Mon Mon Nepu Nepu 3

"N-No seriously, Nepgear, you know how I get when you look at me like that..."

I snapped out of my little giggling fit and came back to reality.  Uni was standing before me, blushing and covering herself up with her...wings.  Her arm all the way up to her hands were covered in large jet black feathers.  It looked as if she could tuck her hands into her wings and take off at any moment.  She was covering herself up for some odd reason, and I couldn't quite figure out why, we've been friends for quite a while and she has no reason to hide herself like that.

I seated myself on the simple bed that had been place in one of the corners of the room and took a seat.  I need to remain calm and try to figure out what's happening here without worrying anyone.  "So Uni, h-how are you today?"  I try to start a little small as I stare at the floor boards, doing my best not to stare at Uni's body again.  "I-I'm doing fine obviously.  Are you sick or something?"  She asked as she headed toward me...making strange clacking noises with every step.  Her thighs didn't change, but the rest of her legs were changed with black feathers flowing from the knee down to her feet, that have been replace by talons.  I can't let myself over react again, I have to keep talking and at least try to get used to this.

"No, I just...had a bad dream or something is all."  What if everything that's happened before never really happened?  That all the hardships of having to stop the CFW and Arfoire from ruining Gamindustri...was all just part of a really long dream...  "Yeah, I'm fine."  "Good, because we can't have a repeat of last time..."  Uni had come to sit next to me, keeping a little distance between us as she inched a hand toward.  "...n-not that I don't mind taking care of you, of course.  But I don't want you getting sick, so don't get the wrong idea."  Hearing Uni be her usual self is a nice relief and I can't helped but take her hand and smile.  She tensed for a bit, then relaxed after she saw the look on my face...Noire reacted the same way, although it may have been because I could've hurt myself on her claws.

"What was that about Uni?"  Now would be a good time to try to find out something about myself, being a...sheep girl is still new to me.  I hope I don't have to, but I wouldn't know what to do if I bumped into a mean monster.  How does a sheep girl even fight?  "I'm not surprised you don't remember, you got a little crazy last time..."  Her grip tightened a little as she explained herself.  I didn't hurt Uni...no, I couldn't have hurt her, she's...she's my best friend!  I think she saw the smile fading from my face but she shook her head, as if reading my thoughts, reassuring me that she was alright.  "No...I wasn't hurt...but..."  Tears start rolling down her cheeks, but she seems...happy all of a sudden.  "Even though you were acting on instinct...you...you..."  "I what Uni?  It's all a blur to me, remember Uni?  Please tell me what I did!"  She stood up abruptly and gotten in front of me, grabbed both my hands, and with a teary smile, took a deep breath and...  "Nepgear, you-"

"Heeeey loooovebirds!~"  A voice from far below calls out with a loud thud, rattling the tree.  Uni had run towards the window, completely forgetting to finish explaining herself.  Wait, that voice sounded like IF!  "How many times have I told you just yelling is enough, we aren't deaf!"  "And I keep telling you we aren't stupid!  We know what you're doing up there!"  We?!  That must mean...Compa must be down there with her.  "Sh-shut up!"  She turned back to me with face redder than before, trying to form words.  "C-come on Gear, let's get down there and see what she wants."  With that she leapt out the window fussing at IF all the way down.  It seems I'm most comfortable with Uni already, I didn't even reach out for her as she made her exit.  After a quick look around I find another trap door with a makeshit ladder nailed all the way down to the ground, where I see IF and Compa, although something seems off.

After climbing down the tree I look back and see that the house is much higher than I thought...why would anyone want to build a tree house so high up?  "You're looking fluffy as always, Ge-Ge."  I turn and sure enough Compa was standing right beside who I assume was IF, but...she was completely wrapped in bandages.  "Hello, Compa..."  Just pretend like this is normal for now and wave, she must be a...bandage girl of some sort...that's kind of sad, but I'm kind of glad I ended up like I did.  Her headwraps had covered all but her, one of her eyes, and her mouth...smiling as she waves to me.  She wore her usual clothes, but they had several rips and tears underneath revealing even more bandages.  Now that I get a good look at her, she looks pale...it's almost as if-  "What's wrong Ge-Ge?  You're acting as if you've seen a ghost or something."  "S-sorry, I didn't mean to stare, it's just I thought...no, nevermind."

"If you keep that up Gear your face will stick like that."  IF chimed in, carefully putting her arm around Compa's shoulders.  She was like a completely different person from before, with the first noticeable change being her jacket...maybe it wasn't the jacket itself, she's much taller than I remember.  That, along with the tie and the dress she was wearing, were almost blood red in color and gave IF a more professional look.  On top of sporting a pair of glasses she had a pair of horns jutting out of her, though they were completely different from my single one.  Her's came from farther up her head and curved down down a little...they're kind of cute actually.  "So how long are you going to stand there staring at us?  We're going to fall behind schedule at this rate."

She pulled out one of the many cell phones she had from the bandolier she had wrapped around her waist.  "Come on, if we start heading to the Guild now we'll barely be able to make it in time."  She turned, with Compa still under her arm, started walking back to Planeptune.  As Compa put her head on IF's shoulder, tail rose from underneath her jacket and started darting about playfully.  Uni swoops down from the sky and begins walking with me, trying to catch up with the other pair.  "Ah, that was a nice cry..."

"What were you doing just circling above us Uni?"  "N-nothing, let's just hurry up and get the Guild."  I could have sworn I heard her say something just now.  "Oh...ok then."  She looks as if she just relieved a lot of stress, so it's probably for the best that I don't question her too much about it.  "Oh, what are we doing at the Guild anyway?"  She flashed a grin at me as gave me an answer I didn't quite expect.

"Hunting lesser monsters...thinning some herds...feeding...the usual."  She couldn't contain that cute smile of hers, but she wasn't clear on what she meant.

"Oh, we'll be having lunch and then hunting other monsters, right?"  She kept on walking, smiling as we continued on our way back to my home.

Now that I think about it, what would a Dogoo taste like anyway?