Neptunia Heart Souls- CHAPTER 37

 The following morning Noire and Neptune headed out to find the second Fairy Tower that was located in Lastation. As the girls headed out to leave, Nepgear and Uni met the two at the door. “Big sis. Are you sure you don’t want us to go with you?” Uni asked, a look of concern could be seen in her eyes.

“It’s alright Uni. I trust you to keep doing what we’d always do. Besides, you’re both way more responsible than someone I could mention.” Noire said, turning her eyes towards Neptune who looked half-asleep.

Neptune looked at Noire and smiled. “Aw Noire… You’re not that bad.” She said.

“Anyways. We should be fine. You two be careful yourselves.” Said Noire.

“Right.” Uni said.

“We will.” Said Nepgear, nodding her head several times.

Noire and Neptune waved goodbye to their sisters and turned to leave. As the girls headed towards the place where the Fairy Tower was being kept. As they made their way through the city, the girls watched as the other citizens of Lastation stirred. Some watered flowers outside their homes, others headed into shops, while others sipped tea and watched as people passed by.

“This place sure is nice.” Neptune said. “Kind of reminds me of home.”

“Do you miss it?” Noire asked.

“Well yes and no. I do miss my own bed, but going out on a journey is fun too. I like meeting new people and having fun.” Said Neptune.

“It does sound nice.” Said Noire.

“Oh right. Noire? What about the goddess here? Have you met her?” Asked Neptune.

“The goddess? No.” Said Noire. “Every once in a while you’ll see her or her sister flying overhead, but we’ve never personally talked.”

“I see. What are their names?” Asked Neptune.

“The CPU of Lastation is named Black Heart and her little sister is named Black Sister.” Said Noire.

“Are they nice, or?” Neptune asked.

“Nice or…” Noire began, thinking about Neptune’s question. “I mean they’re great as goddesses. They’re very hard working too. I actually don’t know if they ever rest.” Noire crossed her arms in front of her chest while she glanced down at Neptune.

“What about you? Have you ever met your cities goddesses?” Noire asked.

“I have.” Neptune said. “Purple Heart is great and she was recently reunited with her baby sister Purple Sister!”

“You’ve met them both?” Noire asked, skeptically.

“Yep! Purple Heart actually gave me the USB memory stick herself. Not only that, but we ate pudding together! Turns out Purple Heart and Purple Sister love pudding!” Neptune said, happily.

“Yeah right… I shouldn’t have asked.” Said Noire.

“Hey!” Neptune said, annoyed. “I may run and hide, but I never lie. I wouldn’t lie about meeting the goddesses!”

“Really?” Noire said, dropping her arms to her sides. “Alright. I’ll believe you. Sorry for doubting you Neptune.”

“It’s cool.” Neptune said, giggling. “Now for Neptune’s quiz show. Did you know that there was a Fairy Tower in Lastation?” Asked Neptune.

Noire shook her head. “No, but it doesn’t surprise me.” Said Noire.

“It doesn’t?” Asked Neptune.

“You know that place Nepgear pointed out to us? Well I know that area. It was sealed off from the rest of the city many years ago. That place was abandoned and now the only things that live there are bandits and monsters.” Said Noire.

“Neato! I bet there’s a terrorist group living there that’s trying to stop all of Lastation’s reactors by blowing them up! Right?” Neptune asked.

“Yeah, just like that famous video game, right Neptune?” Noire asked, her voice was filled with sarcasm.

“Wait… That was a game?” Neptune said, surprised. “I thought that was a m-” Neptune winced in pain and grabbed the sides of her head. “Owie! Ow!” The girl breathed.

“What’s wrong?” Noire asked.

“I just had to remember something.” Neptune said, clearing her throat. “Sorry Noire. But I just remembered something about you.”

“Wait… Seriously?” Noire asked.

Neptune waited until the pain and dizziness she felt subsided. “Yeah. I actually remember coming to Lastation with Nepgear. We went to a movie together.” Said Neptune, scratching her chin thoughtfully. “It was a movie based on that game.”

“Really… Wow.” Noire said. “I just remembered that too.”

“Huh? No pain or dizziness? That’s not fair.” Neptune said, as Noire shook her head. “Anyways. Do you remember anyone else coming with us? Cause I can almost feel like we weren’t the only four who went that day.”

Noire thought for a moment. “Now that you mention it. I do feel like we went with four other girls.” Said Noire. “I can’t make them out, but I know those four are really important.”

“Yeah.” Neptune said, grabbing the side of her head and messing up her hair. “This is annoying Noire!” Neptune shouted.

“Don’t yell.” Noire said, glancing around to make sure they hadn’t grabbed anyone’s attention. “But I agree. It’s really frustrating.”

Neptune dropped her hands and sighed deeply. “Oh well. We’ll figure all of this out eventually, I guess. I just hope I don’t remember me owing any money. That would seriously suck.”

“Well I wouldn’t be surprised if you owed everyone some money.” Said Noire, smiling mischievously at Neptune.

“Jeesh! You’re cutting me deep today!” Neptune said, before she giggled. “You act like something good happened. Did something good happen?”

Noire giggled as well. “Oh I don’t know. I just feel like loosening up a bit. You helped me yesterday so I appreciate it.”

“Oh you don’t have to thank me for that. I don’t mind working with you.” Neptune said.

“Huh? No I meant with…” Noire began, but she shook her head. “Never mind. Let’s get going Neptune.”

“Righty-O!” Neptune said, saluting.

A few moments later Neptune and Noire found themselves standing in front of a large, metallic wall. The wall was enormous and it looked like it was made up of thousands of small plates. “Whoa!” Neptune said, surprised. “Noire, they’re not keeping a large monkey or titan behind this thing are they?”

“No, but the monsters here can be pretty tough.” Noire said, her cheeks grew a bit red. “Neptune. I don’t like the fact that you’re stronger than me, but I don’t believe in denying reality either. You’re… stronger… than…”

“I’ll keep you safe!” Neptune said, as she summoned her katana.

“Well… Thanks, but just stick close to me, okay?” Noire said.

“You  got it, but…” Neptune began, turning back towards the massive wall. “How do we get in?”

“Simple.” Noire said. “These plates move.” Noire made her way over to the wall and reached behind the plate. A moment later, several of the plates started to move. “These plates are going to form a door. Once the door is formed, we have about ten seconds to go through.”

“Okay. I mean, it’s not going to close in on us, is it?” Neptune asked, nervously.

“No, but only a handful of people are allowed to use this passageway and were not one of them.” Said Noire.

“Cool. How do you know all this stuff?” Asked Neptune.

“Histoire told me.” Said Noire.

The plates continued to move, but soon they created a doorway. After that both Neptune and Noire ran inside. The entryway into the blocked off part of Lastation didn’t take that long to clear. Once they were on the other side, Neptune and Noire found themselves standing on a cliff overlooking dozens of warehouses and old factories.

“Whoa…” Neptune said, as the plates on the wall behind her started to close up. “So the Fairy Tower is somewhere down there, right?”

“According to your sister, it should be in the middle of those warehouses.” Noire said.

“I know you said you didn’t know about the Fairy Tower here, but-” Neptune began.

“I’ve never been here before. Or at least I don’t remember ever coming here.” Said Noire.

“I see…” Neptune said, sighing deeply.

“What’s wrong?” Noire asked. “Getting tired already?”

“Exhausted, but that’s not my problem. I like to insert the USB memory dealie as soon as possible. I don’t know if you noticed this, but monsters never go around the Fairy Towers’.” Said Neptune.

“That’s a good point.” Said Noire. “Anyways, it is what it is. We just have to go down there and find it. Follow me.”

Neptune followed Noire who led her to the side of the cliff. At first, Neptune thought Noire was about to step off the cliff-face, but soon spotted a set of stairs leading down. The girls walked down the stairs until they reached the ground level. “According to Histoire, all of these factories are connected. So it doesn’t really matter where we enter from.”

“Well that’s convenient. If this Fairy Tower is located in the middle, let’s find a way to the roof and go in from there.” Said Neptune.

“I thought the same thing, but according to Histoire there’s no way up there.” Said Noire.

“Wow Noire. You thought of everything, huh? You’re such a nerd.” Said Neptune.

“And you hardly think of anything. Except pudding and where you plan on taking a nap.” Said Noire.

“Naps are healthy and so is pudding.” Said Neptune.

“Yeah, but they stop being healthy when you overdo them the way you do. You need to remember that-” Noire began.

“Oh gosh… Is she seriously lecturing me?” Neptune thought, annoyed. “I wonder if I can sneak away and…” Before Neptune could finish her thought, a large machine with four spider-like legs appeared behind one of the factories and aimed it’s large cannons at the two girls. “That’s not good.” Neptune muttered.

“Another thing you should keep in mind-” Noire said, as Neptune grabbed her hand. “Hey Neptune! What are you doing?” Neptune pulled Noire through a nearby door just as the large robot fired it’s cannons, missing the two girls by mere inches.

“Just felt like going on a walk.” Neptune said.

Noire’s eyes went wide. “What just shot at us?” Noire asked.

“I don’t know…” Neptune said, shaking her head. “It was blue and silver though.”

“Blue and silver? It fired two cannons? It could be a R4i-SDHC!” Noire offered.

“Well right now it’s a PAIN and it’s coming for us!” Neptune cried, as the large robot creature ran into the factory behind the two girls.

Noire and Neptune kept running as the giant robot continued to fire it’s lasers at them. The girls ducked under the cannon fire and started running around several large machines. The robot tried to follow both of the girls, but stopped when they suddenly split up.

Neptune gritted her teeth as she ran around several large machines, but soon found herself in the back. Just when the girl thought about going back for Noire, Noire suddenly appeared in front of her. “Come on.” She mouthed, as she led Neptune towards a nearby staircase. Neptune didn’t say a word as she followed close behind her friend.

The two girls ran up the staircase as fast as they could and were soon running through a sky bridge that connected the factory the girls entered to another one located several meters away.

Just as the girls reached the middle of the sky bridge, two R4i-SDHC far below appeared and fired their laser cannons at the girls. Neptune leapt forwards and activated her shield, saving Noire from getting blasted.

“Thanks!” Noire cried, as she and Neptune continued running.

“My pleasure!” Neptune said, smiling brightly.

Neptune and Noire finally reached the next factory. The moment they ran into the building, they spotted four orb shaped robots appear in front of them. “Bit Custom robots!” Noire shouted.

Neptune moved her barrier so it was now protecting the girls front. Neptune charged forwards, a determined look was on her face. As the girls got closer, the High Bit  Custom robots started firing lasers at the girls, but thankfully the lasers just bounced off Neptune’s shield.

Once the girls close enough, Noire leapt high into the air, summoned her rapier before swinging it. The girl’s sword sliced through the robots, destroying them utterly.

“Great work buddy!” Neptune called out.

“I know. You too.” Noire said, smiling proudly.

The two girls found a staircase and started running down it to the first floor. After that they turned left and started heading towards a large doorway that led outside. Before the girls could reach the door however, a R4i-SDHC appeared in front of them.

Neptune and Noire launched themselves at the tank. The tank tried to fire it’s lasers, but he girls were faster and easily destroyed it.

Once Neptune and Noire’s feet touched the ground they ran through the doorway and headed left.

“Great. Another one!” Noire shouted, when she noticed a second R4i-SDHC was behind them.

“It’s cool! Keep running!” Neptune cried, as she activated her barrier and blocked the laser’s that the robot fired at them. When the laser beams stopped, Neptune deactivated her barrier and followed Noire around the factory and through a doorway.

Neptune and Noire kept this up for several long minutes. They ran in and out of factories, around machinery, across sky bridges and down dozens of stairs. They even climbed a few ladders as well. As the girls ran, they were attacked by several different types of monsters. The monsters ranged from more R4i-SDHC robots, Poxvader monsters and even Healing Dogoo.

However, the monsters weren’t strong enough to stop the girls and they were able to defeat the creatures while continuing to run.

Soon Neptune and Noire reached the middle factory. To their relief the building was completely empty. “Whew.” Neptune breathed, sweat was trickling down her brow. “That was a workout, huh?”

“It was nothing for… Who am I kidding?” Noire said, doubling over nad placing her hands on her knees. “That was rough. Even for me.”

“That was fun though!” Neptune said.

“Fun? Are you crazy?” Noire said, looking at Neptune who was beaming with excitement. Noire giggled. “You know what? That was fun. We… make a great… team.”

“Huh? What was that?” Neptune teased.

“I said activate the Fairy Tower already!” Noire said, pretending to be annoyed.

“You’re the boss lady.” Neptune said. Neptune and Noire climbed down another flight of stairs and made their way to the Fairy Tower.

“Look at that.” Neptune said.

Noire had noticed it too. A large rock with a crudely drawn face was sitting near the Fairy Tower. Not only that, but the holographic image of Histoire could be seen near the Fairy Tower’s terminal. “Histoire?” Neptune said.

Histoire didn’t answer the girls.

“Huh. Well I guess she’ll start talking once we activate this thing.” Noire said.

Neptune nodded as she pulled out the USB memory stick and plugged it into the USB port of the Fairy Tower. Several minutes later, Histoire started to move. “Oh thank goodness.” Histoire said, taking a deep breath.

“Are you okay?” Noire asked.

“Yes, but someone needs your-” Histoire began.

“HEY!” Came a loud voice.

Neptune and Noire turned quickly and gasped. Standing a few yards away was a girl carrying a large metal pipe in her hands. “Who the hell are you broads?” The voice asked.

“Right back at you!” Neptune shouted, before dropping her voice. “Who are you?”

The girl smirked. “My name’s Linda and I’m going to bash your freaking heads in!”