought about the future where you can save and bring everything back! And you will do it!" Histoire pointed. "I don't care what you want, but I will guide you and make you into a proper goddess like Lilac Heart wants! You can hate me, but this is what will happen! Whether you like it or not!" The blonde tome deeply huffed after all that yelling. She was so upset with this new goddess that she wanted to beat her up with her tiny fists.

"Hic…" Iris Heart quivered as she covered her eyes with her arms. "But I… I can't do it…"

Histoire cleared her throat as she felt her anger calming. She slowly hovered over to Iris Heart to see the tears rolling down from behind her arms. "Whether you can or can't. You won't know unless you try…"

Light surrounded Iris Heart as her transformation was released. Her long hair weaved together into a braid as her body shrunk, covered in a teal dress. Plutia whimpered and hiccuped as she cried, "I can't be what Lilac Heart wants me to be. I can't do it… I can't… why did she have to go? Why did she have to leave…"

Histoire lowered herself beside Plutia's head and whispered, "All life comes to an end. Even for a goddess." The fairy looked at the crystal and smiled. "But even if she's gone… Nepgear… Lilac Heart will always be watching over us."

Plutia shifted her arms away and glanced at Histoire with puffy red eyes. "W-What do I do now?"

"All you can do is live on for Lilac Heart's sake," Histoire voiced as she held out the crystal. "Because through your memories, she will live on. As long as you remember her, Lilac Heart will forever be alive. So please… live. Live on."

Plutia's lips quivered as she took a sharp intake of air. The pain in her chest didn't go away as she stared into Histoire's glossy blue eyes. She could feel the sorrow in them. Amid fire and destruction, Plutia didn't feel so alone. She wasn't the only one hurting. With all of her strength, she gripped Histoire's little hand, which contained the CPU memory.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Plutia cried. "I'm so sorry!"

Histoire cried along with Plutia. "It's okay… It's okay. You must have been so scared." The tome moved in close and pressed herself against Plutia's head. "I'm sorry too."

The two cried together, letting out all their feelings. The ones they lost are the ones they will never forget. The memories of Lilac Heart will be what keep them going.

Planeptune, Gamindustri

Place: Planeptune City

Date: August 30, 2012

Time: 12:30 P.M.

Histoire held the crystal by the thin chain. Her blue eyes always soften upon seeing it. She carefully hooked it around Plutia's neck and closed the clip. Floating before the girl, she admired how the crystal hung around Plutia's chest. A small smile stretched across her face.

But said smile quickly fell to a frown when she saw how Plutia's head bounced. Her eyes were closed as drool slowly leaked from her lips. "Plutia! How long are you going to sleep?!"

"Wah!" Plutia jerked awake from her Oracle's voice.

"Don't think you can slack off after coming back from Lastation! There's still work to be done!" claimed Histoire.

Plutia pouted as she rubbed her tired eyes. "Awwwwwwe…"

"And I haven't forgotten about you transforming! You're lucky that the new CPU was actually someone you know!"

"But you toooooold me not to step into the city transfoooooormed."

"There was supposed to be no transforming in general!" Histoire screeched.

"Hiiiiiiisty, you're too looooooud!" Plutia whined.

Histoire covered her face as she groaned. "Dear, Lilac Heart, please have mercy on my sanity."

Plutia giggled as she tucked the crystal beneath her clothes. "Okay, okaaaaaay. I'll get to work. Don't worry, Histy. I don't want you growing white hairs."

Histoire sighed. "That's something I don't want either. Your late breakfast has already been made, so don't forget to eat it."

Plutia beamed. "Thanks, Histy! I can always count on you!"

Histoire slowly floated behind as Plutia skipped out of the room. The tome watched her as a smile returned to her face. "You've come a long way, Plutia. I'm proud of you."

Author's Note

Thank you for reading! ( ᐛ )