The Search for the Macguffin

[Mami Tomoe]

I wake up feeling groggy, a little achy and...

...significantly smaller. Immediately I realize I'm back in my Neppy body, as usual. On top of that, though, I feel something interesting. Something different. A power like Share Energy, and yet... not that at all, really.

Then it comes into focus - a humming sound, almost, pitched really high. I feel a weight on my chest, something poking into my stomach. I open my eyes and see Compa and Histoire both looking wide-eyed at where I think the weight is.

It's at that moment I remember - oh, hey, I was in there to get the Sharicite. Right.

As I look down to my chest, I see it: the beautiful, incredibly large gemstone, coloured a deep purple. As I sit up, it tumbles into my lap... which I have to admit did hurt a bit. It's nothing compared to the feeling of awe it pulls out of me just from looking at the thing.

Histy's voice snaps me out of my thoughts, though. "How did you...?"

A nervous laugh escapes my lips and I scratch the back of my head. Time for a dumb act which is really only halfway an act, I think. "Uhh... one second I was running for some pudding, and then the next I was here." I lift up the Sharicite, looking at it from numerous angles out of curiosity. "This thing doesn't look like what we want, though. It feels like what we want, but is this it?"

A few steps away I hear a wistful woooooow out of Compa.

Histy flips up her tome and does what appears to be examining the Sharicite. "It certainly doesn't look like any of the Sharicites this generation," she remarks, "but I have recorded here an old Sharicite used by Planeptune - a Mascot Sharicite, from back when the Mascots were kept for more than emergency protection. You might also want to look a little closer," she adds.

At that I squint, trying to glean whatever detail Histy wants me to. I notice something in the center of the shiny rock - a little power button like the ones that appear in a CPU's eyes, or the kind that a modern Sharicite would be in its entirety. "Huh. So this thing's basically what we have back home with a little armor? Neat!"

From the looks of things, Histy's not really in the mood for arguing with me over that point. "The real test for it is trying to channel faith into Share Energy with it," she concludes. "Do you think you could do that, Neptune?"

With a smirk, I stand up and hold the Sharicite high. "I'm really feeling it," I reply. Suddenly, my voice changes, deepening to Purple Heart's. "I am the one true Goddess!"

Binary storms around me. In a flash the world's a little bit smaller, my newly-gained braids extend behind me and a little gust of wind kicks up, sending grains of sand brushing against my skin. The gem in my hand glows, and I see something in the corner of my eye: the SP bar increasing from 2 to 3 with a little chime. "Interesting," I comment, willing my wings into existence behind me. "How about a test flight?"

I lift myself a bit off of the ground, then let Compa climb onto my back and Histy settle herself on my head. I look to my right hand, where I was just holding the Sharicite, and notice something - a purple, glowing power button. "I'm sensing its presence in your hand," Histy points out, and as she does, I notice it too. "I'll make a note of that in case we ever need to move the Sharicite. Hopefully we never do once we return to the Fallen Angel."

I nod, shaking Histy a little in the process, though she doesn't seem to mind. "Hold on tight - I'll have us out of here in a flash!"

With a blur and a shriek from Compa, I take off, leaving behind a purple trail of light in the air.

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A few minutes pass. Histy and I spend most of the time listening to Compa go from being terrified of falling to having a queen of the world moment, sitting up on my back and holding her arms out in the air. A cheer fills the air rushing incredibly quickly past us, courtesy of the queen of the world, which quickly turns into laughter.

"I might have to take her out flying every now and then," I say over my shoulder to Histy. Compa cheers in agreement and Histy, who has now moved to my shoulder for more efficient communication, nods.

After a few more moments of silence, Histy looks like something's eating at her a bit. "I know you wouldn't lie to me, Neptune," Histy starts somewhat awkwardly, "at least about anything important. You might lie to get out of doing work, or that sort of thing, but..."

I look away and my face warms up a bit. "Trust me. You don't need to worry for a moment about how I got this," I respond, holding my Sharicite hand up. Histy makes a noise of protest, then shoots back, "what you think doesn't mean anything might be very important. If you have something to tell me, please, do. If anything, I can at least read through my tomes and tell you whether or not your suspicions are correct."

I feel like continuing to stand my ground, saying something like I don't have any suspicions, but in all honesty, what I heard back there worries me. "Let's talk when we get back, okay? I'd like to keep this between us. If we need another head to put together, I can bring Iffy here," I decide. "Compa's nice to have around, but I don't want to trouble her with this."

Histy nods, and as I turn my attention back to the world ahead of us, I notice the gate out of here approaching incredibly quickly. "Going down," I shout and dip toward the savanna, flying through the gate at top speed once more.