Four Seasons - Final

9th December. One day before the apocalypse.

Since that day, Nepgear only was the shadow of herself, spending her days and nights crying in my arms, only going out of it to plead with either her sister or Histoire. But every attempt of her got rejected with the same choice - Either she came back to Planeptune by her own will, or Neptune had to force her back and to kill me in the process. The method of travelling was for one person only, so I couldn't go with her, and there wasn't any other Candidate, so Planeptune would suffer the consequences if she didn't come back.

As for I, I was completely destroyed. And while I tried to support Nepgear to the best of my abilities, nothing managed to give a positive resolution to the story. Which only drove me further to madness. My death and pain for Nepgear, or her disappearance and pain for both, there were the only options that were presented to me. And in these moments, there was that one phrase echoing in my mind. "Why doing this for such a larva, for such an insignifiant kid like him ?". He was right, in a sense. Why suffering so much for me ? But I kept believing in Nepgear. And in us.

However, the spectacle that laid upon me shocked me, for I woke up alone. In an emptier room. Like if all of this was a dream.

"...Gear ? Where are you ?"

I watched through the room. Nothing. Worried, I rushed to the second room, then to the bathroom. No trace of Nepgear.

"...The hell ?"

I rushed back to the main room, and something attracted my attention. A paper on the table. A simple paper with her handwriting. I took it in a rush and began reading.

"Onii-chan,

If you read this, it's because I've ran away from home.

Onee-chan doesn't know this world as much as me, so I can hide enough to ensure she won't find me back. And who knows, in a few years, maybe she'll give up and we'll be allowed to be together again ? I'm ready to take the risks. For you. And because I love you.

Believe in me. Believe in you. I love you. I'll always love you. Even if I need to wait some years to go back to your side.

Your love,
Nepgear."

I tore the letter in half.

"...Guess I got an answer after all."

If she wanted to run, fine. But I run faster. I took some clothes, two thermos full of coffee, some food, put the food and drinks in a bag and got out of the appartment in a rush. Winter was here, and the place was full of snow, but there wasn't that much people moving, and some traces were still there, with one particular footprint going north.

"First thing. Your footprints are easy to see."

The only shoes she has for winter are boots with a particular footprint made of intricated waves switching from one way to another, in four different directions. None of the other footprints have that particular pattern. I decided to go that way, asking the people around if they've seen a girl with purple hair, with all answers pointing to the same direction.

"Second thing. You didn't hide your hair."

I began running towards the north. The path was a constant, gentle slope, going over ten kilometers before becoming flat, but this was nothing compared to the hard slopes I had near my home as a child, and I was fueled by the will of catching her back. No matter what, no matter when, no matter where.

"Third thing. You underestimate my determination."

I don't get since when I did show that motivation to get back to someone. The moment I chose my mother over my father ? The moment I got loose and break the shit off that loser who wanted to bully me ? Or even before that ? It doesn't matter. Nothing matters anymore. Nothing but this lovely girl who counts for me more than my own life, and with who I'm ready to elope with.

"...And fourth thing... I'm faster than you, Gear."
"...O... Onii-chan ?"

I caught up to her. A girl full in white under the snow. With a big bag full of her belongings.

"You read my letter, did you ?"
"Yeah. And I torn it up in half."
"...Why ?"
"Because you can't go on alone."
"Eeeeeh ?"

I walked up to her side and took her hand.

"You asked me to believe in me in my letter. And so I did. And I believe we can go through this together. Even if it asks us some years for your sister to give up."
"Onii-chan..."
"However... We should keep advancing."
"Y-Yes !"

Hand in hand, step by step, we kept climbing the long slope taking us away from home.

"...I should have thought about it earlier."
"About why ?"
"Running like this. Your sister doesn't know this world at all."
"...I thought about telling it to you and running away with you..."
"Then why didn't you ?"
"...I have to choose between indirectly killing you or directly causing you pain, but... The one imprisoning me has to be slain... Should I run away from you, you're not imprisoning me, so you don't have to be slain."
"I chose my fate."

I smiled.

"But... If Onee-chan finds us,..."
"...Then I am prepared. But more importantly, you're quite cold, do you want some coffee ?"
"You took some ?"

We stopped at a covered bus stop, before I pulled a thermos from the bag. The coffee warmed our hands and our bodies.

"Now... What's our plan ?"
"Keep walking. Using a bus or a train is impossible at that hour, especially with so many routes closed due to the snow, so the only option is to keep walking."
"Until when ?"
"In that direction, there's a bigger city in more or less twenty kilometers. We can reach it by the end of the day. I'll take some money on the way, so we can rent a night at a hotel, then from there, I know where we can go."
"What do you propose ?"
"My hometown."
"Is it that far ?"
"From the city I mentioned, there's a train, then some more walk to reach it. But before that..."

I took the opportunity to hide Nepgear's hair under her coat, to the best of my abilities, before pulling the hood over her face.

"...We need to hide your hair. It's definitely too uncommon for us to leave it in the open like this."
"Oh... Sorry..."
"If I managed to find your way with your hair, Neptune can do so."
"..."
"Don't worry. We'll find a way."
"...Should we keep going ?"
"Indeed."

The thermos back in the bag, the walk continued. One hour, then two hours, then three hours, and all the same white all around us. But we kept walking, no matter what. Because it was the only thing we could do. Even though snow made our walk more and more hard, and even though we needed some rest.

"Onii-chan..."
"Yes ?"
"You're not even walking straight... We should stop a little."
"...Fine. This bus stop ?"
"Okay."

We sat and I let off a loud sigh.

"Phew, walking on the snow is harder than I thought."
"...I'm sorry... I'm all sorry..."

She broke in tears.

"It's all my fault..."
"...I'd say it's mine, actually."
"...Onii-chan ?"
"I chose to reveal my feelings, even knowing that you had to go back one day or another. I chose to go further with you, even knowing that it'll lead to more pain in the end. And in the end, I regret nothing."

I looked at her in the eyes.

"...Do you regret being with me ?"
"Not a single second. Even though I knew the consequences. I just hoped for... Some better resolution."
"You're foolish."

That voice didn't come from either Nepgear or me, but from a third person. All clad in a black mix of latex and armor, with purple hair. A person Nepgear identified immediately.

"...Onee-chan."
"Neptune ?"
"Yes. This is my transformed state, also known as "Purple Heart". You can guess why I'm here, do you ?"
"Leave Leo out of this ! It's my decision to run away !"
"...First things first, how did you came back to us ?"
"Simple, young man. Your traces in the snow. My foolish sister's hair. An order to follow and a faster speed."
"My thoughts exactly. That's how I found Nepgear, actually."
"How you... Found her ?"
"Yeah. She was running away from me, in order to avoid getting me more involved."
"...Yet you decided to catch up to her, and to run with her. Because you thought it'd settle the situation, is it ?"
"Not at all."

I stood up slowly, putting myself between the two sisters.

"I knew that you finding us meant death for me. And I knew that there was a good chance for you to find us."
"So why did you choose to do so ?"
"Because I love your sister. Because a moment with her is worth much more than my life."
"How foolish."
"Indeed. I truly know how foolish it is. But I don't care anymore."

I smiled.

"Tell me, Neptune, have you ever fallen in love once ?"
"...Never. Why ?"
"Then let's take your love for Nepgear as an example. Aren't you ready to do everything that's in your power to ensure your sister's safety, even at the risk of your own life ?"
"Indeed. That's what family is for."
"Then Nepgear is my only family. And her well-being is truly worth my own life."
"...Haven't you got any family here ?"
"We didn't had the time to discuss about it due to the actual events, but Nepgear thrashed my father due to the way he acted with me. I honestly never saw her that angry."
"...What happened ?"

I told her the events with my father, as well as my background.

"I see. And despite seeing how angry and violent she could be, you still chose to stay with her."
"This was my answer."

I showed her my ring.

"You are... Married ?"
"Not at all. It is just a promise to always stand by each other, no matter the situation."
"I see you're both well prepared. However..."

With a pained face, Neptune let a sword appear.

"...The Oracle's orders are absolute. You already know that, Nepgear."
"Yes..."

Nepgear, who was silent the whole time, stood up between me and her sister.

"...However, I'm ready to protect him, with my life if it's needed."

A flash later, Nepgear appeared to me in a different appearance. More confident, with her hair being now more pink than purple, a sword as big as her sister's, and with small clothes that should be rather cold in such a time. The only thing that she kept in this appaearance was a little ring on her finger. Our ring.

"You transformed ?"
"I won't let you hurt Leo. Even should the worst happen."
"Be ready, then !"

Without another word, the two sisters engaged in a gracious, yet feral battle, Neptune trying at all costs to reach me while Nepgear shielded me with her body and her attacks. And all I could do was standing and watching.

"Let me reach him ! Nepgear !"
"I won't move !"
"Are you stupid enough to try to defy me ?"
"I will defy anyone who stands between us !"
"Do you really want to doom Planeptune and all of his citizens ?"
"You're a good enough leader to take care of it alone ! You don't need me, and you proved it this year !"
"I need you ! I need my little sister at my side !"
"Why, to drop all your work on me so you can play more ?"
"Because I love you, Nepgear !"

They took a moment to stop, both already exhausted.

"...I love you too, Onee-chan... So why do we have to battle like this ?"
"You know why. Because we both have our reasons to fight."
"...Isn't there another way ?"

Nepgear was in the verge of tears.

"...I'm afraid there isn't."

Yet Neptune kept that stern, yet sad face.

"...Then let's end it."

Nepgear raised her weapon over her shoulder, ready to strike.

"...As you wish."

Neptune took the same position, with the same intent. Both were fixing each other, with not even a muscle being moved. Even I didn't move, ready to avoid should Neptune change her mind and strike me instead. But I didn't expect what happened, especially at that speed.

Both sisters charging themselves very fast. Striking at the same time. Neptune disarming Nepgear with her strike, before putting her hand at her chest. The purple flash. The explosion. Nepgear being propulsed backwards, changing back to her normal state. Without hesitation, I ran towards Gear.

"Gear ! Answer me !"
"She won't."

I reached her, to notice she's been made unconscious.

"Good grief..."

I stood up, facing Neptune.

"...You won't touch her."
"I already did."
"I won't let you take her."
"You really expect to stop me ?"
"I know I have no chances. I know any of your hits will probably kill me. But I told you, didn't I ? My only family is Nepgear. So if you're trying to steal her to me, I'll just have to stand in the way, no matter how many hits."

As an answer, Neptune took back her usual form.

"...Calm down, Leo. I did my job here."
"Your... Job ?"
"Yes. My work was never to kill you or to take Nepgear by force."
"...I don't believe you."
"And I understand it fully. So, let me ask you something else. Do you know what's the source of our powers ?"
"No."
"The faith in our people. That's what is making Shares, that the nations use to fight."
"...This isn't related to me."
"Now this is."
"Huh ?"
"With that hit I put on Nepgear, I took half her Share powers. And from this, I made a little gift for you."

She threw a purple crystal at me.

"With that, all your problems will be over."
"What is it ?"
"A Share Crystal. The source of a CPU or a Candidate's powers."
"So, that does mean..."
"...That taking it and letting it fuse with you will make you a full-fledged Planeptune Candidate."
"...And why  did you play all that comedy, then ?"
"Histoire gave me orders. Not to kill you and to take Nepgear by force, but to test both of you, and to see at which point you were ready to support each other."
"You doubted us ?"
"Both of you are still young, and this love could only be a passing one, or some kind of Stockholm syndrome where the captive, despite Nepgear not really being captive, fell in love with the only person giving her some semblance of kindness."
"I see."
"In addition, this Share Crystal is particular."
"In which ways ?"
"It has been made with the powers of a Candidate, which means that, should one of you die, the other will also die. So I had to be sure that you were both willing to throw your life for each other."
"This wasn't necessary. We already knew that, the moment we chose to be together."
"What tells you that this wasn't only a facade, either from you or from her ? What tells you that, even though you were believing it this hard at the moment you made the choice, you didn't had any regrets after that ?"
"I actually have a regret. I should have understood it earlier."
"...I knew you'd say that. Now, there is one last test I must impose to you."
"One last test ?"
"...Take this Share Crystal and put it near your heart. It will resonate with your inner self and give you the ability to transform. Should it accept you, everything will be fine."

I slowly walked to the purple crystal, and held it to my heart. In an instant, everything went dark.

"Well, well, well, who do you have here ?"
"This voice... Who are you ?"
"You know very well who I am, brat."

The place around changed, to an usual classroom. One cutter under my neck. Words I've heard thousand times in my head.

"You know you can destroy me. You know you can use this newfound power to do so."
"I won't."

I simply took the arm holding the cutter, disarming it and throwing the cutter on the ground.

"W...What are you doing ? This isn't how it happened !"
"I know. But I accepted it. Like I accepted what I did."

Another change of place, reaching a familiar home. With a mother forced to drink, in order to avoid being hit.

"Then destroy him.  You can do it if you want it."

I stood up and approached the couple, before taking my mother's glass and the alcohol bottle, emptying both in the kitchen sink.

"What are you doing, stupid kid ? Do you know how much that costs ?"
"Then stop drinking alcohol. And stop forcing mom to drink, she's allergic to alcohol and you know it."
"Stupid..."

The insult came with a punch, which I didn't even tried to avoid. I then looked at it in the eyes.

"Hit me as long as you want, for I don't care. But don't ever touch mom again or try to kill her, or pay the price."
"Because you think an insignifiant kid like you can do anything ?"
"Yes. Because I won't believe your words anymore."

In an instant, I was back to the dark room.

"...I saw everything in you. I saw how, months ago, you were still fearing this. Yet you faced these traumatic challenges like it was nothing."
"It wasn't nothing. It was part of my past. A part that is hard to live, but that is still the past."
"Yet it scared you. Why ?"
"I thought I had nothing, or no one who cared about me. I thought it wouldn't matter if I'd just disappear. I thought I was worthless."
"Not anymore. What I have in front of me is a man who is willing to face the present and the future, no matter the costs."
"Anyone can become like that with a reason to live."
"And your reason to live will become the anchor for this new power. Are you ready to accept it ?"
"I wouldn't be in front of you if my mind wasn't already made up."
"Fine."

Inside this dark room, some purple light began to erupt, to take a form I've seen countless times, before running at me.

"Accept this power and become the new representative of Planeptune !"
"I am ready !"

The moment we were in contact, I opened my eyes in the middle of a snow field, hovering over a circle of purple energy. I felt stronger. I felt faster. I felt like a new world was opening to me. But I also felt there was something I could do. I turned back to Nepgear, still lying in the snow.

"...Soin."

The spell worked, engulfing Nepgear in a purple energy, bringing her back to consciousness.

"Mmhhh... O... Onii-chan ?"
"Yes, Gear ?"
"You're... Transformed ?"
"It seems so."
"...Sorry, Ge-Ge."
"...Why, Onee-chan ?"
"It was a test. To see how much we cared about each other."

She was speechless, as I carried her out of the snow, taking my normal form in the process.

"...You knew it ?"
"I learned it while you were unconscious."
"...And that transformation ?"
"While I hit you, I extracted half of your powers into a Share Crystal for him to use."
"So that means..."
"Yes, he'll come back with us, as a full-fledged Planeptune Candidate. The first male Candidate since Tari. That'll give a good boost to our Shares for sure !"
"I hope the other nations will be fine, still."
"We'll see it at that time, Gear. We may even help them, if you want."

She answered with a kiss, under the amused look of her older sister...

"Don't forget I'm here, Ge-Ge."

...Before blushing hard, hiding her face on my chest.

"What did you told me, Gear ? No hiding anymore."
"Why are you picking on me, Onii-chan ?"
"Because you're cute."

To my surprise, she blushed even harder, to the point even her ears became red. As for Neptune, she let out a big laugh.

"You two definitely make the best couple ever."
"If you say so, Onee-chan."
"Since when did I gave you the permission to call me like that ?"
"Since you let us be together. O. NEE. CHAN."

Each syllabe was openly accentuated, to mock her as I was dropping Nepgear to the ground.

"Stop that !"
"I'll think about it."
"...Well, I'll go first. I need to alert Histoire. Go to your home and pack everything."
"Okay."

Neptune opened a portal, before hopping inside.

"See you later, O. NEE. CHAN."
"Raaaah, stop that !"

The portal closed, leaving both of us alone. With no one around us, Gear jumped at my arms and kissed me with intensity.

"...We did it... We did it !"
"Yeah. Now calm down a little."
"But... Why ?"
"Did you noticed where we were ?"

Still in the middle of nowhere. With at least three hours by foot if we wanted to come home.

"...I see. But promise me one thing."
"Depends what."
"...Take real good care of me when we'll be home, okay, Onii-chan ?"

I blushed hard, listening at this. She noticed and laughed.

"You're mocking me ?"
"...It's a secret."

We then began to walk the long path to our home, probably for the last time. And then, some hours later,...

"And here it's done."
"Three boxes. Is that all ?"
"Yeah. I'll just leave my computer here, since nothing holds me here anymore, and since the connexion to this world's Internet is probably rather bad. And outside of this, the furnitures have no use since you already have everything."
"You got a point. And Nepgear's belongings ?"
"Everything is in her bag and one of the boxes."
"Okay, so I'll transfer them first, ready ?"

In an instant, the boxes disappeared.

"...You know what, Gear ?"
"What ?"
"I'm feeling quite nostalgic at the moment."
"I understand that. We spent nearly a year here, after all."
"Yeah. Plus all the time I've spent here before meeting you."
"I think so. But don't worry, we'll make lots of new memories."
"I'll never forget this time spent here with you, though. The good and the bad moments."
"Same here. That's where I met my important half, after all."

She smiled to me, and I answered the same. At that moment, the boxes appeared on Planeptune.

"The boxes are here, no problem ! Now it's your turn !"
"Okay ! Ready, Gear ?"
"Ready, Onii-chan !"
"Here it goes !"

Hands held, we went through the portal together. However, what we missed is a little something that did the travel in reverse at the same time.

A little paper plane with a chibi Nepgear on it.

 ~~In memory of John Evans. Rest in peace, old friend.~~