Final Frontier Plains

Words formed on Noire's lips, but no sound could be heard.

And that was not because she had lost her voice.

Rather a rumbling and painfully distorted sound overpowered her reply so utterly and completely that it was as if she had never spoken at all. And such a terrifying noise could only come from disaster.

High above them opened the gates of heaven. But as opposed to the cold shower expected from the retreating clouds, something else entirely was raining down. The fissure in space-time itself was turning red and then exploded into black and blue swirling holes. In mere seconds the entire space above the girls had become drenched in darkness and released something.

Like meteors the silhouettes crashed into the giant crater and shook the earth.

Noire, Neptune and K-sha all opened their eyes widely; unable to comprehend what just happened.

IF: "Wait… they are appearing only now? Just who have you guys been fighting then?"

She seemed confused for an entirely different reason.

A red blur escaped the portal and landed right next to Neptune and Noire. She had landed on her feet, but seemed to be unable to get up from her crouch with those shaking legs.

Neptune: "Uzume?!"

Uzume: "Nepsy? And Gearsy, Noirsy and Unisy too. So Histy did send us back-up after all!"

She seemed relieved. But right afterwards three more people came flying out of the portal and crashed straight into Uzume (and for some reason Noire).

Big Nep: "Ouchies… my poor tush has been experiencing some major discomfort recently. Someone could at least prepare a pillow or something."

She said with one eye closed and grimaced.

Noire: "Sorry for not being a pillow…"

Big Nep: "Ah, we meet again Lady Goddess. There seems to be some strange attraction between us, wouldn't you say?"

Noire: "Grmble…"

She grumbled with her face buried into the earth as the older Neptune sat on her back.

MAGES.: "Urgh… That is why I did not want to rely on your bug-riddled monster transporter."

The white clad girl with a witch hat had landed unceremoniously on Uzume alongside Umio. Not very far away the Nep-Note had landed in the soot as well. Croire inside seemed to be fuming.

Croire: "You bitches ain't gonna stop complaining? I did yer unreasonable request and this is all I get ta hear?!"

Neptune: "What the nep is going on?"

She was bending over as Compa treated her injury. Everyone was looking at Uzume who was currently trying to lift herself up with the additional weight on her back.

Uzume: "Huh? You don't know?"

Nepgear: "I'm sorry, we really don't."

IF: "Damn it. Histoire sent us to fetch you two, exactly to prevent this situation."

She rubbed her forehead. With her other hand she held out the cell-phone that was apparently still connected to Histy.

Histoire: "Neptune, Nepgear! Please prepare for battle. Uzume is in trouble!"

Neptune: "A little late for that Histy."

Neptune's eyes were just lines as she sighed.

Histoire: "What do you mean-?"

A loud roar interrupted their leisurely conversation. The darkness on the other side of the crater parted and revealed what had escaped the portal above first. Something gigantic…

Dark Purple: "Ggggggggggggghhh-!"

Her roar was so loud and inhuman that it couldn't even be put into syllables. Uzume seemed to be just as shocked as the rest to see the Dark CPU.

Uzume: "The heck Crosty? You were only supposed to transport Ar-something over with us!"

Nepgear: "Eeeeeeh?!"

Arfoire: "What… is this place?"

The reoccurring antagonist rose from the ground and adjusted her witch hat. She was covered in so much make-up that it could have counted as a second skin. Her ripped leather outfit wasn't befitting of someone her age and she was all around an embarrassment to look at. But her cold eyes were still piercing and unsettling.

Croire: "Shut yer trap! You wanted me to pinpoint just that Goth hag out of an army of ten thousand? You are lucky I could even force eject her from her own dimension alongside you broads!"

CFW Magic: "My mistress, we seem to have been sent to a peculiar dimension."

Uni: "Haaaaaah?!"

Big Nep: "Her too? You kinda suck at this, don't you?"

Croire: "Grrrrrraaaah!"

While the tome girl inside the Nep-Note was experiencing a mental meltdown, the rest of our heroes tried to adjust to the situation. Three really high level enemies had just randomly appeared on the battlefield. Right after a very tiring battle too.

Neptune: "Are you freaking serious with this plot?"

Suddenly the purple haired girl exploded.

Neptune: "I won't accept this. After all this work we get delayed again? Noire is going to say something really important, so can you small fries just wait for a minute?"

She hushed Arfoire and her supporters away with a dismissive hand gesture.

Compa: "Nep-Nep, stop moving please, I can't wrap this bandage around you if you do."

Arfoire: "Who is this rude girl? How dare she cast me, Arfoire, aside like some second rate villain of the week?!"

CFW Magic: "Shall I execute her?"

The eye-patch wearing and sparsely clad ASIC general was drawing her scythe out of who-knows-were in response.

Arfoire: "Tch. Let her take care of it."

She flicked her fingers and Dark Purple moved forward. The titanic monster was probably sky-scrapper sized and powerful enough to blast cities to rubble as Neptune, Nepgear and Uzume had experienced several times.

Umio: "I apologize for interrupting something important Nepsy, but we can't afford to ignore them right now."

Uzume: "This ain't going as planned, but no big deal!"

She got up and MAGES. jumped from her back and prepared her staff as well.

Uzume: "Everyone, please lend us a hand. We just gotta beat the crap out of those three chumps and then Gamarket will be saved."

Nepgear: "W-why did you bring them over Uzume? We could have come to your aid if you just asked."

She asked with furrowed brows.

Uzume: "Sorry 'bout that. We didn't have much time and they had a really big army on their side. Our pals were going to get smashed if we didn't take them out of the picture."

MAGES.: "The resistance is currently fighting off the remaining forces of ASIC in their dimension. If their 'goddess' is defeated they will lose power as well."

Dark Purple: "GGGGGGGGGGG-!"

Noire: "…why do they have that thing?"

She had been pulled up by Ultra dimension Neptune and was currently processing the new information. As if her brain had not already been overloaded by Neptune's confession…

Umio: "We can't fight her here. Uzume, you know what to do, right?"

Uzume: "Totally! Everyone get behind me. I'll take the big one; you guys take care of the small fries, alright?"

She raised her fist to the sky and a pillar of light engulfed her. With blinding energy she transformed into her much softer looking HDD. Orange Heart arrived on the battlefield!

Orange Heart: "Uzume is doing her best, so please cheer her on!"

As always, the drastic change between Uzume's normal cool personality and this… It was impossible to get used to. She made a cutesy pose and raised her shield in front of her.

Orange Heart: "Share Field…. ACTIVATE!"

Bending space with the power of Share energy itself she sucked the giant dark CPU into a pocket dimension. In the last moment older Neptune and MAGES. jumped after her.

Big Nep: "Don't forget about me!"

MAGES.: "I shall back you up."

The three resistance leaders vanished into the subspace together with the gigantic enemy and left an empty crater. Well except for Arfie and Magic.

Arfoire: "W-what? Where did she take her?!"

The middle-aged ruler of Gamarket was dumbfounded.

CFW Magic: "A pocket dimension. She still had more aces up her sleeve."

They seemed to have clashed with Uzume several times by now, so there was a tiny amount of respect in those words.

Croire: "Most of this was my work, ya know?"

The Nep-Note was picked up by IF who felt a few sweat drops slide down her temples.

IF: "This isn't ideal."

Uni: "We just have to take them down, right?"

She drew her rifle and aimed at the two enemies. Alongside Nepgear and IF she was the only one not too injured or exhausted to fight right now. There was some confidence in her expression though. They had defeated both of those villains before.

Nepgear: "I'm a CPU Candidate too. It's my duty to protect Gamindustri and my friends."

Not wasting a second, Nepgear transformed. Her white processor unit was looking stronger and improved. A sign that she had grown a lot herself. Her gunsword was gripped firmly in her right hand.

Arfoire: "Even more CPUs? No matter. Nothing can stop me at this point."

She didn't seem all that impressed with the two CPU Candidates.

CFW Magic: "Allow me to extinguish their fire for you."

Her only revealed yellow eye was showing a sick pleasure for death as she focused on the two young girls. She was floating above ground with her mechanical wings and her neon-pink twintails were shaking in the wind that was getting stronger each minute.

Arfoire: "Do as you please. I will witness the state of this dimension."

She allowed Magic to do the dirty deed and seemed intent on surveying the strange dimension she had ended up in.

Neptune: "Not gonna happen."

Suddenly she drew a new sword from her inventory and glared at Arfoire.

Arfoire: "And who are you, little girl?"

Neptune: "I'm the foot that will be firmly lodged in your buttocks after a grand old Nep-kicking. You have no idea how angry this protagonist is right now."

Arfoire: "Hm? I don't sense much power from you. But I shall crush you nonetheless. Being foolish does not excuse offenses against your goddess."

Neptune: "I don't remember joining your Goth club. Don't you know it's bad for an old woman's skin to get plastered in cement?"

Arfoire: "H-how dare you! For that I shall torture you for eternity!"

She summoned her spear in her hand and frowned in anger. She didn't seem used to being defied as much as the other Arfies were.

Compa: "As your medical supervisor I can only say 'Hmph!' Nep-Nep. You shouldn't be playing with those injuries."

Neptune: "Sorry Compa. I was always better at healing up while moving around."

IF: "Only you could say something like that with a straight face."

Neptune: "They say a girl in love is invincible, right?"

IF: "…?"

Arfoire: "Stop ignoring me!"

The Planeptune trio of friends was facing the final boss with their usual lack of seriousness.

Noire: "…"

She moved to support Neptune. K-sha grabbed her sleeve.

K-sha: "Noire…"

She looked at her in worry. It must have been obvious how exhausted Lastation's CPU was. As it stood right now she couldn't even transform. After using the Next form, she was not even able to go HDD for a while.

Noire: "I'm fine. You two are worse off."

She grabbed K-sha's burned and bruised hands with her own. It seemed like she wasn't quite there yet, but she could still show her concern.

Noire: "Sit this one out. You fought very hard already. But this is our job."

She smiled vaguely and turned around. K-sha nodded understandingly in response. This was the result of their fight after all. She had accepted that she couldn't always protect Noire. But Noire was right. She didn't need to always be protected.

K-sha: "Kick her ass!"

She shouted after Noire with a raised fist. Instead of worrying, she would cheer her on!

Inside Noire's head things were not so clear cut. Her body went on auto-pilot as they engaged their foes in battle. All she could think about, all that her mind was allowing her to think about were those last words she had uttered. Those words that nobody had been able to hear.

Was that her true answer? It had slipped out in the spur of the moment. Something so direct, yet truthful. She hadn't thought herself capable of being that honest.

But was that honesty? Or was it just a mistake?

Memories and feelings tripped over each other in revolving spirals inside her mind.

She remembered that time that she had fought K-sha in the Golden Tower. When she had thought that she would lose Uni. How her emotions had been going rampant inside her, but her mind had still stayed cool enough to not give up. And that even if everything had gone in the worst case scenario, she still couldn't bring herself to hate K-sha for her actions.

Yes, she was manipulated back then, but Noire knew that those were just the extreme consequences of K-sha's love for her. Something she had been deflecting all this time. This nice girl that cried for her and Uni and felt nothing but admiration for Noire, and guilt over her own actions…

Since then they had spent so much time with each other. It seemed like an eternity, but it had only been a few months. They grew closer, in their own awkward way. Noire knew that she was a little rough. That she was hard to approach. And she also knew how much effort K-sha had put in overcoming that barrier with her feelings and actions. That Share boost strategy of hers was just a more indirect method of showing her emotions to Noire.

Her dear first friend…

And other, older memories surfaced as well.

Memories of her times with Neptune. Their first meeting that seemed eons ago. Back when the four of them were still fighting each other to the last drop of their power to subjugate their nations and unify Gamindustri under their banner.

How was it that those trying and hard times seemed so nostalgic now?

Even if she would never have confessed it… she had always admired Neptune. Her strength and gallantry as Purple Heart and her weird version of kindness and cheerfulness in human form that Noire never managed to attain. They had been rivals for longer than she could remember, but in a way, that was the same as being friends to her. 'Hold your friends close, but your enemies closer', is how the saying went, right?

Their relationship had definitely evolved with the years. After the peace treaty, things had become different, but not in a bad way. The possibility to just meet each other for banal reasons… to simply enjoy each other's presence for the sake of it. That was something Neptune had made possible.

And Neptune could be annoying sometimes. She had this tendency to tease Noire way past the limits of what was considered acceptable. It would be a lie to say that she hadn't been angry at the small CPU more often than she had been happy with her, but that was just how their relationship had evolved. And whether she was admiring her or wanting to throw her out of her Basilicom, she was always thinking of her.

Now that she thought about it, they had been sort of acting like friends all along, huh? Not the same type of friendship that she enjoyed with K-sha, but friendship all the same.

How come she could only realize something so obvious after Neptune had confessed?

C-c-confessed…

Even her mind was stuttering now. The realization had been creeping up her short-term memory for a while now. Her brain had tried desperately to take away all processing power from that area, but now it creeped in with more force than ever.

Neptune said…

Neptune said she loved her!

Her heart was trying to twist in ways that would certainly not be healthy. Her stomach was already compressed into heavy matter and her face started to heat up like a high-power stove.

This was nothing like when she was confessed to by K-sha. Even though she had been shocked by that one as well, she had been a lot more busy with trying to focus on her duties back then. And after the second confession she had already resigned herself to being evasive.

To make it short, she had managed to brace herself against K-sha's advances.

But Neptune? How could that troublesome, lazy, always joking bundle of energy ever be that… that… adorable? She hadn't expected it, but even more she did not have the capacity to comprehend it!

Neptune could be serious sometimes. It was very, very rare, but she had seen her on the battlefield. She had seen her worry about her friends. She had seen her in her worst times. Even if she denied it, she could understand Neptune's attitude.

But still! A confession of love?! This wasn't even in the spectrum of Neptune's emotions and desires. Noire had been sure of it.

What did she like about her? Why would she say it only now? N-no, why was it even a matter of when? She couldn't even tell if Neptune was serious about this. Not because she couldn't see that she was, but because a Neptune that was in love… how could she put this? It seemed wrong.

Neptune was an insurmountable fortress in more ways than one. Noire had always thought that she had just viewed her as a fun distraction and a rival at most. Even after all this time Neptune never called her a friend. Even if Noire felt now like they had been friends without knowing, Neptune might have seen it differently. It took this entire contest to even make her realize that much. And Neptune only started it out of obligation.

And yet…

"Maybe I have been the biggest tsundere all along?"

Those had been her words. How could it possibly be that? Neptune had been in denial more than Noire ever was? Realizing something like that was harder to swallow than Vert becoming a nun that denied all worldly pleasures or Blanc growing up into an adult body.

Noire's exhausted mind was assailed by so many conflicting thoughts…

She had replied reflexively. Before her mind had even worked through this mountain of contradictory statements and feelings. Something that her heart realized before her mind even booted up.

But was it a twisted choice? Like the dream she had seen in the Heart Dimension? Something that she desired, but not necessarily wanted?

Love or not. Neptune or K-sha. Or someone else entirely.

It was not like she could decide on the spot right?

There was no way the answer was that obvious!

And yet…

She had just said it without stuttering or doubts.

How could this be wrong?

It was a decision that would change her life. The status quo if you would.

That's why she wanted it to be hard. She wanted it to be complex. She wanted it to matter so much that it couldn't be solved easily. Everything inside her mind cried out that she needed to think it over. To give it all her mental capacities.

But her heart had always known the answer. The logical Noire was completely useless in front of the Noire that loved…

Arfoire: "Is that all this dimension has to offer?"

The imposing figure of Arfoire stood above the beaten bodies of Neptune, Noire, IF and Compa. She had barely exercised any of her power in this little skirmish.

Arfoire: "Pathetic! That brainless tomboy brought me here for something like that? She must have been more desperate than I thought. Hahahaha! I will increase that despair a hundredfold after she gets crushed by my Dark Purple!"

She gloated victoriously.

CFW Magic: "You have held out quite well, little girls."

Her scythe moved like the reaper's very own and lodged itself into Nepgear's gunsword and pulled it out of her waning grip.

Purple Sister: "Kyaaa!"

She shrieked as she got kicked in the stomach and flung away. Uni shot a barrage of energy blasts at Magic, but she simply blocked it with a violet spin of her scythe.

Black Sister: "Impossible… she was never that strong back when we defeated her!"

CFW Magic: "Oho? You faced another version of me before? I see. Did she make a splendidly despairing face as you crushed her heart and extinguished her soul?"

The thought of a weaker version of her getting erased seemed to bring nothing but pleasant feelings to her.

IF: "Guh… This is more than we bargained for."

Her hands slid through the black earth and she shakingly pushed herself up once more. Her Qatars were looking worse for wear than her body right now, but if Arfoire got serious she could probably cut them to pieces or burn them alive at any time.

Neptune: "This Arbore is the strongest and most mid-life crisis prone one I've faced yet…"

She wiped some blood from her face and looked up at her opponent with blurry eyes. It was probably not good that she was seeing doubles right now.

Compa: "I ran out of Nep Bulls and band-aids too."

She said while kneeling with her legs stretched to the sides. Her syringe seemed to have been cracked at some places as well.

IF: "She is from a dimension where she had total control over the entire world. The Deity of Sin we faced back then was only controlling a chunk of the world Shares and feeding off the negative emotions of Gamindustri. I don't want to imagine what an entire world under ASIC's control would be like…"

Histoire: "That's why Magic is stronger too."

The small girl's voice came out of IF's cell-phone.

Histoire: "Her minions get boosted by the power of the Deity…"

Uni had given Nepgear a shoulder to lean on. They were both still able to fight, but only barely.

This was a much more perilous situation than expected. Uzume and the others were fighting Dark Purple by themselves, but maybe that wasn't the most problematic enemy after all.

Nepgear shook her head and corrected herself mentally. Dark Purple had very destructive area of effect attacks. If she hadn't been banished by Uzume's Share Field she might have created destruction that affected the cities in the distance.

Neptune: "I don't know if you know this, but…"

She flung her sword into the air and raised her hands up.

Neptune: "This world has no intention of getting destroyed by the likes of you!"

Energy pulsed through her body once again and she transformed! Purple Heart caught the blade in her hand and stood strong in front of the dark 'goddess'.

Arfoire: "Oh? You were a CPU too? I had sensed so little power from you that I didn't even notice. The Shares of this world seem to be divided among several CPUs. How foolish! You should know that such actions only weaken you."

Arfoire emanated a touch more of her twisted energy to push Purple Heart back.

Noire, IF and Compa appeared at Purple Heart's sides.

Purple Heart: "We might divide the faith of the people amongst each other. But when we have to protect this world, our hearts beat in unity."

She clutched her fist and nodded towards her comrades. IF and Compa nodded back. Only Noire seemed to be focused on something else.

Purple Heart: "This isn't your dimension. Your power is fleeting and will be crushed by our will."

Arfoire: "Don't get cocky. I might be cut off from my energy source, but for how many decades do you suppose I nourished my powers on the despair of the people? This is enough to destroy your world ten times over!"

She swung her spear in an arc and the force of the wind alone pushed all of them back.

But Purple Heart planted her feet firmly into the coarse earth and stood her ground. Her eyes resisted Arfoire's overwhelming hatred defiantly.

Arfoire: "That expression! It's the same as that irritating red-head's…"

She gritted her teeth in frustration.

Arfoire: "Then let me break your will alongside your bodies! Witness my full power!"

In a pillar of pure dark she was engulfed from head to toe in some black muck. In an almost horrifying disfiguring manner she transformed forcefully and grew in size until she towered above them all. This abomination and hellish monstrous face… was that of the Deity of Sin itself.

D.o.S.: "Graooooooh! Playtime's over CPUs!"

IF: "This is hopeless."

She remarked with a wry smile.

Purple Heart: "Then let us create the hope we need."

???: "Well said Neptune."

A dignified voice reached their ears from the edge of the crater. It was regal, but also strangely familiar.

???: "You just couldn't have waited for us with your stupid hero complex, huh?"

And a much rougher and louder voice accompanied her…

Purple Heart: "Vert! Blanc!"

As she called out to them a black spear hit the Deity of Sin in the side and smashed right through it. A gale burst from it and pushed her away and using the slipstream both CPUs arrived on the battlefield in record time.

As the Deity grabbed hold of the earth and then snapped after them to grind them between its huge jaw, she was punched so hard by a giant gauntlet that it crushed a few of her enormous teeth.

Next White: "Even a dog is smart enough to know not to bite a superior animal."

She hit her two giant gauntlets together and glared at Arfoire from below her white cap. Her blue hair was hanging loosely from under it, but she seemed a lot more composed than in her normal HDD.

The giant spear seemed to float back into Next Green's hand as if moved by telekinesis. She spun it once and stabbed it into the ground, which made her chest bounce a little. The big horn on her head was sparkling in the sunlight that broke through the clouds above.

Purple Heart: "I am glad you came. But how did you know…?"

Next White: "You really think we wouldn't notice such a huge concentration of corrupted Share energy?"

Next Green: "Histoire called us. It seems her calculations were slightly off. We had taken post a few kilometers from here."

Histoire: "I apologize. Estimating Croire's transport route would have taken three hours. I had to make an educated guess instead."

Next Green: "Do not worry. Now that we are here we will eradicate this shadow of the past for good."

Next White: "Just how did you guys figure out where to wait for them to appear tho?"

The white-clad CPU asked Neptune and Noire with a raised brow. They didn't reply. It was hard to explain their circumstances right now.

D.o.S.: "Kukuku… I see you have much stronger CPUs yet. But this form of yours seems to be very temporary. It will not be enough to destroy me!"

Next White: "We know you are a tenacious son of a bitch."

She lowered her cap over her eyes and put one leg backwards.

Next White: "But if we smash you so hard that there's only dust left of ya, you'll not be able to regenerate!"

She pushed herself ahead and crashed her fist right into Arfoire's jaw. The giant monster was flung into the air as if she was a pebble.

Next White: "Vert!"

Next Green: "On it."

As if she had used spatial manipulation, Vert already appeared above the Deity of Sin and spun her spear in place. A hundred gates appeared all around the monster, in a sphere like pattern.

Next Green: "Take my strongest barrage!"

From every direction the creature was impaled by gigantic green and black spears. Each was infused with the power of elements and pierced the armor on the Deity's body.

D.o.S.: "GUUUAAAARGH!"

The horrible scream of agony spoke volumes of the effectiveness of that combination attack. Arfoire hit the ground with a crunching noise and burst into darkness.

Purple Heart: "What a display of strength."

IF: "These Next forms really are something else."

Noire: "…"

Over at the fight with CFW Magic things had changed as well. The lasciviously clad woman had to constantly dodge attacks from every direction. A rain of ice, a small tornado, blades and even sound waves.

CFW Magic: "Adding even a hundred more vermin won't be enough to fell me!"

White Sister(Ram): "Then keep dodging stupidhead!"

She spun in circles with an ice-covered staff and almost managed to hit Magic in the back.

White Sister(Rom): "But we will not let you touch Miss Nepgear and Miss Uni!"

And an explosion hit Magic in the side.

5pb.: "Please listen to my song! The pain will go away soon."

She sang the two hurt CPU Candidates a ballad that seemed to physically boost them somehow.

Purple Sister: "Thank you everyone. You came just in time."

Marvy: "I am just happy we made it in time."

Cave: "Indeed. I would have come alone, but 5pb. insisted on supporting you as well."

RED: "Putting even a scratch on my wifeys… that's unforgivable!"

CC2: "I just got off my work as an ice-cream vendor and now it's immediately back to the battlefield for me. It never gets boring around here!"

They used a combination attack that forced Magic to retreat quite a distance. Despite her claims, she was in fact unable to keep up with this many opponents.

Broccoli: "Broccoli has other work to take care of, so please die, nyu."

Falcom: "That seems a little harsh…"

The red haired heroine was holding her sword in a defensive stance while watching Broccoli bash Magic with her yellow companion. She had just returned from a journey in a distant land and the first thing she witnessed was another villain trying to take over and/or destroy the world. Nothing unusual for her.

CFW Magic: "Silence!"

A burst of fire pushed Broccoli away and she threw her scythe after the defenseless trio in the distance.

Tekken: "Cross-counter!"

With a martial arts stance that was completely focused on defense, she managed to block and deflect the scythe mid throw. Her voice was hilariously low for such a determined shout.

With this army of allies they were in a really good position now.

But over in the darkness of the Deity of Sin's dissolving body…

…rose a bunny faced, winged evil goddess.

True D.o.S.: "Foolish CPUs. You have forced me to reveal my true form. Now you have doomed your world utterly!"

Arfoire's final form was exuding pure dark energy and hatred. This was much worse than anything they had ever faced before, with the exception of Kurome Ankokuboshi.

Next Green: "She certainly has been hiding her trump card."

Next White: "I knew she had one more annoying form, but what's with that crazy killing intent?"

Even in their Next form they felt backed against a wall. And with good reasons. In an instant Arfoire appeared before them and sliced their armor open with her spear. Then she summoned dark meteors that exploded all over the crater. In the wake of the shockwaves she crushed down on Vert and Blanc with enhanced gravity.

Next Green: "Ghk…"

Next White: "Aaargh…!"

As if she had precognition she easily blocked the combination attack of both Purple Heart and Noire without even looking behind her. A single swipe of her wings hit them and almost knocked them out.

Noire: "…"

She didn't seem to realize that she was injured. She got up again and walked towards Arfoire. Purple Heart coughed a few times due to her injuries and looked at Noire's advance.

Purple Heart: "Stop Noire...! You don't stand a chance…"

But as if she was a machine she kept attacking Arfoire. Her sword didn't even manage to penetrate the true form's armor.

Purple Heart: (What is going on? She's completely out of it…)

At this rate they were all going to lose, but that wasn't a reason to be suicidal.

K-sha: "Noire! Don't give up!"

Noire: "…!"

Subconsciously she reacted to that call. With expert agility she managed to dodge the piercing attack of Arfoire's weapon and flipped over it. Afterwards she managed to hit her tornado sword straight against the rabbit face. It managed to slice a few hairs off the fur.

True D.o.S.: "Curse you…! Defiling your goddess… will assure you a place in Hell!"

Next Green: "Huff… how embarrassing. Noire is passing us up, even like that."

Next White: "This ain't the time to get your pride hurt."

They both rose from the enhanced gravity field and then with a yell crushed it to pieces!

Purple Heart: "…"

She looked at K-sha who was pouring all her faith into them. CPUs were empowered by the faith of the people. Just how much would one need to believe in them to create this kind of turn around?

K-sha: "Noire promised me."

She looked ahead, even though her hands and legs were hurt and her whole body felt like it was trying to fall apart. In fact her legs gave in. She could feel herself falling over.

Tap.

Someone's gloved hand held her body up.

C-sha: "No time to rest yet, my friend."

B-sha: "I still gotta repay Neptune for that lousy sale!"

S-sha: "Not interested."

The other Shas all gathered around their friend. They had gotten the news too apparently. C-sha was all smiles and waved towards Blanc as if she was visiting her during her time off. B-sha pulled out her bazooka and gave Neptune a defiant look.

And S-sha, despite seeming disinterested as always, was standing behind K-sha to support her.

S-sha: "But I have even less interest in a destroyed world. There is nothing to gain from that."

K-sha: "Everyone!"

Next White: "Took ya long enough! I sent Financier to get you hours ago."

C-sha: "Don't be a grumpy cat Blanny~"

Next White: "Why is everyone saying that to me recently?!"

Next Green: "Thank you for coming S-sha, E-sha."

She nodded towards her friends with a regal smile.

C-sha: "You still got one more rush in you, right K-sha?"

She patted her shoulder and it felt like energy was coursing through K-sha's body. The other girls also seemed to be full of power. They each transformed into their Gold form without another word and posed, battle ready.

S-sha: "We shall give you an opening. The rest is up to you."

She said as if it was none of her business. The other two nodded as well. Only K-sha was too exhausted and injured to transform. Or at least she thought she was. But seeing her friends giving it their all… it spoke to an unknown reserve inside her. It was the same place that would make her fight for Noire even to her last breath.

K-sha: "Just move one more time…!"

She begged her body and in a last flash, her Gold form returned once more.

C-sha: "Let's do this, girls!"

She rushed towards Arfoire and gathered energy in her blasters while moving around her in afterimages. Arfoire rained her spear attacks down on her, but never managed to hit.

C-sha: "Go home and be a family man!"

With a twin fist blast she hit Arfoire in the back and then swiped at her feet. It actually almost managed to make her fall over.

B-sha: "Go go go!"

A torrent of rockets rained down on the dark goddess and pushed her on her knees. Out of the smoke a giant G*ndam tried to smash the rabbit faced Deity. But Arfoire released black flames from her hands and melted the entire golden robot down in one sweep.

But that was also a distraction.

S-sha let her golden card spin above and then pushed her sword into her shield. Now formed like a pile bunker she crashed straight into the Deity's defenseless back. The card above exploded into lightning and rained down, guided by the sword. The impact was so strong that Arfoire finally fell over.

True D.o.S.: "Guh! This is nothing!"

Insane waves of energy created an explosion that pushed them all away and burned the already worn crater even more. In this sea of flames an eye-patched girl appeared right in front of her face.

And on her shoulders were spiraling gun barrels filled to the brim with ammunition.

K-sha: "Eat this!"

The storm of point blank attacks forced Arfoire to cast away her spear and shield herself with her wings and arms. A final buster shell managed to create a crack in her left wing!

K-sha: "That was all of it."

She whispered and fell over as she detransformed, completely out of juice.

C-sha slid past Arfoire and grabbed K-sha and was then pulled over by B-sha's rope.

S-sha: "Now!"

Next Green: "You do not need to tell me."

Next White: "Break down!"

A barrage of super powerful punches and stabs assailed Arfoire and finally broke her wings apart! Her arms were dangling down loosely, unable to protect her anymore either.

True D.o.S.: "Ruin… to all…"

But behind that defense was only one thing… a mouth wide open and in it gathered megatons of curse energy. It had gathered in a small black ball in front of her, but now…

True D.o.S.: "Apocalypse!"

The blast was so intense that it turned the whole world black for a moment. Vert and Blanc tried to dodge, but it was impossible. They were hit with the full power of the attack and blasted off into the distance. The impacts were so hard that they split this section of the crater into two.

After all was over, they could only see the two CPUs lying on the ground in the distance. The Next transformation had been undone and their bodies were covered in burns. Yet they were still conscious. A testament to their power of will.

Only now did they see that the Shas had all used their bodies to catch them and were all knocked into the rock wall behind them.

Purple Heart: "Are you all fine?!"

She had been unable to do anything in this combination attack, but watch. Now she flew over to her injured friends.

Blanc: "Damn… it… Didn't think she could… do that…"

Vert: "The power of an entire world. Truly terrifying."

They were not able to raise themselves up, but they both nodded at Neptune to tell her they were fine. The Shas behind them were all still breathing as well.

Compa: "Don't move! I may be out of bandages, but I can still do something! Iffy, help me adjust their bodies."

IF: "Compa we got bigger troubles-"

Compa: "Now."

IF: "Y-yeah."

Purple Heart turned her head back to Arfoire who was already standing again. Her wings were crushed and her arms were slowly regenerating, but aside from that she didn't seem beaten just yet.

CFW Magic: "Gyaaah!"

She cried out as she was slammed into a tree outside the crater. Nepgear's group had finally managed to wear her down.

CFW Magic: "Forgive me… mistress…"

True D.o.S.: "Return to me."

CFW Magic: "Nothing… would please me… more…!"

She dissipated in flames and then her energy was drawn back to Arfoire. Instantly the aura of the deity grew larger.

Purple Sister: "Sis, we are coming to help!"

True D.o.S.: "HUAH!"

With a shockingly strong force the gravity field was expanded beyond the other half of the crater and engulfed all the allies at once. They were all pushed down and unable to move.

True D.o.S.: "For hurting me… for daring to oppose me… I will devour you all."

She moved towards the unmoving Blanc, Vert and Shas. Purple Heart took position in front of them to defend the beaten friends.

Slash.

Noire's sword hit Arfoire's neck. It didn't manage to cut through.

True D.o.S.: "Ho? I didn't notice you. So you escaped my Graviton Field somehow?"

She casually swiped Noire aside… or would have, but reflexively she dodged again and cut the other side of Arfoire's neck. Once again it wasn't able to pierce skin.

True D.o.S.: "You are a nuisance. But you seem skilled at least. How do you wish to be killed?"

Noire: "…"

She didn't respond and just kept attacking.

True D.o.S.: "Tch. Is her mind gone? There is no enjoyment in torturing an empty shell… GUH!"

She gasped as the sword drew blood. Noire had hit an opening in her armor, created by Vert's and Blanc's attacks.

Noire: "Ah."

She exclaimed.

Noire: "So that's what it was. Why did I even hesitate so much?"

Purple Heart: "Noire?"

Noire: "Huh? What's going on?"

She seemed confused. Especially about her sword stuck inside Arfoire's side. The Deity was not amused.

True D.o.S.: "You just begged for it, didn't you? Then I will erase you so completely and utterly from existence that your name will be forgotten from history itself!"

She grabbed Noire by the collar with her left hand, to raise her above the ground.

Noire: "Don't be silly. I can't be erased before I didn't at least respond to them."

Noire still seemed to be in some kind of trance. Her really inappropriate reactions kinda gave it away. Arfoire on the other hand was gathering power in her right hand that was probably enough to make good on her threats.

Noire: "This is embarrassing…"

She mumbled. A maiden's heart was mysterious?

Noire: "I don't even know how to put this into words… even after all that thinking, look at me. Can't even say it."

Why was she acting cute now?

True D.o.S.: "Vanish!"

She raised her right hand and slammed it down to erase Noire from existence!

Thump! Ba-dum… ba-dum… ba-dum…

Neptune felt something rising inside her. Heat spread through her chest and she felt unbelievable strength.

Purple Heart: "What the…?"

This was Share energy. And so much of it!

Noire: "They believed in me so much… and I believe in them. So I can't disappoint."

She said with an awkward smile.

Purple Heart clasped her chest. This was… Noire's believe in her? That was incredibly rare. Theoretically CPUs could power each other up as well. It happened several times before. Nepgear managed to defeat this dimension's Deity of Sin with the faith of everyone too. But this was just Noire. Of course the citizens of Planeptune were there as well, but this overwhelming warmth came just from one direction.

What flowed into Neptune were Noire's feelings.

If K-sha had been a CPU she would probably have felt a similar surge.

Purple Heart: "I see now. You can't say it? I got your message just fine."

A Share crystal separated from Neptune's body and got pushed into the holographic screen. The Next transformation was completed and granted her an improved processor unit. Behind her floated the giant circle that almost made it look like she had a halo in form of the sun itself, yet colored in black and purple.

With serene eyes she grabbed the blade in her hand and moved it behind her.

The blade grew with energy… and grew again… until its length surpassed even that of the crater.

Next Purple: "Dimensional…"

This unbelievably long and heavy sword was moving like it weight naught but a feather!

Next Purple: "Slice!"

She cut open the space in front of her and severed the deity of Sin's very core, alongside her body and the whole sky above.

True D.o.S.: "Im… possibleeeeeee…!"

She collapsed and burst into darkness, as the sun from the parted clouds shone down on the battlefield.

Noire fell down from the height where the former Deity's hand had clasped her.

Swoosh.

As if there had been no distance at all Next Purple appeared below her and caught her in her arms, princess style. Noire, who was slowly returning from her trance, suddenly blushed furiously.

Next Purple: "You are hopeless without me, aren't you?"

Hearing her enlightened sounding voice speak those words was certainly weird.

Noire: "I don't want to hear that from you of all people!"

Next Purple: "That's probably fair. I couldn't even see how much you meant to me before I was pushed around in this kind of story."

Noire: "Your stupid Neptune speech is even coming through this divine appearance…"

Next Purple: "The only divine thing here is your face, my goddess."

Noire: "Wah- Ah?! Y-you are saying weird things on purpose to mess with me, aren't you?!"

Next Purple: "Of course. There are so many ways to tease you. I will never get tired of it. Even if we are together for the rest of our lives."

They softly landed on the ground, where Neptune turned back into her human form. The Next form couldn't be kept up after using such a powerful attack after all. Despite being much smaller now, she still held Noire in her arms. It must have been tough.

Neptune: "You got something to tell me?"

She grinned.

Noire: "W-why yes! B-but not really…?"

Neptune: "Hm? I'm all ears!"

Noire: "W-wait! We have to wait for K-sha-"

Neptune: "She is totally listening."

She was indeed, from far away. They had all regained consciousness already.

Noire: "…ehhhm…"

She bit her lip.

Noire: "Neptune… that is… I …."

She turned her red face away.

Noire: "I don't hate you… Kind of… the opposite…?"

Was there a more roundabout way to say this?

Neptune: "Just kiss me already you big tsundere."

And so she took the initiative.

To Noire's shock their lips interlocked deeply! Neptune hadn't hesitated at all and connected them with a heartfelt kiss.

It was really intense. In fact it seemed like Noire might faint any second.

In the background the Share Field dispersed into a thousand particles and Uzume and co. returned after defeating Dark Purple. Just in time to witness the kiss.

Orange Heart: "AAAAAHH! Nepsy and Noirsy are…! T-t-they are! K-i-s-s-i-n-g! Kyaaaaah!"

She held her cheeks with both hands and blushed with a squeal.

That seemed to shake everyone else out of their stupor too.

IF let her Qatars slip out of her hands. Her mouth was agape.

Compa made an O-face.

Uni and Nepgear, who were helping each other up, slipped in surprise and bonked heads against each other.

Blanc and Vert shook their heads in unison as if they were out of words to say.

Big Nep: "Go meeeee~! Now that's what I call romantic."

Everyone was taking it differently, but most of them just seemed to be caught off guard.

And K-sha…

K-sha smiled as if she had just received her own favorable answer.

Nep and Noire's lips parted and the latter gasped for air.

They were lost in each other's hazy eyes.

Neptune: "You are pretty heavy…"

She fell over and plunged into the softened ground.

Noire: "I am sorry K-sha… I think I always knew about my feelings, but tried to suppress them."

K-sha tenderly shook her head.

K-sha: "I am happiest when Noire is happy."

Noire: "T-then… we can still be friends?"

She asked with a sliver of hope.

K-sha: "Always."

Breaking that wonderful moment was none other than Uzume (back to her human form) and she put her arms around both of their shoulders.

Uzume: "Friendship is awesome! You guys saved my ass countless times already, so I, Uzume Tennoubushi, am proud to call you my friends as well!"

Her grin was super cool!

Noire: "Thank you."

Now she wondered how it would have went if Uzume had been here all along? It seemed like she would have made this whole contest irrelevant.

Big Nep: "Hear, hear! This calls for a friendship pose!"

Everyone was (forcefully) gathered around the two. Broccoli luckily had a camera with her and set it up. Everyone was here to burn this day into their minds with an obligatory group photo.

And Neptune?

She was lying on the ground somewhere behind them with a big bump on her head. No doubt her just desserts for her last comment.

Arfoire: "I… can't be… defeated…!"

The severely injured Arfoire crawled between the cracks of the crater, desperately seeking escape.

???: "Ya know you can't beat those shitty broads with power alone now, right?"

Arfoire: "Who…?"

The make-up on her face was peeling off and she looked like she might faint on the spot, but she still had enough strength to raise her arm defensively.

Croire: "To beat those crazy girls you need deception. Destroy 'em from the inside. Just a piece of advice you old hag."

Arfoire: "…silence…"

She growled.

Croire: "Take it or don't, but when ya get home, you better go underground and sit it out for a few decades. Plenty of time to think of somethin' fun."

Arfoire: "…?"

She touched something slippery… it was a portal. With her last strength she crawled through it and disappeared.

Croire: "Phew. What am I doing? Encouraging this Goth chick is never going to give me any interesting results."

And so the tome girl, still caught in the Nep-Note, was eventually found and never said a word about what she did.

Many, many years later Arfoire would return in Gamarket with a new scheme. And this time she would turn the CPUs' emotions into a weapon to defeat them. Divide and conquer. Of course that too failed as we all know.

The clock advanced without fail and the days changed.

Many things changed.

But they mostly stayed the same.

Join me for one last look at the state of Gamindustri.

(To be continued)