An awkward silence hung over the group as they made their way towards the city of Lastation, where Noire and Uni lived. As the girls walked, they kept their eyes open for any attacking monsters. Neptune glanced around the plain, but she wasn’t really watching out for monsters. Instead she was trying to find a way to break the silence.
“Man this is weird… We were trying to kill each other a minute ago and now were going to raid Noire’s fridge. So… What should I say?” Neptune wondered to herself. “Oh I know! An original Nep joke! That’ll get some laughs!” Neptune opened her mouth to say something, but before she could utter a word someone else broke the silence.
“Um… Sis?” Came the voice of Uni.
“What is it?” Noire asked, not taking her eyes off the path they were walking down.
“I did a good job today, right? I fought really hard and-” Uni began, but Noire cut her off.
“You did a passable job. You need to step up your game if you want to keep up with me.” Said Noire, her words sliced through Uni’s confidence.
“Oh… Right…” Uni said, her eyes fell to her feet.
“So, how long have you two been fighting monsters?” Asked Nepgear, hoping to make the situation a little less awkward.
“As long as we can remember.” Said Uni.
“That’s right.” Said Noire. “Let me ask you two something. How far back can you two remember?”
“How far back?” Neptune said, furrowing her brow. “I can barely remember what I had for breakfast.”
“Well…” Nepgear began. “I remember me and my sister living in the same house our entire lives.”
“Really?” Noire said, looking over her shoulder at Nepgear. “Same here. Me and Uni have been together forever. Or at least that’s what my memory is telling me. Listen, we’ll talk more once we get to our house.” And with that, all conversations came to an end.
The city of Lastation soon came into view. The entire city looked like it was made up of factories and smokestacks. The buildings looked like they were made back in an industrial revolution. Still, the air didn’t smell like smoke. Instead it smelled clean.
“Whoa! This place looks like it’s pumping some serious carbon emissions!” Neptune said.
“Actually our factories are environmentally friendly. It’s the pride of Lastation.” Noire said, with pride.
“Really? Cause it looks like it’s killing the environment to us! Hey this world belongs to everyone so everyone has to take care of it!” Neptune said.
“Shut it!” Noire snapped. “I told you that our factories are… Just shut up Neptune!” Said Noire.
Neptune giggled. “Ah Noire. Your comebacks are exactly what my witty humor needed!”
Noire sighed deeply, but she didn’t argue with Neptune. Instead she continued to lead the group into Lastation. “The four girls walked down several long streets until they found themselves standing in front of a small house. Noire opened the door and stepped aside so everyone could enter.
“You two can make yourselves at home.” Uni said. “I’ll get miss Neptune some pudding. Do you want any Nepgear? Sis?”
“I’m fine.” Noire said.
“None for me please.” Said Nepgear, waving her hand dismissively.
“Uh, since they don’t want their share, can I have it?” Asked Neptune.
“Greedy little-!” Noire began.
“Sis! You can’t do that. Noire and Uni were nice enough to invite us over. We shouldn’t gorge ourselves on their food!” Nepgear said.
Neptune giggled. “I-I was just joking Nepgear. You know that. One cup of pudding for me Uni.” Said Neptune.
Uni nodded as she made her way into the kitchen leaving Neptune, Nepgear and Noire alone. Nepgear glanced around the house. The girls were standing in a large room. Located on one side was a couch with a television and a game console. Located on the other side of the room was a table. There were a set of stairs leading to a second floor and a doorway that led into the kitchen.
“You have a nice place here.” Said Nepgear.
“Thank you.” Noire said, as she made her way over to the table. “Have a seat. We need to talk.”
Neptune sighed deeply. “Is it about your attitude?” She asked.
“No! It’s about the Fairy Tower, Histoire and why your useless butt is here!” Noire said, annoyed.
“Whoa. Better sit down.” Said Neptune, as she took a seat at the table. “So what are we talking about?” She asked.
As Nepgear and Noire took a seat, Uni returned with a cup of pudding for Neptune. “Here you are.” She said, placing it and a spoon down.
“Thanks Uni! I bet you have a ton of friends, unlike sour-puss over there.” Neptune said.
Noire was bristling with anger now, but instead of snapping she took several deep breaths. “Listen… Uni and I have been fighting monsters for a while now. We’ve also been working with Histoire at the Fairy Tower. She told us that someday two girls would appear to activate all the Fairy Towers in Lastation.” Noire said.
“That makes sense. Were destined to do something great. No wonder you attacked us.” Neptune said. “Jealousy.”
“I’m not jealous.” Noire said, annoyed. “When I first saw you two, you were running at the Fairy Tower with your weapons drawn. I actually thought you were going to attack it! Especially when I heard you yell ‘charge’.”
“Oops!” Neptune said, blushing a little. “My bad Noire.”
“That was our mistake. My sister can be pretty childish sometimes.” Nepgear said, sadly.
“I have a feeling you’re being nice.” Noire said. “But that’s beside the point. I wanted to ask you two once more and I want you to be honest and serious with me. How far back do you two remember?”
Neptune tilted her eyes towards the ceiling. “Well I remember living with Nepgear. We’ve lived in the same city and in the same house forever. Oh and we’ve been friends with IF and Compa forever too!”
“That’s right.” Nepgear said.
“Anything else? Do you remember buying your house? Do you remember meeting your friends?” Noire asked.
“Of course I… Don’t?” Neptune said, surprised. “I mean we had to have bought the house, right Nepgear?”
“That’s right.” Nepgear said, nodding.
“What about inheriting it from someone?” Uni asked.
“Like who?” Asked Nepgear.
“Your parents.” Noire offered.
Nepgear and Neptune’s jaws both dropped and their eyes went wide. “Mom and dad?” Nepgear said. “I… I don’t remember them. I can’t place them anywhere. I mean we have to have parents, right Neptune?”
“I guess, but parents are old fashion. No body has them anymore, right?” Said Neptune.
“Ignoring Neptune’s stupidity.” Noire began.
“Hey…” Said Neptune.
“Me and Uni are the same way. We both feel like we’ve been living in this house together forever. We’ve been fighting monsters near the Fairy Tower forever and we’ve been living in Lastation forever. However, when we asked Histoire how long we’ve actually been fighting monsters. She tells us it’s only been two months.”
“That doesn’t make any sense.” Said Nepgear.
“Actually it kind of does.” Said Neptune. “Did Histoire tell you about our memories being sealed?”
“She hasn’t.” Said Noire.
“Well everyone’s memories have been sealed and every time we activate a new Fairy Tower, we recover our memories.” Neptune said, getting to her feet. “Speaking of which. Doctor Neptune has a few questions for you two. Have you been feeling any dizziness or headaches?”
“We have.” Said Uni. “Just the other day I started feeling dizzy and getting a headache.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Noire asked, concerned.
“I-I didn’t want to worry you big sis.” Uni said, turning her eyes away from her sister.
“Did you remember anything after that?” Nepgear asked. “Like a memory you couldn’t quite place?”
Uni took a deep breath and nodded. “I do.” She said.
“What did you remember?” Noire asked.
“Uh…” Uni began. “I remembered that you were really proud of me and you patted me on the head.” Said Uni, blushing heavily.
Noire blinked her eyes several times. “Yeah, well there you go Doctor.” Noire said, turning her eyes to Neptune. Neptune had already plopped herself back down into her chair and started scrapping the last of her pudding off the side of the cup.
“Diagnosis over. More pudding please.” Said Neptune.
“Anyways. Histoire asked us before to look after you two.” Noire said, getting to her feet as well. “Uni? Do you mind if Nepgear shares a room with you?”
Uni shook her head. “I don’t mind.” She said, getting to her feet.
“No, please.” Nepgear said, standing as well. “Neptune and I have plenty of credits. We’ll just find a hotel to stay in.”
“No.” Noire said, narrowing her eyes at Nepgear. “Histoire asked us to look after you and we promised we would. Besides. I don’t know if I fully trust either of you, so you’re staying here so I can keep an eye on you.”
“Oh Noire. If you’re lonely you should just say so!” Neptune said, giggling.
“Yeah? Well let’s see how lonely you get when you see your bedroom.” Noire said, as she made her way towards the front door and opened it. “Right there on the stoop!”
“Hey! I’m feeling lonely already!” Neptune cried.
Nepgear groaned loudly. “Hey Nepgear? Want to check out our room?” Asked Uni.
Nepgear nodded. “Thanks Uni.” She said, smiling.
Nepgear wasn’t sure why, but she felt all kinds of emotions since she met Noire and Uni. She felt scared when she started thinking about parents she wasn’t sure existed and excited that she met Uni. For some reason, Nepgear had a feeling that she and Uni could become very close friends.
Uni led Nepgear out of the room while Neptune continued to tease Noire. The two girls headed upstairs and into the first door they came to. The room wasn’t that big. Located on the far left side of the room was a bed, with a nightstand next to it and a dresser. Located on the far right of the room was a table with an assortment of gun parts on it.
“I’m really sorry about my sister.” Nepgear began, as Uni closed the door. “She can be annoying, but she doesn’t mean any harm by it. She just likes getting a reaction out of people.”
“That’s okay.” Uni said. “She seems nice.”
“Yeah.” Nepgear said. “So… Uni? Can I ask you something?”
“Is it about my sister?” Uni asked.
Nepgear took a deep breath. “Maybe. What I wanted to ask you was about the memory you mentioned before. I could be wrong and I’m sorry if I am, but you were lying, right?”
Uni opened her mouth to say something. At first Nepgear though Uni was going to be mad because she narrowed her eyes at her, but suddenly the girl sighed deeply and closed her eyes. “Damn. I was hoping no one would have noticed.”
“I’m sorry.” Nepgear said.
“No.” Uni said, making her way over to the bed and taking a seat on it. “I’m sorry for lying. It’s just that my sister never compliments me. It almost feels like I’m never good enough for her. It hurts sometimes.”
“Have you ever talked to her about this?” Asked Nepgear.
“Of course not. She would just tell me to suck it up.” Said Uni. “Not all big sisters are as easy going as yours.”
“That’s true.” Said Nepgear. “But I know that she cares about you.”
“How do you know?” Asked Uni.
“Well, doesn’t she?” Asked Nepgear.
Uni fell back against her bed. “Shut up Nepgear.” Uni said, but her tone made Nepgear feel like she wasn’t angry. Just tired.
Nepgear couldn’t help, but giggle. “Yes ma’am.”
***
“By the way.” Neptune began, glancing around Noire’s living room. “Do you mind if I check out that game console over there? I really want to play it!”
“No.” Said Noire, annoyed. “I mean it actually belongs to Uni, so you need her permission.”
“Huh? You don’t play video games Noire?” Asked Neptune, making her way over to the console.
“Of course I play, but I’m usually busy with work and making myself stronger. Unlike some people, I actually value my time.” Said Noire.
“Unlike some people?” Neptune said, turning to Noire. “I bet you a million credits that I’m stronger than you are!”
“Oh no you did not just say that!” Noire said, pointing a stern finger at Neptune.
“Oh boy did I!” Said Neptune, briskly walking back over to the table. “I can prove it too!” And with that, Neptune placed her elbow down on the table. “Time to arm wrestle!”
Noire had her arms crossed in front of her chest and was tapping her forearm with her index finger. “Very well.” She said, taking Neptune’s hand into her own. “I’m going to crush you with my massive-” Noire stopped talking the moment she felt a tremendous force on her arm. She tried to fight back, but it was impossible. The back of her hand was gently pressed against the table. “What the-!” She cried.
“Whoo-hoo!” Neptune cheered, before flexing her muscles. “I am a winner!”
Noire barred her teeth at Neptune and rubbed her wrist. “How. How are you so strong? I know! It’s drugs right! Performance enhancing drugs!”
Neptune waved her hand dismissively. “Oh please. I’ve been getting stronger using the Fairy Tower. Duh!”
“Well… Whatever. You still have to sleep on the front stoop tonight.” Noire said, as she angrily headed into the kitchen to start dinner.
“No way Noire. I want to cuddle with you tonight!” Neptune said, following after the girl.
Noire angrily shouted. “SHUT UP NEPTUNE!”
