Mon Mon Nepu Nepu 18

So far my trip to Heimdall forest has gotten off to a great start.  Neptune is going to to check on Haneda and Butterbean, Uni gave me a way to keep in touch with her, and Falcom seems to be in much better spirits and is tagging along with me.  Although...I wonder what happened to her old case.  "Hey Falcom, where did you get that new case?  I don't remember me or Neptune ever actually playing an instrument."  I don't even think my sister could use one, well, maybe a few.

"Oh, this?  When I mentioned I wanted to repay you for helping me Histoire suggested that I come along and help you with this Underling person."  She reached to scratch her neck but pulled back as she got near her collar, doing her best to not let it bother her.  "She said as long as I'm willing to help you out I'd be allowed to lug this thing around.  I think she said it was a Dragon Slayer or something but we shouldn't have to deal anything that big, right?"

"I hope not.  I think Uni and I almost bumped into one a while ago and it was terrifying.  This forest shouldn't have anything too threatening in it, right?  I'm sure big monsters don't always live near human towns."  I just realized I have no idea what could be waiting for us in this forest, hopefully there are Dogoos or something almost as harmless are in the forest.  I have to get used to being a monster if I'm going to catch up to Underling, I'll be useless if I'm not at full strength.  "So Falcom, um, how long have you been adventuring?"

"I think I started around when I was a little younger, probably around your age actually.  I still remember how my first adventure started...just floating about in the middle of the ocean, deep sea fishing..."  She smiles and takes a quick glance at the rising morning sun.  "Do you...do you actually want to hear some of my stories?  I don't think I've ever had a chance to share them with anyone."

Anything that will get her mind off her neck and into more pleasant memories is fine by me.  "Of course!  Maybe I'll even learn a thing or two from you."  I'm really curious as to how this Falcom's adventures differ from the one I already know.  I'm surprised that the most that's changed about her was her hair...maybe some of my friends haven't become monsters?

"Heh, um..."  Falcom was now looking directly ahead with a red face trying to put her words together properly.  "I think I got it.  It all started when I decided to go deep sea fishing for the first time and..."  She started off nervously telling me the details about how she got caught in a storm, ending up having to survive on an uncharted island, and escaping before running out of supplies.  I don't think I'd ever be able to last that long by myself, I'm nowhere near as experienced as she is with...survival.

She was in the middle of another story about her exploration of an old tower near Lan Castle when Heimdall Forest finally came into view.  "Wow, it felt like we just left Planeptune and we're already here.  Lady Nepgear, I'll have to finish this story another time."

"Oh, you don't have to keep calling me Lady.  We're friends, right?"

"Friends?  I just thought I was returning a favor..."  Falcom seemed to smile at the thought of that but I couldn't imagine why.  "...but to be friends with a Matriarch's little sister.  To have a friend..."  She sped up before I could ask her what she meant by Matriarch and what that last bit she said was.  "Well, now that we're friends let's make catching Underling an adventure in itself!"

I had to start sprinting after her and before we knew we were running past the trees and entering Heimdall itself.  "Falcom, shouldn't we slow down a little?"  We started to slow down and noticed that the monsters in the forest weren't being very aggressive at all.  There were plenty of ragged looking wolves abound and even Cardbirds, but they both ignored each other and avoided us.

"You must be intimidating them somehow Nepgear, they're avoiding us like the plague."  Falcom and I ventured deeper into the forest and came across several clearings where monsters would scatter when we passed through.  "I'm starting to think we might've done something to spook these critters when we got here..."

I'm pretty sure we're about to have a fight on our hands, the bushes rustled behind us with the sound of a slurp when she said that.  "I don't think they're all spooked..."  As I said that an odd colored Slime and an even happier jelly monster came tumbling out of the brush...that must be a Puni, but something was off about it.  The Puni was a sickly green and the Slime was yellow with brown spots...if I didn't know any better I'd say this was a leopard slime.  No, that's silly...but they're making hungry.  My stomach growled a little telling me it was time for breakfast...or brunch, it's hard to tell with these huge trees everywhere.

"Ooh!  I bet the Slime tastes like lemon!"  The thought of a new flavored monster got the better of me and I leapt at the cute little morsels, taking them by surprise.  "Gotcha!"  I even surprised myself as I wrapped my hands around the spotted Slime and before I knew it I was giving it a few whacks before defeating it.  "Like my sister would say, 'easy peasy lemon squeezy!"  Hm, it's smaller than I thought but it'll have to do...oh well, here's hoping it's as tasty as it looks.  I shoved all of in my mouth and waited for the flavor to settle in.  ...I knew it was lemon!  I'm so excited about having a little jelly snack and I have no idea w-

"N-Nepgear, what in the world are you doing!?"

I turned back to see Falcom drop her case and cover her mouth in horror as she dropped to her knees.  I completely forgot she was here when I saw the monsters...I probably look like a mess with this thing in my mouth.  "Faco...I...an epain!"  Oh goodness, my mouth is still full!  "Nnghaa!  Falcom wait, I can explain!"

"No no, I shouldn't be surprised at this.  I just didn't think you'd be so...enthusiastic about eating."  She's starting to look like she's in pain now.  "Sorry about getting...hnngh...sick on you, you took me by surprise."

"Falcom?"

She was shuddering uncontrollably and gritting her teeth as she tried to get back on her feet.  "Just...give me a second..."  She groaned and fell to her side...motionless.

"Falcom!"  I scrambled to get on my feet, ignoring the terrified Puni and bringing Falcom to her knees and holding her head to my body, closing my eyes as I comfort her.  "Oh Falcom, I'm so sorr-"  When I lifted her up and brought her closer to me I heard a strange popping noise like...like one of the champagne bottles Noire keeps hidden in her room that have my sister's name all over them.  Although how Uni found out about th-wait, this isn't the time to question their habits!  "What's that...smell?"  The sweet aroma of...cherries filled the air and brought my attention back to Falcom as her body shifted a bit.  Her head isn't nearly as heavy as it was earlier, I think she may have recovered and wants to get up now.  "Are you feeling ok now?"  I released her head...but it felt like I dropped her instead for some reason.

"Ow!  Nepgear!"  I heard a thud and looked down to see...nothing!  There's nothing at my feet except for...Falcom's head!?  "Are you there Nepgear?  Why is everything sideways?"  I backed up a few steps and tried to piece together things in my head...I mean figure things out!  Oh no, that was in bad taste!  "Ngh...I can't move either...  Where are you?"  Her head wobbled back and forth as she tried to get her bearings.

"F-Falcom, your head..."  I cautiously walked back to her head and knelt down to pick her up.  "Um, I don't know how to explain this, but..."  I lifted her above me so I could see how exactly this happened but I can't make heads or tails of the situation.  Goodness I did it again!  The base of her neck had an odd...swirl in it and seemed like I could...no, it's if I don't even think about that.

"Nepgear."  She spoke in a very calm voice.

"Yes?"

"Why is my body walking towards us with green goop in its hands?"  As I turned to look Falcom's body had already knelt down with me, her hands cupped with what looked like...green Puni Juice.  When did her body slip away from me to even get that?  The Puni Juice was oozing out of her hands as she tried to forcefeed it to...herself.  This is so confusing.  "Blaghgh!  Nebla-!"  Wait, I think I understand what's going on!

"Eat up Falcom."

I can't blame her for freaking out but when she spat it out she...couldn't turn her head.  "Blech!  Oh, sorry Nepgear..."

"You have to eat this for your own sake, believe me."

"Why would I ever want to do that?!  This is beyond sour as well, it's like lime or something."

I had to explain to her briefly the importance of eating small monsters like this for the sake of keeping herself sane and not starving herself.  "It's ok if you eat normal food, but if you don't get...what did IF say it was...I forget the technical term but you need it, but whatever it's called little monsters like this have plenty to spare if you catch them."  I slyly tilt her head back and coax her into taking in the juice as I give her a quick run-down.

Falcom shot me a little glare as I leaned her back.  I know she probably doesn't appreciate this but it's truly for her own good, I can't let her suffer through what I did.  With a final gulp and a sigh of relief Falcom wiggles her head to face her body.  Wait a minute...where did the juice go!?  "I have seen some horrible things on my journeys..."  Her body grabbed her head and placed it firmly...on her own neck and pressed down a little harder, sealing away the cherry scent.  "...but this is something entirely different."

"I..."  I don't know what to say about this situation.  Falcom was just headless a moment but I think she's taking it well with the exception of having Puni Juice poured down her throat-er, into her head?.  She repositioned herself and sat knee to knee with me and looked me dead in the eye and placed her hands on my shoulders.  "Think of it like this, your body instinctively knew that you needed some fruity juice.  You're an amazing adventuress for taking this so well."

"Nepgear..."

"Y-yes?"

She let out a heavy sigh and suddenly started shaking me!  "What in the world just happened to me!?  Why did my head pop off like that!?  Why is that juice leaving a good taste in my mouth suddenly!?"  She's shaking me so hard I everything is becomeing a blur.

"Ple-a-a-a-se st-o-o-o-p sh-sh-shaking m-!"

"Shhh, did you hear that?"  Everything was still spinning and shaking while Falcom covered my mouth.  "Listen..."  She dragged me into the brush kept us low to ground as the noise she heard got closer.  We peeked through the bushes a little to see Underling tumbling out of the bushes on the other side.

"It looks like I overslept a little."  She let out a tiny yawn and did a few stretches to limber herself up.  If she wasn't an underling to whoever 'boss lady' was this might kind of...cute.  "I wonder who was causing all that commotion just now."  She scanned the area and found Falcom's guitar case lying in the clearing and rubbed her chin a little.  "Hm...this could be a problem.  If someone is lost in this forest I have to hurry and get to Erethisan City before I'm caught, Sir Drasle will have my hide!  I can't afford to be caught."  I almost want to start calling her...what was her real name again?  It's been so long since she's told us to stop calling her Underling I've forgotten, but she's acting like a completely different and she almost sounds nice.  As we lie prone in the grass Underling pulls a small, dual screened device from her poofy pants and starts tapping at the screen.  "It's unfortunate that this person is lost in here but orders are orders.  Now where is it...B...F...G...ah, there we go."

I watched in awe as she backed up while a bright light shined above Falcom's case, and revealed a large green insect that seemed to use four...talons for walking as the light vanished.  It also had large purple scythes on its arms and had a sleek head that bore only one eye...it gives me the creeps looking at it.

"I need you to guard this area and make sure-"

"Sksss!"  It took a swipe at her, forcing her to retreat back where she came from.

"F-fine!  Do whatever you want...jerk!  I hope whoever finds you beats you up!"  She fled immediately as the insect took another swipe at her.

I don't know what this thing is, but it didn't even make a full circle in the clearing before it stopped to look in our direction and started shuffling at us.

"It looks like I'll have to worry about my head case later Nepgear.  We've got ourselves a big bug to squash!"