Mon Mon Nepu Nepu 11

"Red!"

"I'm flattered you remembered me!"

How in the world did she find us here?  I don't think Uni is in any condition to escape after pulling off a big attack on that King Slime.  As much as I don't want to I'm going to have to try and talk to her and get her away from us or...something!  I motion for Uni to leave while I take try to take care of this problem...by myself this time.  "Why are you still chasing us?  Didn't you learn your lesson last time?"

"Not at all!"  She said boastfully, throwing her hands on hips and laughing proudly as the gold dragon wrapped around her seemed to bounce along with her.  She started talking again as she stopped laughing and pointing at me.  "Just make this easier on yourself and give up.  If you're a good girl I'll let your little feathered friend join us."

I clenched my fists as I stood up to properly face her, trying to stay calm and not letting her words get to me.  She's just saying these things on purpose to get to me...or maybe she really is crazy?  "Seriously Red, why are you after me specifically?  If you want my wool I can just-"

"Nonononono!  L-let's not get ahead of ourselves now!"  She frantically waved her hands about in my direction as she protested the idea of a quick shear.  So it really is me and not my wool she wants...but why?  "D-don't joke like that Nepgear, I like you just the way you are!"

"Why?  We've never even met before outside of Virtua Forest!  ...Or the guild according to you, but I can't remember that at all."  That trip to the guild is pretty fuzzy in my memory now that I think about it...all we did was go in and we were out shortly afterward.  Hm, I don't think she'd be willing to explain herself without some crazy bargain.

"The heart wants what the heart wants, my lamb.  Now sit tight and wait for me while I find a way down..."  She nervously looked around and had second thoughts about jumping.
I don't have time to sit here and wait...do I try to deal with Red outside, in these cramped halls, or go with Uni and flee?  As I thought about which choice would be for the best Uni peeked around the corner and called for me.

"Come on Gear, let's just lose her in the fort and get out of here!"

I nodded and moved toward her but I was stopped by a high-pitched yelp and turned to see Red teetering on the edge of the wall.  I'm surprised she hasn't made the leap yet, I wonder what's taking her...

"W-w-wait for me Nepgear!"  She was being very cautious about deciding whether or not to take the fall or try to go the long way.  "P-please wait..."  She looked terrified as she pulled out a yo-yo and anchored it to the top of the wall and slowly let herself down.

"Gear, stop watching her and let's get out of here already!"

"N-no!  Just give me a few mo-aaaah!"  I watched in horror as Red's yo-yo line snapped as she fell down the the rest of the way.  It wasn't necessarily a long fall by any means, but putting her height into consideration she may have gotten hurt.  She managed to catch herself and landed on all fours and had started to shake a little.  I...don't know why but I want to make sure she isn't too terribly injured though.

I looked at Uni and she was shaking her head, waiting for me to go with her to leave Red all by herself...but something holds me back and I slowly start heading over to check on her.  When Compa handled her she only put her in restraints, and the area was mostly clear because of all the noise that they caused.  What if the people that were here before the Slimes came back and found her injured?  I don't think they're good people, not if they had this piece of jewelry and had this place loaded with weapons.  I can't imagine any good from hiding out in a nameless fort.

"Red, are you alright?"  I knelt down to get a closer look at her, and I saw a small trail of tears dripping from her face.  "Are you...crying?"  She weakly shook her head as she tried to hide her sniffling, and then she sat up and hid her hands under her arms.  This is almost how Neptune acted whenever she tripped and hurt herself, she refused to show me her injuries unless I was a little firm and comforted her...a lot.

Her knees looked really banged up and her face was red as she tried to hold back her tears.  I don't know what I can do about this actually, I could just try to use the Nep-Bull I packed away, but I don't think a drink will help much at a time like this.  As we sat there I suddenly got an idea, and I went to see if I could do anything with those leaves that were left behind.

"Hm...three sets of leaves, two long slender pieces and a...a bunch of small wider looking ones.  I think it would be best to try out the bigger ones first.  Red, be a good girl now and sit still."  I don't think I needed to tell her that, she hasn't budged after propping herself up.  Taking one of the bigger leaves I reach for her leg, but she painfully pulls it away from me just barely.

"Don't do this Red, we have to see if this will help you out or not."  She winces in pain as I snatch her leg and forcefully press the leaf on her knee.

"Ah!  Wh-why are being so mean Nepgear?  It stings!"

"That must mean it's working, so sit still so I can patch you up."  So these are medicinal leaves after all...she's not going to like what I have in store for her next.  "Brace yourself..."  I pressed down a little harder and slowly began rubbing her knee, making her writhe in pain a little.

"S-stop it please!  Haah...haaah..."  Her breathing got louder and more labored as she did her best to not cry as she begged me to stop.  Red may have been a little too overzealous and a little...persistant, but deep down she's just a normal girl like I...like I used to be.

"Now for the other knee, and don't pull away this time."  She obeyed and even did her best to move her leg towards me.  She still flinched as I applied the leaf and kept her whimpers to a minimum.  As I rubbed it in I could feel the leaf getting smaller and smaller until it was completely gone...along with the scrapes on them.

She breathed a sigh of relief as I pulled away for a moment to showed me her hands, and they looked even worse than what had happened to her knees.  They look horrible and they're bleeding a little...she needs immediate attention and I'm not sure if this last leaf will be enough if I use the same technique.  I grab the other leaf and gently place it in her hand, and then place her free hand on top of that and press them together.

She couldn't hold back her tears anymore and let them flow as I slowly rubbed them together in hopes that the leaf would take effect and heal both of her hands at once.  Each time she tried to pull her hands away I would close them back together, smile, and shake my head as I reapply the pressure on the leaf in between her hands.

"Th-tha-"

"Shh...we're almost done now."

After a few more rubs I let her pull her hands away and the last healing leaf had been absorbed.  Red got a good look at her hands and saw that they had been fully healed, and immediately pounced on me nearly knocking me to the ground.

"Gear!  Don't worry I-"

"It's ok Uni, I think I'll be fine this time."

Red couldn't keep herself off of me and was squeezing me tightly, nuzzling me while thanking me constantly.  "Oooh thank you thank thank thank my la-er...Nepgear!  Thank you so much!"  I had to draw a line as she puckered up and tried to plant a kiss on my cheek.

"R-Red slow down, all I did tend to your wounds.  Please calm down!"  She actually listened to me and backed off of me immediately, resting on her newly healed knees and eagerly looking at me with a smile as if waiting for me to say something else.  Now would probably be the best time to get a serious answer from her.  "Hey Red, why are chasing me?"

Her smile faded a little as she reluctantly answered while poking her fingers together.  "I...don't have many friends..."  She sighed and looked down.  "I don't have any friends actually.  Whenever I see someone I want to be friends I get a little carried away I think.  That's why when you actually spoke to me at the Guild, I got a little too excited and tried my best to charm you right there on the spot.  Monsters usually fall for it, but it isn't the same as having someone who can talk to me.  I'm glad...Uni was it?  I'm glad Uni was there to watch your back, forcing you to be my friend wouldn't have been for the best in the long run."

"Ugh, you're worse than my sister..."

"Uni!"

"Sorry...I mean, if you weren't so crazy you'd have a friend is all..."

I throw a little glare in her direction, trying to get her to stop being mean.  I understand how she feels but we really shouldn't let someone make us want to treat them badly.  Especially when they don't intend to be bad in the first place.  Red isn't even all that bad if she's being honest right now...not that she has any reason to lie...

"Anyway, we should probably get out of here Gear, we've done what we needed to do."
Uni has a point, we should report this as soon as possible.  There's no telling what kind of trouble we'd be in with IF if took our time with this or got sidetracked more than we already have.

"Do you want to come with us Red?"  I stand up and reach out for her, waiting for her to answer.  She grabs my hand and pauses for a moment before she smiles and shakes her head.

"As much as I want to I think I'll sit here and...think about what I've done.  It wouldn't be right for me to just jump at the chance to sta-er, follow you around.  See?  Right now I'm doing my best to not hug you again...you're one of the few people who've been nice to me."  She releases my hand and stared at the sky as the clouds slowly drifted by.  "I'll...see you some other time..."

Uni put a hand on my shoulder and we started leaving but I didn't want to just leave her here.  I look back at Red and she waved goodbye with a smile.

"Don't worry about me, I'll leave in a bit."

I simply nod and follow Uni through the inner workings of the fort and left Red to her thoughts.

"You're a much better person than me, Gear.  I probably wouldn't have helped her...as much.  I guess this why I...why we're friends.  You're...a good person.  Now let's get back to Planeptune, those Slimes thought they could hide this emerald from me."  She pulled out her N-Gear and brought up a gem that was roughly the same size as mine.  As I reached to pull out my own to compare Uni's N-Gear started lighting up and ringing, getting rid of the image and a familiar logo popped up.

"Nepgear, Uni, this is IF.  Are you there?"