For You, I'd Conquer the Entire Universe

by angeliteeyes

Summary:

In which you, a citizen of Planeptune, earns its Candidate's undying love and attention. All she wants is to become strong enough to be called your hero. You wonder, though... Just how far is she willing to go?

An interpretation of Nepgear based off of the Conquest ending and its events.

Chapter 1: The Birth of a Dream

You can still remember to this day how she looked when you first met her.

Despite having seen her older sister before, you'd never actually laid eyes on Nepgear herself. Still, the similarities between the two were so glaringly obvious that you didn't even have to ask for her name. Her demeanor greatly contrasted Neptune's, of course, but the combination of their matching hair colors and signature accessories was more than enough.

As rain droplets drifted from the cloudy sky above downwards to puddle at your feet, you tentatively tilted your umbrella over her head. The sight of her blankly staring into nothingness, an eerie quiet encompassing her as the water soaked her clothes all the way through, was too much to bear.

You never learned why she remained locked in place for so long, what black hole her mind had sunk into so deeply that the chilly water failed to even faze her. But you did manage to earn her attention.

"Oh... Thank you." Her words buzzed with a sudden rush of adrenaline, having apparently not noticed your presence until just then. In just a few seconds, a gentle smile erupted on her face as she turned to you. Looking at her now, you likely wouldn't have even guessed that anything was amiss. Yet the subtle layer of exhaustion covering her eyes still lingered, not quite as skillfully disguised as she probably hoped they were.

After a customary back-and-forth banter, she at last took you up on your offer to escort her back to her abode. Neither of your lips moved to speak, content to let the rain make all the noise for you two. The closest thing to a sound she made was the rhythmic tugging downwards of her sleeves, occasionally balling the fabric into timid fists. Even with your physical proximity, it turned out that the distance between a normal civilian and a Candidate wouldn't be stitched shut so easily. That wasn't a problem, though. All you had to do today was help her get home a little less damp. That was all.

At the end of the road, she bid you farewell with the same faux cheeriness as before.

Sometimes you wonder if any of the smiles she's worn on her face were real.

 

♡

 

Your second encounter took place on a far more sunny day, in which your hands were woefully full of bags—so many to the point that images flashed in your mind of your weighed-down self falling face-first onto the ground. Thankfully, that version of reality never came to fruition. In its place stood a head of ever-familiar lavender hair, hands already grabbing at whichever bag was closest to her.

"Wait, Nepgear, that one's—"

Before you could warn her of that particular one's heaviness, it already landed square in her arms. You went quiet. For how frail she looks, she sure could carry an awful lot of weight. There wasn't even a hint of strain in her muscles, either.

"Thank you, but I can handle these just fine. Really." Her head motioned from side to side.

"You're the one that lent me an umbrella a bit ago, aren't you? So it's only right that I help you out too. Where are you headed?"

Sensing her unwillingness to back down, you pointed over towards your intended destination and walked alongside her yet again. The atmosphere between the two of you, to your relief, carried a much lighter tone than your previous meeting. Friendly, even. Perhaps this was her way of redeeming herself in your eyes, proving that the gloomy version of her was only but a shadow of her usual self.

"I'm surprised how strong you are." You chimed in during a lull in your conversation. "I guess that must be a perk of being a Candidate, huh? Lucky."

And then the shadow came back. At least, you're pretty sure it did, but with how rapidly her face contorted into a polite smile afterward, it could've been a simple trick of the light.

"I wouldn't say that. If you think I'm strong, you should see my sister in action! She might be a little... laid-back most of the time, but trust me. When she fights to protect those who matter to her, it's like she's a whole other person. Compared to her... I'm hardly anything special."

You hummed pensively. Of course, you wanted to offer her some reassurance, but finding the right words took some effort given your lack of familiarity. Ultimately, you centered your focus on the few facts you did know.

"It's okay to not be as strong as your sister. You're younger than her, so that's totally normal. I'm sure you'll get to her level one day, as long as you keep trying."

Unexpectedly, her face seemed to sour a little at your response.

"I don't know about that. Even if I do get stronger, there can only be one CPU in Planeptune. So even then, I'd still be just as useless." Her eyes widened in realization of what she'd just said, before she began to giggle nervously. "Oh, but don't worry about me! I shouldn't be bothering you with my problems. Forget that I brought it up."

Your thoughts tumbled around in your head for a little, searching for an adequate response.

"You never know. Maybe she'll be the one relying on you someday, or there'll be some catastrophe where we'll need you to swoop in and save us all. Either way, I wouldn't call you useless."

Her eyes blinked rapidly. For a while, her lips stuck together in a tight line as her eyes wandered around contemplatively.

"Do you really think I could do that...? Save people, I mean?" You nodded.

"Well, yeah. You're kind and strong and all of the other stuff a hero should be. Just keep at it, and I'm sure you'll do a great job, whatever you end up doing."

Another pause. As you reached your destination and both began to work on putting the numerous bags down, you half-expected to see yet another solemn expression on the fickle girl's face. But to your pleasant surprise, what you were met with was instead her blushing, cheeks so aflame that they perfectly matched her pink-striped stockings. Barely containing her composure, she spoke with a shivering grin.

"A h-hero?! That's, um... thank you. I've never been called that before. Uh, I should head back! Yeah. See you later!" Her ankles pushed off of the ground at record speed as she launched herself away from you and out of sight.

You didn't realize it at the time, but her panicked declaration to visit again held the weight of your entire future in its shy, flustered grasp.

 

♡

 

"Soooo are you two, like... dating or something?"

"What?!"

You and Nepgear looked towards her sister, both in a state of shocked embarrassment. By now, you should've grown used to Neptune's blunt speech and dreadful inability to read the room, but she still managed to catch you off your guard.

"Oh! Are you two still racking up affection points for each other, then? I see, I see." Her hand lifted up to her chin in an L shape, accentuating her eternal shit-eating grin as her eyes darted back and forth between you two. Even out of the corner of your eye, you could see Nepgear practically glowing red from her agitation.

"We-we aren't going out! Don't say embarrassing things like that..." Her eyes fluttered open and shut erratically. With each word, her hair and back hunched further and further downward—a pitiful last-minute attempt at hiding from your view.

"Sure, sure. Whatever you say." Neptune plopped herself down onto the floor, sprawling her limbs out like a starfish. "By the way, Nep Jr..."

"Yes?"

"Is whatever you're making in the oven supposed to be on fire?"

"WHAT?!" In a flurry, Nepgear zoomed straight towards the offending room and slammed the door shut behind her. You and Neptune quietly sat together with eyes trained on the room's entrance. That is, until her adorably childish laughter erupted and filled the empty space around you like a flooding sink.

"Ha... She really fell for that, huh? Oh, she's going to be so mad when she comes back!" At your incredulous stare, she pouted. "What, can't a girl tease her sibling around here? That's what being the eldest is all about, you know."

Another wide smile. Another set of empty eyes.

"So..." Her lips continued to move, seemingly uncaring of your input. "Nepgear, huh. What do you think of her? You liiiiiike her?" Her lips curled up into a Cheshire grin as her intense stare made its way over to your form.

Your face flushed. Of course, you'd be lying if you said your feelings for the girl in question were entirely platonic. At the same time, though... Could it really be considered okay for you of all people to have those sorts of intentions? Sure, she always loves to deny any nobility and claim that she's a mere Candidate, rather than a full-fledged goddess. But wasn't it only a matter of time until the inevitable day in which their roles would become reversed? When Nepgear would rule over you all, a gentle yet commanding force for you to submit to? In the end, you settled on a single sentence.

"I just want her to be happy."

Neptune hummed.

"Then stay by her side, got it? Honestly, I was a little worried about her for a while. You know, like, how you feel when you accidentally send out a weak Pokemoon out into battle and they get totally demolished? Like that. But... ever since you two've been attached to the hip, something's different. Like if that Pokemoon you were worried about suddenly evolved and got mega buff in the middle of the fight!"

You let out a soft giggle at her eccentric manner of speaking.

"Alright, I will."

It slipped your mind just how much time had passed between then and the moment Nepgear had left the room. It also didn't occur to you just how much noise can seep its way out of a closed door, how easy it would be to press a timid little ear into it and listen in without your eavesdropping's victims being any the wiser.

An aggravated voice called out, startling you upright.

"You lied! I just checked and the cookies came out totally fine! You're such a meanie..." Nepgear burst into the room with the aforementioned sweets in tow.

"Sorry, sorry." Neptune replied with a wink and unconvincing inflection before hopping up from her space on the floor.

"Alright, I'll stop being a third wheel. You two have fun doing... whatever couples do. See ya!" Before Nepgear could let out a proper retort, the door had already been slammed shut. The two of you sat in uncomfortable silence for a while as her reeling mind slowly registered her environment. Eventually, she turned her head over to you, one hand placed squarely over her heart.

"Ahaha... Sorry about my sister. She means well, but sometimes her teasing can go a little far. Oh! Um, about the cookies, I promise they came out just fine! So... Would you like to have one?" She meagerly holds out the basket in which they reside, looking at you with big, expectant eyes.

"Oh, sure. Thank you." You reached your hand in and took a bite out of one, offering her a smile afterward. "Wow, this is good! I didn't know you were such a skilled baker."

She blushed in response, anxiously playing with her fingers.

"I'm not, really. I just, um... have been practicing a lot lately. You told me this was your favorite flavor, right? I wanted to thank you for how kind you've been to me. I'm not sure I deserve it, but still." At her words, you lightly pouted.

"What do you mean?"

"Well..." Her eyes drooped downwards. "It's just, you know. Compared to my sister, I'm really weak and a crybaby. I don't think I could ever rule over Planeptune. But even so, you still treat me so nicely. I-I—"

All of a sudden, her already sorrowful expression burst into a full-blown mess of tears and pitiful, choked sobs.

"I don't deserve someone as kindhearted as you, do I?"

"What? Hey, hold on. Hey..." You tried desperately to console her, helping to wipe the overflowing puddles on her cheeks, yet they merely reflooded moments later. "Come on, Nepgear, don't say things like that."

"But it's true, isn't it? You only hang out with me so often because you pity me, right?" Her eyes glared daggers into yours, yet you were not the one wounded by those blades.

"No, no, that's not it—"

"Then why? What other reason could you possibly have to hang out with me so much?" Her bottom lip began to bleed from the biting force of her teeth.

"It's because I like you, okay? I really do."

"...But not in the same way I like you, right?" The words crawled out from her tongue defeatedly, as if already resigning themselves to their doomed fate. "You just see me as some weak girl you have to look out for, and not... not... a woman."

You wrapped your hands around hers, clasping down gently but firmly.

"That's not true. I like you, and more than just as a friend."

And there they were. The words that she'd desperately yearned for for so long, the ones she would do anything to hear fall out of your beautiful mouth, no matter what it took to coax them out of you.

 

♡

 

When ASIC began rising in popularity, you never thought it would go this far. Before, your shared abode with Nepgear and her sister perpetually was bursting at the seams with life and vigor. Each and every day brought new joys, new companions, and new memories to meticulously keep stored in your mind and later extract in the dark embrace of the night before sleep overtook you.

Now? It just felt empty.

Three years had passed since that fateful battle that stripped your life of the love and warmth that gave it meaning. At this point, the only physical reminder left of your lost lover was the home in which you were so graciously invited inside. How unfair that you of all people were the one to survive unscathed, left behind to watch this pitiful remnant of the past gather dust mindlessly day in and day out.

With nothing else to do, you stared outside one of the many windows, watching as random civilians made their way across town without a care in the world. Why did they get to go about their normal lives as if nothing had happened? As if you all hadn't lost the guidance and protection of the goddesses who'd been tirelessly protecting you all for centuries, shaping Gamindustri into the warm, inviting place you'd grown to cherish so deeply. It wasn't fair. But what were you to do? Just because you spent all your time around such holy beings didn't mean you miraculously held that same power. All you could do was pass the time, praying that one day things would change. Somehow.

And then came a familiar knocking on your door.

"Hey, you home?"

"It's us, Compa and Iffy!"

Oh, those two. Although not being the closest of companions originally, the three of you had grown closer these past few years out of a shared combination of grief and determination. Begrudgingly, you pushed your feet onto the cold, hard floor and sludged your way over to the front door.

"Hello, guys. What brings you two over here?" To your surprise, both of their faces beamed at you with glowing smiles—a sight rare to come by these days.

"We think we figured out a way to save everyone! At least, I hope. Are you coming with us?"

Everything grew still. Your bated breath hovered in the air, shaky and uncertain where to land.

"You... Do you two think they're really still alive?"

Compa's foot stomped into the ground.

"I don't know for sure, but we have to try! For everyone. Nep-Nep, Ge-Ge... If there's even a chance we can bring them back, I'll do everything I can to help rescue them. I'm sure you miss them a lot too, right? So you should come along."

Her hand, outstretched, beckoned you closer. A part of you felt ridiculous even latching on to this sudden wave of hope, certain that it would merely get ripped away from you. And yet, your hand reached out for it all the same.

"Let's go."

Chapter 2: Her Promise

"Don't be scared."

IF strutted forward, weapon firmly in hand. Meanwhile, you and Compa lingered timidly behind her, wafting your way through the miscellaneous piles of garbage and other randomly assorted items of Gamindustri Graveyard.

"I know, but... this place is pretty creepy, don't you think?" Compa murmured.

"Hey, you chose to come with us, so don't you start complaining."

As you all continued moving onwards, a nagging question burned deep within your mind. According to Histoire's instructions, Nepgear—as well as all of the CPUs residing here—should be safe. As long as that Sharicite did its job, then... everything could go back to normal. That cursed home would finally serve its full purpose, being filled with joy and the promise of new, happy memories with those who you cherish more than anything else in the world. That's assuming all went to plan, though.

Strange, isn't it? Trudging through a desolate wasteland, surrounded by the remnants of forsaken goddesses abandoned and left to rot. And yet here you were, praying of all things.

"Is that...?" Compa's voice sent shockwaves through your system. Your neck spun around to its side. Please let it be what—or rather, who—you hoped it was.

"It's Nep-Nep! And look, Ge-Ge's here too, and the other CPUs! Come on, let's hurry and use that Sharicite right away!"

But even before Compa's voice called out, your knees had already collapsed underneath you at the sight of your long lost lover's hunched body. You stiffened, watching as her breath slowly but surely inched out of her unconscious lungs. Three years. Three long, painful, quiet, empty years. And yet here she was right in front of you, as if nothing had changed. As if she'd never left your side.

A bright, blue light swept across your vision and illuminated her. Within a matter of seconds, her eyelids steadily crept upwards before, finally, her tired gaze collided with your own.

"You... Why are you here...?" Her feeble voice barely even carried itself far enough from her throat to be audible.

"We're here to save you, of course! I'm so glad you're safe, Gear. I missed you so much." Your arms worked to help untie her of her former restraints before themselves wrapping around her firmly.

"Save me? That's..." Despite now being upright and free, her limbs still dangled lifelessly against her sides. "But I failed. I failed to protect you, my sister, everyone. I-I couldn't do anything. I don't deserve to—"

Violent, boisterous laughter vibrated the already-unstable earth under your feet. Turning towards the sound, you soon came face-to-face with an enormous hunk of lively metal. Its grating voice shaped into words. Although, now, you're sort of wishing he just stayed silent.

"I've remained idle for too damn long. It's finally time to destroy...!"

Another blue light overtook the space in front of you, one that intended to take life rather than restore it. And it was aiming right for your head.

"No!"

In a flash, that blue was replaced with the comforting lavender of your lover's beautiful hair, flowing in the wind like rogue ribbons.

"I will not allow you to take anyone else away from me! I swear, no matter what it takes... I will bring you down!"

But no matter how many times her bullets fired at it, that hunk of metal simply stood there upright with that same damn smugness. Taunting. Mocking.

"That's it? Is that seriously all the strength you possess?!"

Her breath froze. You wondered. If you could see her face right now, what expression would she be making?

"No... No, no, no, no! I can't lose again. I can't lose them. Am I... really so weak that I can't even save one life?" You heard the sound of meek sniffles. For a second, you nearly resigned yourself to your shared inevitable demise. At least you got to see the love of your life, even if just for one last time, right? Quietly, you let your eyelids fall and your vision fade into darkness.

That is, until a familiar blue crystal went flying into the air.

"Take this, you damn monster!" Nepgear's voice, normally so soft and timid, screeched out of her as she threw that very same Sharicite that once saved her life in a final, desperate attempt to save your own. To your shared relief, it seemed to do the trick; going off of the pained cries that robot was now emitting, at least, it did.

"It worked! I'm so... glad..." Suddenly, your temporary moment of peace was once again ripped away, this time by Nepgear's figure collapsing before you.

"Gear! Are you okay?" You ran to catch her, barely stopping her head from colliding with the ground. Somehow, despite being in such a horrible state, all of her attention seemed to drift towards you. Her hand shakily reached upwards, resting itself on the exposed skin of your cheek.

"I'm so glad that you're safe... I promise you, I will get stronger. I'll make sure that a tragedy like that day never happens again. And then... and then... I can finally be a hero, just like you said."

As her consciousness faded and her formerly raised hand fell onto your lap, a soft sigh escaped from IF's lips.

"Jeez, of all the times to faint. Come on, let's get her back home."

Home. The word, in spite of having been passed around carelessly by others so often, never felt real to you. Not since that battle gutted it of its most precious inhabitants. Even now, as the four of you traveled in its direction, the weight of a certain missing fifth member was not lost on any of you. Still... She was back. She would be right by your side, taking up that once-empty space again. She was enough for you to find the strength to keep going. Hopefully, you would be enough for her, too.

 

♡

 

Apparently, Nepgear's exhaustion from her previous battle wore her down far further than any of you predicted. It had already been a few days at this point, and yet her body still remained in your shared bed, motionless. It took everything in you just to stop yourself from staring at her stomach for hours, her rhythmic breathing being the only thing keeping you sane in this agonizing waiting period. You should be used to this by now, yet... Somehow, yearning for her when she's so close, so tangible, hurt even more than from afar.

The creaking of door hinges attracted your attention, pulling you rapidly out of your thoughts.

"Um, good morning—"

"You're awake!" You rushed over across the room and to her side, earning a soft blush from her already shy-looking self. "I was so worried about you."

"Thank you. But... um, so... I'm really sorry about what happened all those years ago. I knew I was weak, but I had no idea just how much. Because of that, I failed all of you. So why... Why did you choose to save me? Why not my sister or one of the others instead?"

You bit your lip pensively, thinking back to your reunion.

"We wanted to save you all, really. We assumed that the Sharicite we had would be enough to free all of you, but..." You sighed. "Don't blame yourself over what happened. Even all of the CPUs combined lost, right? You're being way too hard on yourself."

"Even now, you're still so nice to me, huh... I'm really glad that I fell for you." She smiled warmly at you, although her eyes still felt cold. "What happened exactly while I was gone?"

Right, she was trapped this whole time. Of course she wouldn't have any knowledge about Gamindustri's near collapse, or about ASIC's rise to power. Sighing, you sat her down alongside an assortment of pre-prepared breakfast items and slowly untangled the details of your world's long, troubled past. At the mention of the Deity of Sin and ASIC's plan to revive that fowl being, Nepgear's face scrunched inwards deeply.

"I can't let that happen. I mean... I know that I'm weak and useless, and I don't have any chance of defeating them... But even so, I couldn't bear for you to get hurt, not when you worked so hard to bring me back. Isn't there anything I can do to stop this?" Her eyes glowed with a flare of fiery determination. You returned her display of passion with a firm nod.

"Yes, there is. As long as you and the other CPU Candidates collect enough Shares, that should weaken ASIC and its members enough for us to take them down."

"What? But... but there's no way that I can..." Her tears began to well up once again, a sight you feared was quickly becoming the norm.

"You can't right now, of course. But you won't have to go through this alone. I, Iffy, Compa, the other Candidates... We'll all be by your side and collect those Shares together. You can depend on us."

She pouted in response, before bringing a napkin up to her face and wiping off a few crumbs.

"Thank you... I just wish I was strong enough that you could depend on me, instead." Unexpectedly, her hands reached out for yours, grasping them tightly. Almost painfully so.

"My promise earlier... I really meant that, okay? I'll keep training every single day. No matter how long it takes, or what I have to do to get there, I swear that I'll become someone worthy of being called a hero. So... when that day comes and I save everyone, c-could you please... say that I'm your hero?" She blushed and looked downwards. In return, you playfully squeezed her hands back.

"Of course. But first..."

You leaned over and gave her a quick peck on the corner of her mouth.

"You missed a spot."

At that, her face flushed bright red before her fists started lightly attacking your arm.

"You're so mean! I was being serious, you know..."

"I know, I know. Just take it easy for today, okay? You need some time to recover." Her previous pout reappeared, but with an added somberness tacked on.

"Fine... Let's head out tomorrow then."

Chapter 3: Crack

When you awoke the next morning, the space next to you was empty. Which wouldn't actually be all that unusual, if it weren't for the fact that Nepgear had just returned home at long last. Strange. Groggy and confused, you made your way over to the bedroom door and pushed it open, when—

"Surprise!"

Before you stood your darling Nepgear with an enormous grin squishing against her cheeks, alongside her bright eyes staring intently in your direction. Looking down, you noticed a wide array of breakfast items—both standard selections and your personal favorites—stretched across the wide expanse of your kitchen table. She hurriedly gestured you over to a nearby chair, beckoning you to sit down.

"From now on, I'm going to try my best each and every day! So... I thought that this would be a good place to start. Do you like it?" Her head turned downwards slightly, a bashful expression overtaking her.

"I love it. Thank you, Gear. You're the best." You leaned over to ruffle her hair, earning a soft, shy giggle.

"Jeez, now I'm feeling a bit embarrassed... Oh! We need to talk to Histoire and the others about where to go next, right? Then, I'll go ahead and get ready. Take your time, okay?" She pecked your cheek before rushing over towards your shared room. Honestly, that girl... All that time spent stuck in one place must've left her restless. Now, she's practically like a dog with zoomies, running around wildly from thing to thing.

Oh well. As long as she's happy now, that's all that matters.

 

♡

 

IF's head nodded periodically as Histoire spoke at great length regarding the details of your mission.

"Alright, so we just have to find all the mascots. That doesn't sound too bad. Where's the first one, then?"

"Planeptune's mascot should be located in Virtua Forest. Nepgear, are you sure that you're ready to go on this journey?" Histoire's attention turned towards her.

"I am! I might drag you all down a little, but... I'll do whatever I can to help." She spoke emphatically, eager to dispel any worries the other woman may have still harbored.

"Enough of the self-deprecating!" IF glared. "Let's head off then."

As your quartet ventured off into the verdant landscapes of the aforementioned forest, Nepgear's hand remained firmly pressed against your own. Her other palm contained a wielded blade, at the ready in preparation of running into any monsters.

"Stay close to me, okay?" Her stern eyes pierced into yours. If it weren't for the immense gravity of the situation, you'd love to tease her right now. Given the noticeable shakiness of her palms, though, maybe that'd be best left for some other day. Instead, you simply nodded and allowed her to guide you across the path up ahead. Within a couple of hours, you all found yourselves in an unfamiliar, winding maze of metallic walkways. Compa and IF hunched over their map with scrunched faces.

"The mascot should be... um..." Compa looked from side to side in a vain attempt to gather her bearings. IF sighed before raising her pointer finger.

"It should be up ahead this way." She took a few steps forward before suddenly halting in place. "Hold on. Who's that person over there?"

Turning towards that same direction, you spotted a strange, mouse-looking woman. Somehow, you got the feeling that your chance encounter with her wasn't about to be a pleasant one. Probably due to the fact that she was blatantly destroying the very mascot you all had journeyed so long and hard to find in the first place.

"Hey! What do you think you're doing to the mascot?" IF charged forward, readying her makeshift claws.

"Uh, destroying it, duh. Orders from ASIC. They're a nuisance."

You felt a sharp increase in pressure on your hand at the mention of that organization. As you turned to Nepgear, her eyes seemed to darken a little.

"ASIC, huh..."

"Yep. Listen up! I'm a proud and mighty member of ASIC's front-line infantry. You better stay back, kids." The greyish woman gleamed with pride, a sensation completely undeserved by her.

"So... just an underling, then?"

"Huh?! Don't mock me, brat. That's it! If you want a fight so badly, then come and get it."

Suddenly, the weight that had been crushing your hand so tensely before dissipated into nothingness as its owner took a step forward. The cold glint of Nepgear's sword shone under the illuminating technological colors scattered around your environment. And then, it rose into the air.

"I may be weak, but... if she's an underling, I should be able to beat her. Stay back, please." Her instructions cut through the air, leaving you with a shiver down your spine. You had heard her stark determination in the face of enemy forces before. Yet... This was different. Colder. The underling grimaced in response.

"Damn it, get out of my way!" Faux mouse ears drifted by your hazy vision as another harsh force pushed against you. A flash of a disc crossed your view as you looked down. No way... Was she really going to get away with the mascot? Without even thinking your actions through, your hand reached out to grasp at her grey fabric.

"Wha—Don't touch me!" A sharp force exploded upon your lifted shoulder, forcing it downwards. You hissed in pain. Barely recovering, you attempted to block her once again, but it was too late. She'd already made it too far, and was well on her way outside of the cavernous walls.

This should have been the end of your story. And yet, a certain blade reached out from a blurry spot in your vision and, to your horror, pushed itself and your tragic future forward.

A sickening squelch echoed amongst the sea of metal and vines, followed by a disgusting scream of agony. Red overtook the bottom sector of your vision as a familiar blade slowly, achingly so, inched its way outside of the underling's back. Her blade.

The injured girl spouted and sputtered curse words at her as she uselessly tried to crawl further away. Yet, with each successful slither, Nepgear merely inched closer and closer, closing the distance between them effortlessly. For a moment, the only sounds left to waft into your ears were pained whimpers.

"I'll spare your life if you hand over the mascot and leave now. But if you ever dare to hurt them again..." Neither an ounce of warmth nor sympathy remained in her voice. "I won't be so kind."

Apparently, she didn't need any further convincing. Within a few seconds, her injured figure had already begun to dash out towards the depths' exit. Compa and IF stood still in place, not daring to call out to your blood-covered companion. But you did.

"Gear, are you okay?"

Her body jolted upwards as she looked back at you, startled out of whatever trance she'd been lost within. Then, the tears began to fall one by one, like raindrops on a cloudy day.

"I-I'm so sorry. You got hurt because of me. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Her limbs wrapped around you. Which of you two she was trying to console, you weren't sure. All you could do was return her affection in kind, moving to hold her despite the nagging pain in your shoulder.

"It's okay. You protected me in the end, didn't you? And you even got the mascot back safe and sound. That's all that matters." She hiccuped, her tears staining your sleeve all the while, before she croaked out another response.

"R...Really? You're not disappointed in me?" You squeezed her gently.

"Of course not."

You received a gentle hum from her before watching her fruitlessly pull away to wipe her face clean. Compa cleared her throat from behind.

"Sorry, Ge-Ge. I wasn't much help either... Don't worry, I'll help patch them up in no time! So you don't have to cry, okay?"

"Right... Thank you." Nepgear replied, although audibly half-hearted in doing so.

Although not being able to come with you on your journey, the mascot kindly thanked you all for your assistance and lent her a share of its power. Each of you remained quiet as your shoes made contact with the dirt below and your skin with the chilly air of the upper forest once again.

True, today's mission had been successful. Not only did you secure the mascot's location, but you also managed to narrowly save it from breaking into pieces and reaching a premature end.

And yet an entirely different crack had formed elsewhere. One that would eventually splinter further and further until, one day, it would shatter altogether.

Chapter 4: Splinter

"Wow, Lastation's chock full of nifty gadgets and machines! I wonder if there are special weapons here too..." Nepgear's face squished onto yet another shop window, fogging up the glass in her excitement. Groaning loudly, IF tugged at her arm and pulled her away.

"Right, right. You can go shopping to your heart's content later. For now, though, can you go ahead and run over to the guild? I'm sure they can get us some good intel on where to find Lastation's mascot."

Despite her whining and longing looks over towards the various displays, Nepgear ultimately complied. As she ran off and her figure gradually grew smaller and smaller in your field of vision, Compa and IF both let out a harmonized sigh of relief.

"I'm glad that Ge-Ge's in such high spirits today. I was worried about her after, you know..." Compa's feet shuffled beneath her.

"Same here. Honestly, I didn't think she had it in her to act like that." The other added on. "But... if she's going to have any shot at taking down the Deity of Sin, she'll need to be a little ruthless. So, good for her, I guess."

At that remark, you grew silent. Personally, you just wished that side of her could be left behind forever in favor of that joyful, smiling face of hers you'd grown to love. But if fate gave her no other choice, then what were you to do?

The three of you spent your sudden influx of spare time politely chattering with one another, friendly yet vaguely distant in your demeanors. Now that Nepgear had returned from the graveyard, that brief unity you all had from before seemed to dim. Or maybe you were just imagining it. Before long, your lover's voice called out alongside a rushed flurry of footsteps.

"I'm back! And I brought a new friend, too. Is it okay if she tags along with us?" Looking behind you, you found yourself interlocked in an impromptu staring battle with two blaring-red eyes. With a huff, their owner scowled as she looked your group up and down. Odd. You're certain that you two have never met, yet... Why does she look so familiar?

"Huh, so you weren't doing quests on your own. Makes sense, with how dainty your arms are." At that, Nepgear puffed up and donned a frown of her own.

"I'm not weak! Well, maybe a little right now... but I'm going to get stronger."

"If you say so. My name's Uni. The rest of you better not weigh me down, got it?"

And with that, your new teammate's legs already started to head off towards your shared destination, prompting the rest of you to rush and follow behind her. You would think that her short stature would allow you to keep pace with her, yet somehow—even with Uni chatting away with Nepgear just fine—you found yourself panting the entire way over. Apparently, IF faced similar difficulties.

"Jeez, how can those two keep talking to each other like it's nothing... I'm about ready to collapse." You two solemnly nodded at each other in mutual understanding.

Meanwhile, a chipper giggle came out of Compa's throat.

"Isn't it cute watching them act so friendly with each other, though? They've only just met, and they're already getting along with each other so well."

"You think so?" The words slipped out of your mouth before you could process them. Thankfully, she merely hummed in affirmation, failing to recognize the incredulous tone your speech had been laced with. Still... were you really the only one who could see the vacant shine in a certain someone's eyes? Did the other two really not pick up on the way her voice kept trailing off, or her subtle withdrawal whenever Uni ribbed her a bit too hard? Then again, if she wished to pretend for the sake of pleasantry, it wasn't exactly your place to call it out. And so, you three continued trailing behind like a brood of baby ducks behind the two talkative girls.

Eventually, a glowing light caught your attention. You called out with your index finger raised in its direction.

"Hey, doesn't that look like a mascot?"

Everyone's head whipped to the side. Within a few moments, Nepgear had already begun excitedly bouncing her way over, picking it up with glee.

"Ah, you're right! It looks just like ours back home. Then—"

"Hey." Uni's stern voice commanded her attention.

"Just what do you think you're doing with that? And why do you even know what a mascot looks like?"

Startled, Nepgear stared in confusion for a couple of seconds before recollecting herself.

"Oh, um... I guess it didn't come up in conversation earlier, huh? Actually, I'm the CPU Candidate from Planeptune. We're on a mission to find all four mascots and—"

A sharp noise. Staring in horror, you slowly came to the realization of its source; before you stood Uni with one palm raised up in the air, and Nepgear, who had just been dealt its harsh impact across the side of her face.

"You... So it's your fault that my sister's been gone for the last three years?!"

Oh. So that's why she looked so familiar. Unwavering, even at the sight of Nepgear's wide eyes and stunned silence, Uni continued her verbal assault.

"Because of you, Noire's gone!"

"..."

"If I went instead, I could have saved them!"

"..."

"I wouldn't have failed like you! So—"

"Shut up."

"Huh...?" Uni stepped back in surprise. Now, it was Nepgear's turn to spit out an ensemble of demeaning words.

"It's true that I failed. Because I was so weak, we lost that battle. Still... what makes you think you'd do any better? And... at least I can recognize how useless I am. I'm trying to change. You, though... what have you been doing? This entire time, all you've done is whine and insult us, but we're the ones trying to fix things. You've done nothing to save Noire, or any of the CPUs for that matter."

There it was again. That same cold voice, so far removed from the Nepgear you knew and loved.

Uni remained fixed in place the entire time, taking the verbal beating punch by punch nobly. Until eventually, she no longer could. With wet, messy tears streaking down her face, your provisional team member rushed out of the complex. And then, she was gone.

As you took a cautious step forward, inching your way closer to your lover, her eyes fluttered open and shut like a system rebooting before making contact with yours.

"I..." Suddenly, she too had streams of tears pouring down her face. You moved closer. "I'm sorry, I... I don't know where that came from. I didn't mean it. I'm so sorry, I—"

You grabbed her and held her tight, pressing the sadness out of her body, or at least hoping to. Her breath, previously shaky and shallow, came to a halt.

"It's okay. It's not your fault."

"It isn't...?"

"No. It was cruel of her to say those things to you. So don't worry too much about it, okay?"

"...Okay." She meagerly nodded before nuzzling into you and bringing her own arms firmly around your sides. Compa and IF, your eternal third and fourth wheels, looked away awkwardly until the latter eventually cleared her throat.

"Well, we got what we came here for. Let's head back. Oh—Nepgear, how about we stop by that one shop you were interested in before? Maybe you'll find something you like."

After receiving an approving nod, IF led the way back outdoors. Ultimately, you found Lastation's mascot and gained its power just like you'd set out to. Yet, despite your best efforts and searching, Uni was never to be seen again.

 

♡

 

"Woah, check this out! And this! And this too!"

You chuckled as her lavender hair flew wildly from side to side, barely holding on for dear life as Nepgear darted from one display to the next. It looks like IF's plan to cheer her up via a plethora of gifts was right on the money, as far as effectiveness goes at least. Looking at her depressed form and empty wallet, though... Yeah, the regret was definitely setting in. Not that Nepgear was even paying enough attention to notice.

"H-hey, Gear. Maybe that's enough shopping for now? ...Gear?" You turned back towards the shop, only to find that she was nowhere to be found. Confused, you shifted your sight frantically in various directions until, eventually, her silhouette finally came back into view. At the sight of her, your feet instantly began moving in long strides to her newfound location. She, for some reason, remained firmly planted in place no matter how many times your voice boomed out her name.

"Have you heard that rumor? Apparently, there was a sword forged a millennia ago meant to defeat the Deity of Sin."

"Gear?" You tapped on her shoulder, making her jolt upright. Dazed, her gaze drifted between you and some other random direction.

"Huh?" She quietly spoke.

"Iffy's at her limit, so we're going to find a place to stay for the night. Come on, let's go." You grabbed her hand in yours and led her back towards your party, ignoring her garbled pleas for you to wait. Knowing her, she probably just wanted to check out one last item before heading off. If you let this spending rampage continue on, though... Well, this would've probably wound up being the final chapter of your story. And so, you pushed onwards with a silent prayer for good fortune in the days up ahead.

Chapter 5: Shatter

Turns out, your prayers from the day before were not, in fact, answered.

"Get away from us, you big jerks!" Ram screamed with her arms tightly around her sister, acting like a shield. Somehow, despite literally rescuing the two child Candidates of Lowee and saving their lives, they still managed to get the wrong impression of you all. Nepgear, unfortunately, got the worst of the bunch.

"Please, miss..." Rom's tear-stricken face poked out from behind her protection. "Don't try to steal our shares..."

"Yeah! I can tell just looking at you that you're a meanie. Look, you even made my sister cry!" Ram scowled with all the might and anger she could muster. Which was quite a lot—a trait that seemed baked into their bloodline. Meanwhile, poor Nepgear mirrored the more timid of the two and wiped her welling tears away.

"Am I really that unlikeable...?"

Shaking your head, you reached out a palm and rested it on top of her head.

"That's not true, Gear. I like you. Compa and Iffy do too, remember?" Although with a pout tacked on, she slowly nodded.

Speaking of them, where the hell had they run off to? At this point, they must have already been gone for... what, an hour now? Sure, they claimed to only be out for a quick trip to the local guild for intel. You would be lying if you said you weren't a little worried, though, seeing how often trouble seemed to like to befriend you all lately.

As if on cue, the doors of the Lowee Basilicom burst open in an explosion of frantic shouting and hurried footsteps. Without giving either of you a chance to ask questions or even grumble in confusion, both your and Nepgear's arms were already being pulled by the girls back in the direction they'd just come from.

"We have to move quick! That underling girl from before, she..." IF paused briefly to catch her breath. "She knows where the mascot is! If we don't get there soon enough, she might try to destroy it like last time."

Your heart raced faster at the mention of your first meeting with that woman. A deep, foreboding dread pulsed alongside it. Last time you two had the misfortune of running into each other... You urged your limbs to hurry, unable to find a spare chance to glance over towards your lover and check her expression. With your next step, you threw out another useless prayer to a deity who would never listen.

 

♡

 

At last, your collective shoes finally made their way into a sharp halt. Every atom of your lungs burned in agony and, based off of the loud heaving noises surrounding you, so did everyone else's. But that didn't matter, not anymore. In front of you all was that oh-so-recognizable mouse hoodie and, of course, its eternal inhabitant who never failed to show up at the worst possible moments. Her eyes glared at you for a second before morphing into terror at the sight of Nepgear.

"It's you! Damn it, why'd you have to show up now of all times... Well, whatever. I already figured you broads might show up, so I had a backup plan just in case. Better watch out!"

The underling took out a strange gadget with a bright, red button on top. As soon as her gloved fingers pressed into it, a sudden onset of mechanical whirring surrounded you, commanding your attention.

"What are these things?!" IF readied her weapon and ushered you and Compa behind her. Outside of your field of vision, comical cackling buzzed in the air.

"Killachines! It took a while to get them to work properly, but thanks to you guys, I had plenty of time."

Her boisterous laughter echoed in the air as IF's weapon slashed through each piece of machinery one by one, tearing apart their mockeries of a body. To her credit, she tried her best to protect you all. She really did. Yet, even with her immense fighting prowess and great efforts, the enemy forces overwhelmed her all the same. Soon, your ears were filled only with the clicks and clanks of the copious amounts of machinery—and of course, that same damned smug-sounding voice.

Until they weren't.

Just before the last remains of your defenses could finally be ripped apart, their pseudo-limbs came to an unceremonious halt. The room grew silent, almost completely lifeless, around you all. And at last, a crucial question came to mind. Something so painfully obvious, you should've thought of it the second you and Compa alone were rushed behind IF's protective figure.

Where was Nepgear?

A sickening gasp, along with the squelching sound of flesh connecting with metal, echoed out from behind you. And as you turned, you received your answer.

"Gear!" You rushed over to her side before looking down at her feet in disgust. Crimson enveloped every square inch of the ground below, with her shoes lapping up the warm liquid hungrily. But her body remained motionless. If it weren't for the occasional rise and fall of her shoulders, she'd have perfectly mirrored the now-lifeless corpse reflected across her empty husks of eyes.

"Gear..."

A quiet hush was the only sound that now lingered in the air. It should've been. Yet, you watched as her lips parted, just barely enough for her to emit her final words to the already-dead woman. She whispered them so quietly that you easily could have missed it if you didn't pay close enough attention. But you did.

"I should have done this a long time ago."

And then the spell that once bound her in place broke, leaving her to shake and collapse into your arms. Excuses tumbled out of her mouth like debris in the midst of a landslide. Claims that she had no choice, that the other woman lunged at her first. That it was all just a terrible, terrible accident and she was just a poor victim of these awful circumstances. Soon, Compa and IF huddled against her on both sides and offered their own attempts at consolation. As she cried and cried, you responded to her wailing tune with the only words you could think of to say.

"It's okay. It's not your fault."

In that moment, a quiet hush was the only sound that ever lingered in the air. That's the version of reality you decided to go with.

 

♡

 

"Miss, what would you do if you had the chance to save the world at the cost of your own life?"

A shadowy figure called out next to you, startling you and Nepgear. You two turned to face the strange man who had so boldly interrupted your walk with his musings.

"Huh? Where did that come from?" Nepgear furrowed her eyebrows at him. "Um... I guess I would, yeah."

"I see. Then, what if the life you had to sacrifice was not your own, but rather someone close to you? Someone you love?"

Her grip on your intertwined hands stiffened.

"I would never sacrifice them. Not for anything."

Without waiting to hear any of the man's response, she drags you away and back in the direction of your hotel room. A hiss escaped from you at the sheer force of her actions. When did she get so strong?

Once you two entered your temporary abode, she tugged you under the sheets alongside her, nestling into your warmth. Neither of you spoke for the remainder of the night, content to simply wait in silence until a ball of hot plasma blazed across the sky and forced you awake once again.

Chapter 6: Monster

Notes:

Squeak squeak hope y'all are havin/had a good day chuu

An empty Leanbox Basilicom greeted your party, which was soon met in return by a chorus of groans and melodramatic complaints.

"Seriously? Did we come all this way for nothing?" IF chimed in. "If I'd have known this place was abandoned, I would've just went straight to the guild. Well, whatever. Let's head out." With a light frown, she directed the rest of you back outdoors and towards the city. Gaining the location and approval of this place's mascot without its Oracle wouldn't be an easy task, yet faced with her mysterious absence, there was simply nothing left to do but go around on a wild goose chase searching for any hint of pertinent intel.

Or rather, based on the rumors you've been hearing... a wild mouse chase? Shopkeepers, city officials, and even regular citizens—most notably, the cheesemonger—kept grumbling about some oversized rodent blabbering about ASIC and committing various atrocities. Following the trail left behind by its indiscriminate destruction, your party soon found itself deep within the depths of a secluded cave. Right as your hopes of finding anything useful were about to be snuffed out, an unknown woman's voice crept out from one of its many hidden crevices.

"Guys, there's someone over here!" You called out before running over. The imagery of a pale green-haired woman soon came into view, along with the trap in which her body was entwined.

"Stay still, miss! We'll get you out of there right away." Compa hurried over to her side, ripping away at the confining material.

"No need to save me... The flame of life within me is about to be snuffed out anyway..." Her voice whined out. "Oh... My one regret... is that I was unable to see my dearest sister Vert before my untimely demise..."

At the mention of that CPU, Nepgear's eyes widened.

"Vert? Then... that means that you're Chika, right? The Oracle of Leanbox?"

"Huh? Yes, but who are you?" Chika responded, incredulously eyeing her up and down. After hearing Nepgear's introduction, she seemed to somehow slump even further within the trap.

"I see. But... it's no use... I can't move a single finger... You should just leave me behind..."

"Hey. Are you even hurt?" IF placed a hand on her hip.

"How dare you?!" She barked back, before gasping and pretending to wince. She even threw in a handful of forced coughs at the start of her whining. "I mean... ouch, it really hurts..."

"Sure. Right." IF spoke flatly. "Just get moving, or we'll actually leave you behind. Got it?" As before, she motioned for your group to head in another direction.

"How rude! Is that any way to speak to an Oracle? Hey! Where are you going?!"

Ignoring her angry shouting, the other four of you quietly walked away and deeper into the trenches of the cavernous walls. Eventually, Chika opted to follow along, albeit at a healthy distance. As you continued onwards, a warm touch clasped itself over your hand. You looked up from the ground and found yourself face-to-face with Nepgear's cheerful smile. Her mouth slowly parted as she began to talk.

"Squeak squeak."

"What?" Your eyes narrowed. In panic, her arms began to flail wildly.

"That wasn't me! Weird, it sounded like a mouse. I didn't know this place even had any of those."

"Squeak squeak, chuu!" In synch with one another, you both turned towards the high-pitched creature. Looking closer, you sighed. In its tiny rodent hands were a gigantic cheese wheel and... the mascot. Of course. Having also gained the attention of Compa and IF, the other duo inched closer to the creature.

"Excuse me, mister mouse? Would you mind handing that mascot over to us, please?" Compa leaned down.

"Hm? O-oh! A beautiful maiden...! I would love to, but..." The lovestricken mouse sighed romantically while gazing at her. That is, until his eyes drifted over towards your direction—but not at you, no. It was only once his gaze fell upon Nepgear, still cozied up by your side, that his words fell into a hushed whisper. His breath hitched inside his tiny lungs and he took a cautious step backward.

"It's you! The monster that murdered Underling! G-get away from me, you hear?! Take whatever you want, just don't kill me too..." Before Nepgear could even call out in surprise or defend herself, the mouse had already dropped its belongings and scurried off, leaving behind only a vague trail of cheese crumbs and one heartbroken woman.

"...A monster...?" Her lips began to tremble. Gently, your hand worked its way upwards onto her scalp.

"Don't worry about anything it said. You did what you had to do." She nodded, despite the creeping pout still etching its way across her face. Your shared moment of intimacy was almost immediately interrupted by yet another cacophony of totally-not-forced coughing.

"I see you've found our mascot. Well then, what are you guys waiting for? Hurry up and take it—just promise me that you'll bring back my darling Vert right away!"

"Is it really okay for you to hand it over to us so readily?" IF's face scrunched up, only to be met by Chika forcefully shoving her back towards the cave's entrance.

"It's fine, it's fine! Just go."

Having no reason to argue further, you and your teammates headed over to the aforementioned destination. Within a handful of hours of travel, you all found yourselves huddled inside Planeptune's Basilicom, alongside Histoire and a newly created shard of Sharicite.

"Yes, this should be enough."

"Then..." Nepgear's face perked up, gaze longing for affirmation.

"With this, we should be able to rescue the CPUs." Histoire smiled with her signature calm demeanor, although you could all see the way that her legs gleefully kicked upwards in anticipation. Of course, she was far from the only one excited for Neptune's long overdue arrival back home. A wave of sniffles flowed across the room, the majority originating from none other than her younger sister.

"I'm so, so glad... Finally, I'll be able to make up for my mistake from all those years ago. She'll be able to see how much stronger I've gotten, too. Do you think... she'll be proud of me?" You smiled and leaned into her.

"Of course she will. You'll be her hero, you know?" At that, she beamed and glowed with a newfound burst of determination and confidence.

"Right!"

 

♡

 

"Are you ready, Nepgear? We'll only head in once you give the go-ahead." IF called out from your side.

"Of course. I'm still a little scared... but I can do it! I've worked hard and gotten much stronger than before. That machine is no match for me." Her fist wrapped around her sword firmly. An uncharacteristically bold glint shone over her eyes, carrying her forward and towards their destined battle. The rest of you followed suit shortly after.

"That's them." Nepgear's body glowed with a heavenly light, forming alongside it her trusted firearm. "This time... you're going down for good!"

A mirage of bullets soared along the crimson sky with such precision that its target barely stood a chance to even counterattack. Before he could even so much as let out a mechanical screech of shock, the enemy's body exploded in a flurry of blinding fire and deafening booms. Nepgear, in contrast, hardly moved a muscle. But... you squinted, taking in her expression, one nobody else seemed to care to pay any mind to.

You weren't sure if you'd ever seen a grin stretch her face that painfully wide before. You weren't sure if you wanted to ever again.

Compa rushed over towards the CPUs' limp bodies, no longer guarded by your former enemy, and shoved the blue crystal in front of her.

"Please, Nep-Nep, wake up!"

Soon, every single one of you had crowded around her, desperately searching for any sign of life in her weakened body. And, to your collective relief, you found it.

"Mm..." Her cerulean eyes drifted aimlessly for a while before a startled gasp erupted from her throat. "Nep Jr...?"

"Yes, it's me! Oh, I'm so glad you're okay... I-I defeated that machine that was keeping you all here, and—and I helped collect Shares with everyone else! So..." Her vocal cords quivered, akin to a drawn-back arrow.

"Are you proud of me?"

Neptune's arms lunged out and pulled her into a tight embrace, releasing the tension that had built within that arrow.

"You did good, kid."

With nothing left to restrain her tears, Nepgear's wails echoed across the vast landscape of the graveyard; her voice mixed in with the whistling air and created a strange, unrehearsed melody that haunted the lingering souls that had been left behind by time and fate.

A forced cough broke through their song. You were beginning to think that perhaps all of Leanbox's inhabitants carried that quirk.

"We're alright, too. You know, in case anyone was wondering." Vert spoke with a light pout on her lips. Looking up at the rest of the brushed-aside CPUs, you were able to confirm her statement.

IF opened her mouth, about to apologize, when a tremor shook the cracked ground below and nearly tossed her off her feet.

"Wha—What is that?!" She yelled, barely audible under the excessive rattling.

And then a woman came into view. One you had never seen before, despite her appearance being patently divine-looking in nature. Nepgear and the CPUs, on the other hand, were all too familiar.

"Magic, you damn bitch! Stop getting in our way!" Blanc grimaced.

"Oh? Are you really picking a fight with me when you've already lost once before? Sorry to disappoint you, but I'm here on other business right now. With how long you've been tied up here, you understand not to cross me. Correct?"

Surveying the goddesses, the reasoning behind her bold claims was clear—even if you didn't like admitting it. As hard as the CPUs frantically tried lifting their weapons, their weakened limbs nearly buckled under their immense weight, leading them to pant and almost collapse altogether. You winced. There was simply no way the odds could have worked in their favor, and everyone knew it. Including Nepgear.

"I can defeat you."

"What? Nep Jr, now is not the time to act brave." Her sister hissed at her, yet she didn't back down.

"Please, I have to do this! For your sake, and for everyone else's. If, even after all this time—even after I've trained every single day for this moment—I can't take her down, then... how could I take pride in myself as Planeptune's Candidate? How could I ever hope to be called their hero?" Tears welled in her eyes.

Neptune called out one last objection, but it was too late. The two women had already simultaneously sprung into action, tearing into each other's flesh with their respective arsenals.

She never stood a chance.

"Gear!"

Your beloved's body dropped limply onto the floor. As you crawled over to her, a flood of relief overtook you. She's still breathing; for once, your prayers had been answered. You glared up at Magic. Despite the horrendous wounds inflicted by her, she barely even paid the rest of you any mind, as if she merely took part in a petty catfight.

"I already said that I'm here for business. Don't let that weakling get in my way again."

Her heels clicked away, crushing in their path any hope of vengeance. But that was alright, at least for now; all that you could bring yourself to care about anymore was the fragile woman resting in your arms, still knocked unconscious from before. Your chest tightened.

For her sake, you hoped that she would rest for a long, long time. For your own, you prayed for her speedy recovery.

Chapter 7: Myopia

Up. Down. Up. Down.

You slumped forward. This officially marked an entire twenty-four hours of Nepgear existing in this forlorn, bedridden state. If it weren't for the rhythmic motions of her stomach slowly rising and deflating in limbo, she'd look no different from a fresh corpse. You would know. Mindlessly, your hands moved to play with the purple tendrils of her hair.

"Come on, Gear... You have to wake up."

She flinched. Or maybe you just imagined it. Neptune, who was sprawled across the bedroom floor, looked up from her controller and softly sighed.

"No good, huh? Gosh, how long is that little twerp gonna make us wait?" Despite having her gaze elsewhere, her hands continued to push the controller's buttons; not only was her character somehow not dead from her visual neglect, but she even managed to lead them into a secret path filled with countless treasures. You watched in silent awe before your itch to comment overtook you.

"How are you even doing that?"

"Hm?" She followed your eyes before humming in recognition. "Oh, this. Good ol' Nep Jr was totally obsessed with this game as a kid. Thing is, she sucked at it. Like, total noob level gameplay. She would always start crying and giving me puppy eyes whenever she got stuck but was too embarrassed to ask for help, and then she'd run off to the bathroom to cry." She chuckled.

"So... you helped her?"

"Mhm! But only while she was in the bathroom, or else she'd start whining about needing to do it herself. She... really hasn't changed at all, huh?" Her voice petered out in the end, letting the air in the room settle for a brief moment. Then, she flung herself upright.

"Welp, time to head out! Compa's pudding isn't gonna eat itself, you know."

As her palm collided with the door handle, you watched as it vibrated slightly.

"You haven't changed at all, either, Nep."

She didn't stick around to respond.

 

♡

 

Another hour had passed with no detectable change, only her body's continual rising and deflating left to keep you company. Slowly, your hand reached out to rest alongside the edge of her doll-like face, rubbing the pad of your thumb in repetitious circles.

"Gear, please... Wake up."

"..." Her eyelids lingered shut, unwavering.

"We need you. Everyone in Planeptune, your sister..."

Nothing.

"And I need you, okay? So... please don't leave me alone again."

A flinch. Only this time, the shudder of her body was more than a simple fluke or trick of the light. You watched with bated breath as Nepgear's face scrunched inwards before, slowly but surely, those same eyelids steadily lifted themselves up into the heavens. For a while, her eyes simply stared upward in a heavy haze.

"Huh? Where am I?" The sound of her hoarse, hardly audible voice drifted out from her lips like a sailor lost at sea. Until, at last, her aimless little boat bumped into your harbor.

"Gear! You're finally awake. You really need to stop taking all these random naps on us, okay? We were all worried about you." You playfully jostled her shoulder.

"Does this mean... I lost?"

"Well, yeah. But don't worry about that right now. The others are working on coming up with a plan—"

"No!" Her breath hissed inside her lungs and sharpened into rough daggers before her body began to cave in on itself. "No, no, no, no, no! It's not fair! I've trained every single day since we got back. I-I even took that girl's life with my own hands, all so I could protect you. And yet... and yet... I'm still this useless?"

"Hey, it's okay." You tried to reach out and console her, but she shook your touch away.

"It's not! Over and over, this cycle keeps repeating. I fail. You cheer me up and make me feel better. And then I think I've finally managed to get strong enough to protect you, only to fail once again." A strange laughter burst out from her, only rivaled by the puddles seeping into her clothes.

"Calm down, Gear."

"I can't! I can't, okay? You... If she really wanted to, she could have killed you. And... if I keep failing like this, then maybe next time—maybe she'll actually—"

All of a sudden, she pushed her hands roughly against her own mouth, all the while whimpering.

"No, I can't let that happen. The only reason I was able to push forward was because you were here with me. Any time I felt scared or lonely, I could handle it, all because you were here by my side. If I lost you... the one I've been striving to protect all this time... what good would I even be?"

"Hey..." You leaned in slowly, cautiously. "You don't have to be able to defeat her all on your own. That's what everyone else is here for, you know? We're all working towards winning against the Deity of Sin together. I'm sure that once the CPUs regain their strength, we'll be able to take down both them and Magic in no time."

"You don't know that." Her eyes bore into yours as every inch of her skin buzzed with terror.

"Well... no, but—"

"I am not risking your life on a chance. I'm done with relying on everyone else all the time." Before you could stop her, you watched helplessly as she darted towards the bedroom door and ripped it open.

"Where are you going? Hey, you're still injured!" Your voice called out to no avail. With a steely glint in her eyes, she gave you one last, deep stare.

"I'm going to find that sword."

And then she was gone.

Chapter 8: The Lion and the Liars

"I see." Histoire's face soured, a grim aura overtaking her. "In that case, I'll do my best to research that sword she mentioned."

You nodded. After Nepgear's impromptu disappearance, the only place your troubled mind could think to run off to was none other than your nation's Basilicom. After all, if anyone were to be capable of uncovering the secrets that plagued both Nepgear and her newfound obsession, it would be your Oracle. Still, looking at the uncertain shiftiness of her gaze as it darted from side to side, document to document... the chances of you receiving a pleasant answer to your queries felt drearily low.

"This will take me some time. Why don't you go out and gather everyone in the meantime and bring them back here? We'll need every CPU, Candidate, and Oracle from each nation—and your other companions, of course." Histoire motioned towards the entranceway, politely nudging you out.

"Got it... Hey, Histoire?"

"What is it?" She called out distractedly.

"Do you think... we're doing the right thing?"

Your eyes planted themselves firmly on a meaningless portion of your vision. This time, you didn't feel like looking at her expression.

"...I can only hope."

 

♡

 

As the final four members joined your impromptu meeting, a cacophony of voices filled the already-cramped establishment. Some loudly whined, ensuring that all the others knew just how greatly inconvenienced or frightened they were. Some took great care in comforting their younger companions, while others chastised their own for being way too old for such crass behavior. And others... well, you couldn't blame her for opting to linger among the outskirts of your group, not after her previous verbal altercation with Nepgear. The only person who appeared completely unbothered by the pervasive gloomy atmosphere was, of course, your own nation's CPU.

"Woah! Can this game really handle so many playable characters?" Neptune's face darted back and forth across the room in a playful investigation.

"We're not in a game. Take this seriously for once." Noire bit back.

"Awww, is granny Noire grumpy from getting her nap interrupted?"

"As if! Ugh, you're making me wish I was still stuck inside that graveyard. Where's that sister of yours anyway? She's taking forever." Her voice drawled out. Despite her complaints about Neptune's antics, she didn't seem to put much effort into ending their chatter. Classic tsundere behavior.

At the mention of Nepgear, you, Compa, and IF simultaneously perked up. The three of you had wound up huddled into your own little spot instinctually, having gotten so accustomed to each other's presence.

"I hope Ge-Ge's doing okay..." Compa's arms wrapped around herself. In response, IF slung an arm along the other's shoulder.

"I'm sure she's fine. Have some faith in her."

Neither of you mentioned how sweaty her palms were. Slowly, your mind drifted back to your last conversation with the girl. After all of these years spent together, she'd never once rejected your attempts to console her in such a violent manner—or at all, really. As your mind rolled through the tape of that day's memory, the film kept stuttering and rewinding. In that moment, what was it that she truly needed from you? You scrambled internally, desperately plugging and deleting different voice lines into its script, searching for an answer. Yet, the end credits never once changed.

Maybe there was no better outcome to be had. Maybe your twin fates had already been sealed long, long ago.

The doors to the Basilicom burst open, putting a staunch halt to each of your makeshift group's conversations. In its place stood your panting, sweat-coated lover, her incongruous smile, and—of course—a sword.

"Geez, there you are! I was wondering—huh? Wait, why's everyone gathered here?" Her expression rapidly morphed between excitement and confusion as her eyes scanned across the crowd.

"You're back, Nepgear." An unusually steely glint shone from Histoire's own pair.

"Um... yeah. Is something wrong?" Her brows furrowed slightly.

"That's one way of putting it." Histoire grimaced before letting out a harsh, whistling exhale. "Everyone, please listen to what I have to say."

The air grew silent, yet so thick with tension that you could feel yourself nearly choking on it. Not even Nepgear's free hand, which had intertwined itself with your own in anticipation of what was to come, could calm your nerves. The others seemed just as apprehensive, save for Neptune, who'd apparently yet to get the memo. Regardless, the Oracle pressed on.

"I have completed my research on the rumored sword that can defeat the Deity of Sin. True enough, it is capable of slaying her." A melody of gasps and excited hums exuded from your companions until her tiny hand raised up into the air. "However... as it is now, it has no power. That can change, but only under a certain condition."

"Stop being so mean and just tell us already!" Ram yelled. Rom nodded beside her, timid yet equally determined.

"Is it perhaps something you don't want to tell us?" Vert chimed in. "If so, please just say it. I'd rather you be upfront about the bad news."

"...I understand. And... I'm sorry."

And with that, the truth was ready to come out.

"The sword must slay one of CPU lineage. For each kill, it will grow in power."

"...Excuse me?" Vert's voice hardened. "You're not seriously insinuating what I think you are, right?"

"I cannot make the decision for you all if you wish to use it or not. I'm only stating the facts of the situation. However... it has been a long time since Nepgear first sought after that sword. At this point, the situation has grown dire enough that we likely only have a matter of days left to make our next move against ASIC. If we don't, then the entirety of Gamindustri will collapse. We cannot let that happen... no matter what the price."

"But that doesn't make it okay to just go around killing each other! You tell her, Blanc!" Ram clung onto her older sister's arm, urging her to speak up and give her own dispute to the matter. Except, none came.

"Blanc?" Her harsh facial features melted in the silence and made way for uncertainty. "Come on, sis. You disagree with that dumb meanie too, don't you? So say something already! If you don't—"

"How many?"

"Huh?" Ram's eyes widened.

"How. Many?" Blanc's words could barely slip through her gritted teeth. "You said it yourself. 'Each' kill makes it stronger. So tell me. How many of us would have to be slain by that sword in order to save Gamindustri?"

"I can't be sure. If we want to be completely certain that it can defeat the Deity of Sin, then..." Histoire's lips shivered. "One person of CPU lineage would have to take the life of all seven others."

"Hold on."

Another voice cut through the air, commanding the group's attention before it could dissolve into a chaotic mess; this time, it belonged to someone you had yet to hear speak. At least, not since that incident.

"A certain someone has been awfully silent all this time. Someone who I bet is planning on being that one person. Well... Nepgear?" Uni took long, stoic strides forward and marched her way directly in front of her, staring her down with the same daggery glare you'd both once fallen victim to before. Every single person turned towards the two with silent anticipation.

"I... I..." Nepgear's trembling reverberated throughout her entire body and circulated into your own.

"You can't even admit it, can you?" Another step forward. "And yet you expect us to just let you stab us in the back and take all that power for yourself! You're pathetic, Nepgear. I can't believe I ever thought we could be friends."

"H-hey, please calm down." You found yourself interjecting into their one-sided conversation before you could even think through your words. "I'm sure she isn't actually thinking that. She's just scared, that's all."

"Shove it." She snarled at you, making you wince. "I don't want to hear it from you. She's the one that needs to get her act together and speak up already."

"But I-I can't possibly make that decision on my own. I mean, I did find the sword, but—"

Uni's palm collided with her face in a harsh slap.

"Wha—Uni! Where are your manners? I thought I taught you better than to act like this!" Noire began to strut over rapidly with a raised tone and heavy scowl. Her hand gripped onto her sibling's arm, fully prepared to drag her away. That is, until Uni's tear-soaked face came into view.

"Don't you get it? If she goes through with this, if I don't stop her, Noire, you'll..." Her voice hitched.

"I know. I know, Uni. But if this is the sacrifice that has to be made to save our people, then it is my job as a CPU to put my own needs aside for their sake. I can handle it."

"You idiot! You don't get it at all. This isn't about Lastation, or even about Gamindustri. Just—listen to me, please. Even if they don't need you... so what? What about me? Don't you care about me, too? Don't you get that I need you? Please, you're..." Uni's hands clenched into fists at her sides. "You're all I have."

Noire stood still for countless seconds, her eyes wandering along the countless crevices of Uni's face. Her teeth collided with the bottom half of her lip. And then, she slowly but surely pulled the other into a tight, warm embrace.

"I understand."

"Then—"

"Hold on, Uni. Seriously... You can be so impatient." She sighed like a disappointed mother, although the gentle smile blossoming on her face betrayed her true feelings. "I want to drop the whole sword business just as much as you, but we can't forsake our people's lives, no matter how much it hurts. However, my sister has a point. Even if we agree on this plan, we still have to decide on who's going to go through with it."

Despite a few more complaints and grumbles still emanating from certain members of your gathering, none were loud or convincing enough to thwart the looming cloud of dread raining down on you all. Without any hope for another way out, there was simply nothing for you all to do but press on.

"There's no need for you to rush through this decision." Histoire spoke once more and commanded your collective attention. "Whatever choice you end up making, I'll support you all. Everyone, please go home and think on it overnight."

Group by group, one by one, each nonlocal person passed you and Nepgear by, each with their own unique weight pressing down on their shoulders. First was Blanc, who had forcefully nested her smaller sisters under each of her limbs. Then came Vert and Chika. As they passed, they each sent a glare over towards your silent lover. Before reaching the Basilicom's doors, Vert stopped in place.

"I must warn you, Nepgear. Some of the others might be willing to throw away their life for you. Some may even stand by your side and console you, feeding you false lies that you're somehow worthy of being the last one standing. But you are just a helpless little child, unfit to defeat the Deity of Sin and rule over Gamindustri. If you dare raise that sword at me... I will not hesitate to take your life instead."

With that, she and Chika left without sparing a single further glance the other's way. Noire and Uni were up next in line. In a similar fashion to the Lowee trio, the latter was tightly locked arm-in-arm with the former. Of course, that would never stop Uni from sinking her claws into what, in another reality, may have become someone she trusted. Her friend, even. But in this reality, the only mutual emotion the two seemed able to hold for one another was a violent, primal contempt.

"Funny. You talked so much about saving everyone, yet in the end, all you did was doom us to die. I hope you're proud of yourself."

Noire tugged her away quickly in an attempt to prematurely cut her off, but the damage was already done. Soon enough, only you and your fellow residents of Planeptune were left to soak in the bitter aftertaste the day's events had left behind.

"So, uh, Nep Jr..." Neptune, who'd yet to say a single word since the fateful announcement, awkwardly smiled and chuckled. "Um... Buck up, kiddo?"

You wish you could say you'd expected more from her, but you'd just be lying to yourself once more. After all, if offering sincere words of comfort were her forte as much as it were yours, she wouldn't be idling around aimlessly as you and you alone scooped up the collapsed remains of a beat-down, shivering Nepgear in your arms and cradled her into your chest.

"Histoire was right. This is too much for you—for any of you—to process in such a short time. Let's head home."

A shaking hand lifted up to rest on your back. And then, another. You made no comment on the stains soaking into your clothing and, instead, merely held her together like a shattered vase that had haphazardly been put together with cheap glue and careless fingers. There was no mending her back into one piece. Only survival.

 

♡

 

When the three of you arrived home after a brief walk with silence, Neptune's faux chipper laughter at last bid it farewell.

"So, guys! You up for a pizza night? Cause boy am I starvin' like a Marvin over here, heh... I'll just... head on over and grab some. See you lovebirds later!" And with that, her footsteps rushed away. From you, from her sister in need, from everything.

"Right... See you." You meekly called out, despite her already being out of range to hear it. "And she's off... Hey, how are you feeling, Gear?"

You were met with nothing but silence.

"Gear? Listen, I know that today was a lot, but—"

Her body plunged onto the hard floor, making a harsh thud echo against the walls. In an instant, a heaving motion coursed through her body as she held her hands up to her mouth, barely containing the acid threatening to protrude from it. You, too, dropped to the floor at the sight of her fragile form and sat beside her. As you rubbed against her back, her trembling lips began to sputter.

"I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry—" A particularly violent dry heave ran through her. "If I hadn't searched for that sword, none of this would have happened. I—we wouldn't have to... I'm so, so sorry."

"It's okay, Gear. You didn't know this would happen. And besides, we don't actually have to go through with that plan. I'm sure, somehow, we can figure out another way if we just... talk things out with everyone tomorrow. I'm sure somebody will have another idea. We just have to be patient." Your eyes drifted to an abandoned game console lying lifelessly on the floor. Right now, you'd give anything just to have the three of you sitting peacefully in front of it the way you all used to back then. But it was far too late for that.

"What about you?"

"Huh?" You glanced back at her. Her eyes pierced through your skin, searching desperately for something in you that you doubted she'd find.

"Can you tell me... what to do? Can you tell me how to make everything go back to normal?"

But you both already knew the truth. You couldn't. You never could. And yet, somehow, in your moment of unbridled weakness, she managed to find peace all the same.

"Of course you can't. That's because... I'm supposed to be your hero, aren't I? I'm supposed to be the one who protects you, not the other way around. Vert was right back then. All this time, I've acted like a helpless child, relying on you all to make the hard decisions for me or comfort me when something goes wrong. But if I want to be your hero, I can't do that anymore. So..." In an unexpected reversal of your former dynamic, she was the one wrapping you in her arms and cradling you into her chest. With a serene smile, she began to whisper into your ear.

"From now on... I'll do whatever it takes to be someone you can rely on—no, the only one you need to rely on. So please, put your faith in me."

And with her being the only deity willing to listen, what else were you to do but offer your prayers to her and her alone?

Chapter 9: Your Hero

The two of you walked into the crowded Basilicom hand in hand, and hand on sword. The moment in which you crossed the threshold, what little of the ephemeral muttering and half-hearted grumbles that had once littered the expanse before you died a swift death. A shiver ran down your spine. All around you were eyes filled with—with what, exactly? Maybe hope, maybe determination. Most definitely dread. A tight grip pulled you away from their suffocating gazes.

"It's okay." Nepgear spoke with a soft smile. "Remember what I told you. I'll take care of everything, so you don't have to worry."

With nothing left to do, you simply nodded and complied with her desires once more.

Everything would be fine. You couldn't be sure how exactly, having no idea what method would be used to enact such a miraculous fortune. But if she said so, you were left with no choice but to believe in her.

"You're finally here. Took you long enough." Uni's voice called out before wincing at her sister's elbow jabbing into her. Strangely, despite the memories of yesterday still ringing clearly in your mind—and in turn, surely in hers—Nepgear appeared unfazed; if anything, her bright smile merely grew even wider at the sight of the other Candidate.

"Good morning, Uni. Did you sleep well?"

"Huh?" She took a step back. "Uh... as good as I could given the circumstances, I guess."

"Enough with the small talk, guys! We're supposed to figure out what the plan is, right?" Ram yelled. Rom, who opted to hide behind her back, also popped her head into view to hum and nod eagerly.

"The kids have a point. We don't have all day to sit here making pleasantries." Vert spoke with a scowl. Chika, too, backed her companion up with a nod. "Allow me to take the lead, then. Has anyone come up with any new ideas for defeating the Deity of Sin other than the sword?

Not a single person in the room responded to her question. Instead, they all feebly looked around at the others. As each fresh second of silence passed, the group's expressions grew dimmer and drearier. Even Histoire, who you'd never known to falter in the face of adversity, anxiously avoided the gaze of the Lastation members right beside her. Vert sighed.

"No one? Well, it's not like I expected any different from you all. Since that's the case, we have no choice but to use that sword. You all understand what I mean, don't you?" Her piercing glare loomed over you all with a crushing pressure. As each of her damning words sank into your flesh, your heart sped up into a painfully frantic rhythm. This wasn't how this was supposed to go. You turned towards Nepgear, expecting a similar frightful demeanor to have overcome her. And yet, when you did, you were met only with a warm tenderness and a gentle squishing of her palm into yours.

"Gear? I thought you said..."

"I will, don't worry. Just give me a minute to talk this out with everyone, okay? This will take a bit, so you should go and rest over by Compa and Iffy."

"Oh, uh, right..." The words slipped out of you seamlessly, adamantly ignoring the aching hurt in your chest. Like a zombie, you felt your body slumping forward and stumbling over and away from her. Something pounded over and over from deep inside you, carrying with it desperate messages to listen. To think. To care. To do anything at all but be a mindless puppet, moving in whatever way its master pleased, all for the sake of preserving their peaceful smile for as long as time would allow. You ignored every last one.

"Hold on!" All eyes turned to Uni, who had made her way right into the center of the crowded area. "I have something to say first. Everyone, please listen to me."

"Uni..." Noire's voice grew somber.

"This—all of this—is completely ridiculous! Have any of you even been hearing yourselves? Killing every single CPU and Candidate except for one... that's just stupid! Use your brains. Even if we do defeat Magic and the Deity of Sin with this plan, so what? That still leaves three of our nations completely abandoned and left to rot or be taken over by whoever's left. Are you all really okay with abandoning the people we were born to protect like that? Huh?!"

At her scaldingly hot words, everyone's previous determination began to waver. Various murmurs reemerged amongst them.

"Maybe she's right..."

"If we talk it out properly, then maybe..."

"To be honest, I wasn't looking forward to having to fight with a bloated pizza tummy, so..."

"See, Vert? You were jumping the gun way too fast." After taking in everyone's supportive remarks, Uni began to beam with a prideful glow, shining brighter than you'd ever seen her before. "Alright, so here's how I think this should go. We can go around taking turns throwing out ideas one by one, and then the rest of us will give our feedback. Does that sound good to everyone?"

One by one, each person took their turn to nod affirmatively.

"Perfect! Then, let's start out with—"

A squelch. One you'd heard before, one that you could never forget.

"H-huh? No way..." Uni's eyes drifted downwards, slowly but surely, before landing on top of her belly. Her blood-soaked belly. And, of course, the sword's tip that protruded so coldly through it. "D-do you really... hate me that much... Nepgear?"

Your breath got caught in your throat. This wasn't supposed to happen—none of this was supposed to happen. All you had wanted was a way out of this horrible mess that you all had found yourselves trapped inside. All you wanted was a saving grace to shine a new way ahead and into a bright future where you, Neptune, and Nepgear could live together happily forever. And you had gotten that. So why is it her back facing towards you? Why is there another puddle of disgustingly bright scarlet lapping at her shoes? She said she'd take care of everything. She said she'd—

Oh. She said she'd take care of everything.

"Uni!" With an ear-piercing screech, Noire instinctually bolted forward before being met by Neptune's own weapon firmly planted in front of her as a shield, blocking her. "Get out of my way! Uni, stay with me! Hey, can you hear me?"

No response.

"Come on, answer me already! You... you can't really be... Oh God." Her breath grew shallow and unsteady, hissing in her lungs with each panicked gasp. And then, her gaze grew cold. "Nepgear... how dare you?! Uni was right about you all along. You really are a monster. Neptune, put that damn sword down now, or I swear, I'll take you down with that—that thing you call a sister."

"Sorry, no can do." Neptune held her sword up firmly, although you could see sweat running down her face and legs. "You'll have to get through me first. We, uh, had a good run there, didn't we, old pal? Sucks that it has to end like this."

"Wait!" Your feet slammed into the floor as they desperately tried to scramble forward. To do what, you had no idea, but surely there had to be something you were capable of. However, your lower limbs only managed a pathetic handful of steps before they were forcefully halted by someone you'd completely forgotten was even near: Chika. Her arms tightly latched onto you and clasped together into a cage, dragging you down to the ground with her. "What are you doing? We have to do something, or they'll..."

"Don't you think I know that?!" She cursed and bit her lip skin-tearingly hard. "But this is their battle. I want nothing more than to run over right now, too, but Vert made me promise not to interfere, so you don't get to either."

Hearing the term "battle" sparked a shot of lightning inside of you and made your blood run cold. Your vision was blurred from oncoming tears, yet you could still see the tragedy unfolding before you all too clearly. The makeshift battlefield had been split into two factions; on one side stood the elder of the siblings you loved so dearly, skillfully blocking the movements of Noire and Vert. On the other half was none other than Nepgear herself, adorning an expression you'd yet to see properly—for the better, your gut said. In front of her were Blanc, Ram, and Rom.

"Stay behind me, you two. I can defeat her by myself." Blanc ushered the younger ones behind her back.

"But... what if you get hurt?" Rom managed to choke out, despite her tremors.

"I won't. But if I do, promise me that you'll run away as far as you can. No matter what, don't let her catch you. Understood?" Whether practiced or genuine, a collected air somehow still ebbed from her.

"There's no way we could—"

"Ram, I don't have time to argue! If you don't want Rom to get killed, you have to do as I said. Now, don't get in my way." A final retort tried to escape from her sister's lips, but it never came out. Letting out one last volatile exhale, Blanc lifted her weapon and darted forward. "Nepgear, be ready to get your ass kicked!"

You watched in suspenseful horror as their two weapons clanged against each other, over and over, in an almost-beautiful melody. Their demeanors couldn't be any more opposite from one another's; Blanc's composed facade had long since started to crack, especially after a deep gash exploded upon her leg and sent her into a wobbly, frantic state. Nepgear's, though, was cold and steady. As if she'd already rehearsed this moment in her mind over and over the night before. Maybe she had.

"Ugh! Damn you. That's it, I'm ending this right... now!"

One last, desperate swing of her oversized axe swung down and clashed with an exploding thud. But instead of hitting its intended target, it merely rested pathetically on top of the floor where Nepgear once stood. That was the moment in which their fates—all three of theirs—had been sealed, at last. That cursed blade of hers swung without a moment of hesitation, hitting...

"Ram?!"

Her little body had taken the blow in her sister's place.

"I'm sorry. You know—urck—I'm awful at following instructions... But it's okay, because if I could save you both, then doesn't that make me pretty cool?" Before the rest of you could process who she meant, the doors of the Basilicom had already slammed together, marking the swift exit of Rom. Smart kids. "You've gotta win now or... I-I'm gonna get really mad, got it? Promise me you'll..."

The sword exited her body, leaving it to rest on the cold, hard floor. A peaceful smile coated it akin to a shroud, blessing her with the final gift of something the rest of you seemed to distinctly lack: hope.

"Ram? Ram!" Blanc shouted for her, yet a familiar silence was all that replied. Nepgear's footsteps clicked one by one towards her, skillfully avoiding the obstacle up ahead. Her axe hurriedly ushered itself into the air. "You... I'm going to fucking rip you to shreds!"

But with nothing truly left to fight for, she became yet another in the pile of corpses strung about. At the very least, she had managed to crawl over to Ram's body with her final ounces of strength and, in a fashion none of you were accustomed to seeing from her, she gently cradled it into her bosom. She held it with so much love and tenderness that you were left wondering if the other, somehow, could feel it too. And then she stopped.

An echo of battle cries continued to protrude from the other side of the room. As your head shifted to look over at the other remaining warriors, you did a double take. Noire and Neptune were locked in a fierce fight for control over the situation, wasting no time in dealing twin blows to one another in unison. That wasn't what caught your attention. You attempted to call out in a last-second rush to warn her of her catastrophic error, but Chika's hand firmly thwarted your actions. Even your pleading glances over towards Compa and Iffy only garnered further quiet tears from the duo.

"Not bad! You're just as strong as I remember. It's a shame only one of us can make it out alive. I'm going to miss my sparring buddy." A cocky Neptune, now in her HDD form, smirked at Noire. It faltered, though, her exhaustion more apparent by the second.

"I should be the one saying that. We really did have a good run, didn't we?" Somehow, despite the atrocities surrounding her, Noire found it in her to offer a hearty grin. It only lasted for a mere second, though. "Huh? Hey, watch out!"

"Oh come on! I'm not falling for that trick."

"No, seriously! Hurry, or Vert's going to—"

In a flash, the same realization that the rest of you had already long come to washed over Neptune. Even with her opponent's hint, she was far too late to react. A glowing spear entered her thigh.

"It would be stupid of me to let your mistake of ignoring me go by without a little... evening the odds. Hope you understand." Vert smirked downwards at the now-wounded Neptune. "But don't worry, I won't finish you off just yet. After all... someone's still using the weapon that's rightfully mine. Isn't that right, Nepgear?"

She didn't respond to the provocations thrown at her and, instead, lifted her sword in the other woman's direction as if marking her stomach as yet another target to pierce through. Facing her backside, Neptune wildly scrambled against the force of Noire's arms wrapped around her. Her distraught voice called out in confusion.

"Noire, what are you doing? Get off of me!"

"Sorry, I can't do that."

"Why?! If this keeps up, they'll... Nep Jr will—!" She huffed, barely able to retain enough composure to even force those few words of hers out.

"I know! Trust me, I get it, but..." Noire blanketed Neptune's injured form in a shivering, fragile, yet oh-so tender warmth. "If you try and fight in the state you're in now, we both know how that will end. Maybe this is selfish, but I don't want to have to see you end up in that state. Not you, too."

Despite her amethyst braids continually thrashing around violently, uncaring of its owner's laceration and the spurting liquid it gushed out with each careless movement, Neptune remained on the floor. Meanwhile, each clack of Vert's heels pulsed in the dense, sweaty air—slow, mechanical, and without even a moment of hesitation. She glared down at her final opponent. Rather than her signature grin, all that accompanied her gaze was a cold, cutthroat determination, akin to a ruler staring with disdain at their unruly subject.

"Huh. And here I was, expecting you to at least panic a little bit about Neptune and let your guard down. I guess you can't even be bothered to pretend to be a good little sister anymore, can you? What a shame." Her taunts webbed around her, yet Nepgear stood firm all the same. Still, they continued to reach out and linger in the air, lapping at her feet and mocking her with each new provocation. Vert smiled.

"Still... I'm surprised. To think you'd be so laser-focused on taking us out that you haven't noticed your own lover bleeding out."

For the first time since this series of slaughters began, Nepgear's eyelids stretched wide open in such a disturbed terror that they threatened to rip at the sides. Then, they landed directly on top of you. They took in every minute detail of your body, resting motionless inside Chika's heavy arms.

You were fine. She was not.

The green light of Vert's spear soon became cloaked in yet another coating of antithetical red, tearing through Nepgear's exposed flesh. If it weren't for her rapid reflexes, it would've positioned itself squarely inside her intestines. Yet, when it came to her future chances of survival, having it unseam the now-exposed tendon of her index finger felt no less tragic a fate. Her sword fell onto the ground.

"I'll be taking that, thank you very much. Aw... what an adorable face you're making." Vert's fingers elegantly wrapped themselves around its hilt, bringing it up and towards the panting woman before her. Nepgear's eyes shook wildly in tandem with the rest of her vibrating atoms. Her instincts commanded her to press her gaping wound into herself in a frantic attempt to curb its compounding blood loss. And then, she began to snarl.

"Y-you... I won't let you..."

"Shush." Vert calmly pushed an index finger over the injured animal's lips. "Don't you worry. I'll take good care of your precious partner over there when this is all over, so you can die with no regrets. Goodbye, Nepgear."

"No!"

Both you and Neptune screeched in unison as you watched this event unfold. The only difference was, she actually managed to break loose from the arms that once held her firmly in place. And in those frantic sets of achingly tense seconds, Vert's greatest fault reared its ugly head; she, unlike the rest of her long-lasting companions, never faltered when victory was right in front of her. Perhaps that is why she never could've won this battle.

"Urgh! Wh... Neptune? You know she doesn't care about if you live or die, s-so... why?" She hissed. Her anguish-laced voice erupted out of her lungs in harsh, sudden bouts. Although, they could never compare to those of the woman beside you.

"Vert!" Chika lunged towards her.

"Get away!" She retorted, dropping the cursed sword in her panicked rush. "Listen to me. Nobody else here gives a shit what happens to the people of Lastation. I did my best for them, and for you, but... this is the end of the line for me. If I can't protect them, then you... you have to get out of here and do what I can't, okay?"

"But that's not fair! I don't care about Lastation. I just—I just want you to come back home. You can't leave me!" Chika's chest began to rise and fall rapidly.

"That's right." Vert's lips curved upwards, softer this time. "I'm asking way too much of you. But still... I know you can do it. After all, I am your sis—"

The collision of flesh and metal interrupted her final words, stripping her of the grace she had tried so painfully hard to maintain, even with Neptune's weapon having been lodged into her shoulder for so long. Her corpse collapsed to the ground. Nepgear, sword in tow and clumsily gripped within her nondominant hand, towered above it.

"Vert...?" Chika called out. First quietly, so quiet that it nearly blended in with the pressurized hush invading the atmosphere. And then, in a blood-curdling shriek. "Vert! Please wake up, please, please, please. I don't want to be alone—I can't do this alone! I... I..."

Her heaving body hovered over the other's remains, letting out fragmented nothings and one-sided prayers as if it was all her broken soul knew how to do. Snot drizzled in disgusting segments down and off her face; each one drummed against crimson fabric in a strange, disjointed melody. The room grew silent, wordless. Until, at last, she broke the temporary peace once again.

"How dare you?!" In a motion so lightningesque the rest of you hardly had a chance to react, she lunged towards Nepgear. "Give her back! Give her back! Give her back! Give—"

Just as IF closed the distance and latched her arms forcefully underneath the flailing woman's armpits to drag her back, Chika's shoulder exploded in a burst of blood. Yet, even when the liquid puddled onto the floor and slowly smeared into a straight line with each instance of IF tugging her to safety, her blubbering never wavered. Compa wasted no time in rushing over and making use of her medical knowledge. You reached out a hand, cautious yet tender, only to pause once you met her shining wet eyes.

"Why didn't you stop her? If you'd done something, none of this would've happened. Vert would still be alive. This is all your fault!"

Your mouth wavered between opening and shutting. Part of you wanted to argue. Part of you wanted to scream just as loud as her, just as desperate to place the blame on anyone other than yourself; or at least, you yearned to rope everyone else inside your web of guilt. If it wasn't for Chika restraining you earlier, you could've run over to stop her. If Nepgear's other companions had noticed her mental decline and spoken up earlier, you wouldn't have had to brush it under the rug. If anyone else had done anything at all to fix this, you could be back home with the two siblings, playing video games and eating your favorite junk foods like you used to.

Why, even now, were you lying to yourself?

It never had to be someone else. It could have been you. At any given moment, you had the power to confront Nepgear. Sure, you pretended not to, but what good did that do you in the end, huh? It saved your poor little heart from the discomfort of having to be the one to tell her that what she'd done was wrong. And then what? It's not as if pretending you didn't understand the meaning of last night's words suddenly poofed them into nonexistence.

You pretended to be ignorant of her plan to absolve yourself of accountability, but make no mistake. You murdered every last one of her victims just as much as she did. And now, Neptune was next on the list.

"I guess it's my turn now, huh, Nep Jr?" She forced a cheery grin. Despite her best efforts, every last inch of her body broke out into a fit of ill-hidden shivers. Whether more from the blood loss or the sheer terror of knowing what was to come, you couldn't tell. "It's alright. Even if you spared me, I wouldn't last long. May I say one last thing, though, before I go?"

Nepgear's lips quivered.

"I'm sorry that I was never the big sister you deserved. So many times in the past, you needed a shoulder to cry on, someone mature enough to guide you through your troubles. I wasn't that. I... failed you."

"What? But... you didn't..." The trembling grew stronger, more violent.

"Maybe this is my punishment for how I behaved before. It won't fix the damage I caused, but if you're at least able to survive this mess, then it's not so bad." An incongruous burst of laughter echoed against the walls. "How cruel. I finally managed to tell you my feelings, but only now that it's far, far too late."

"Hold on!" Nepgear's eyes began to well with tears. "I—I changed my mind. We can defeat Magic and the Deity of Sin together, can't we? Hurry, let's get Compa to patch you up!"

"Kid..." Neptune pulled her sister into a tight, staining embrace, skillfully blocking her range of motion. "I'm not going to make it for much longer. Please, hurry. Don't let me die in vain."

"I-I can't! Please don't make me do this. I don't want to hurt you, not when we finally..."

Just as Nepgear's voice trailed off, a pair of black gloves tenderly guided her weapon inch by inch, closer and closer to the other's abdomen until it finally rested on top of it. In her final moment, a quivering, teethy grin bloomed across her facial features.

"I'm proud of you, kid."

Neptune has left.

One last opponent remained: Noire. Over her several years ruling as the CPU of Lastation, she'd managed to adorn several titles and honors. She was Neptune's closest friend. She was a woman with a harsh tongue, one only rivaled by her younger sister. And she was the very first forced to reckon with the loss of every single person she held close to her heart, all without the beautiful retribution of meeting her own end shortly after. Her body rested motionlessly on the floor with closed eyelids. Even as Nepgear's shoes rang rhythmically nearer and nearer, she remained as paradoxically lifeless as before.

"In the end, I couldn't even protect her."

At last, the slaughter had reached its end. An eerie silence—save for the wails crushing Chika's larynx—settled on each of your outer layers of skin, pressing down with a bone-crushing weight. Your eyes drifted toward your lover and the drying streams of blood coursing their way down her legs.

"Leave Chika to us. You should go and check on Nepgear." IF was the first to try breaking the tension, albeit with such a quiet air of despondence that it hardly made a dent. You faltered for just a second; even in her silent stillness, the thought of approaching her set off survival instincts so primal, you hardly had it in you to fight against them. But you got up all the same.

Maybe this was your punishment for your cowardice. For avoiding a harsh possibility and, in turn, birthing it into reality.

As you approached her, a visible jolt ran through her with every single step you took. And yet, despite—or rather, because of—so obviously being aware of your nearing presence, her head failed to lift even an atom's length. The only other consistent movement on her person was the pitter-pattering of water drowning her detransformed boots, so tragically opposite of her former composure. Slowly, you inhaled.

"Gear, I..." Your voice wavered. What did you even come here to say? What was there left to say, now that the pervasive smell of iron littered the room and contaminated any sense of normalcy you could try to provide?

Then again, it was that very desire to sweep painful truths under the rug that got you here in the first place. If you truly wanted a chance to escape from it, then there was only one path forward. The same path Neptune had walked on before you.

"I messed up. We messed up. This... none of this should've happened. If I had just—"

"Stop it!" Her vision collided with your own. Manic heaves racked through her lungs and pushed out dense whistles. "Please, stop talking like that! I just want—needed to do this to keep you safe. If I hadn't, you would have..." Her injured hand threatened to move on top of her mouth, only stopped short by the clanking of her other hand's sword as it now rested on the floor.

"No, you didn't!" Your throat bubbled with an unusual combativeness, as if every harsh word you'd buried in the past decided to revive itself, all in this one moment. "If you let Uni and the others talk earlier, they could've come up with another plan."

"No, that's not... Why are you being so mean to me? I did this all for you!"

"That's the problem, Gear. Listen to what you're saying! You murdered people—you murdered your sister—and you're trying to say it's okay just because it's for my sake. But it's not." You paused, feeling the weight of your confirmations finally sinking into your flesh. "I... I'm not saying it's all your fault. It was mine too for letting our relationship end up the way it did. Maybe we shouldn't be..."

You didn't finish your sentence. You didn't have to.

"Huh? Wh-what are you saying?" With each passing second of your silence, her eyes grew wider and wider. She let out a strange, strangled giggle alongside a lopsided smile.

"You know what I'm saying, Gear. This isn't healthy, for either of us."

Out of habit, you couldn't help but want to divert your eyes away. The problem was, there wasn't a single portion of your vision clean enough to stomach; and so, you opted to instead simply close them and wait for her response.

That was, until a fountain of liquid spurted directly onto your cheek. When you frantically reopened them in search of its source, you were met with the sight of her unprotected wound being waved around manically.

"No, no, no, no, no! You don't mean that. I protected you. I became your hero, just like you told me to. If-if I don't have you by my side, then what was the point of all of this? Please, I'll do whatever you want, just don't go."

"Hey—hey, hold on." Your hand pulled against her wrist in a desperate attempt to move it closer and compress her wound, but each show of strength was met by her own, far more powerful vigor. "Calm down, you're bleeding too much."

"Why should I care?! Even if I bled out, it wouldn't matter to you anyway!"

"What? That's not true."

"Then why are you being so cruel to me? You keep saying all these horrible things. You hate me now, don't you? You think I should've died instead, is that it?"

"N-no, I don't, it's just—"

"You're the one who confessed to me, you know. You told me that you loved me. Was that all a lie? Have you secretly hated me all this time?"

"What? No! I love you, I really do. It's just that I—"

"Then stay."

All of a sudden, the calamitous orchestra came to a halt. The frenzied notes that had spurred you down this sudden change of paths softened, allowing the truth of your reality to soak in. Her former resistance against your hand melted away in an instant. She smiled at you, warm and pleasant as ever. You wanted to throw up.

"If you love me, then stay."

You stared at her hand as it gushed fluid, taunting you to pull it closer. To give in to the whims of the creature before you, paying no mind to sensibility or morality. A shiver ran down your spine. For so long, your attention had stubbornly lingered on her expression, anxiously checking each fleeting emotion it adorned. Fear. Joy. Emptiness. How many of them were real? How many had been carefully orchestrated by her dainty hands, all in the name of getting you exactly where she wanted you to be, pretending as if you had any true say in the matter?

It hurt to think. It hurt to care. Maybe you were wrong, after all. She told you that she'd take care of everything. Of course you should listen to her. She's your hero, isn't she?

You pushed her bloody wound into your chest.

Notes:

Due to how decidedly not hopeful this ending is, I would like to include a very important reminder here: If you are in an unhealthy relationship, and especially if you're starting to notice dangerous/manipulative behavior in it, GET OUT. DO NOT TRY TO WAIT IT OUT AND IGNORE THE PROBLEM. AND DO NOT EVER, EVER FALL UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT IT IS TOO LATE. If you keep telling yourself that it's too late, one day it will become genuinely true.
Serious part out of the way, I sincerely hope you enjoyed reading this even half as much as I enjoyed writing it! And here I was, thinking this was going to be a one shot when I first came up with the idea. Oops. Regardless, I wish you all a lovely rest of your day <3