Ultradimension Neptunia: Big Nep and Smolgear

Chapter 18: Little Friends

It was a normal day at school with Nepgear and her friends. They were playing in the playground, as many other kids were, playing pretend.

As they were pretending to fight a powerful monster, the young Uni overheard something from another kid. Something about playing together after school.

"Pway afta' school...?" she repeated. Curious and interested, she turned to her friends. "Can we pway afta' school?"

Nepgear stopped, and without a second thought, said, "yeah! But how? Don't we have to go home after school?"

"Home?" Rom asked.

"Yeah! Home!" Ram replied. "Play at home!"

"Mawbe we can ask teachah?" Uni said.

"Yeah!" the twins shouted together, and ran off to find their teacher.

"Follow them!" Nepgear cried out, and then she and Uni did just that.

Finding their teacher, who was watching everyone to the side with the recess aid, the little girls came up to her and Nepgear asked, "hi. Um, can we play after school?"

"Hm," the teacher sounded, turning her attention to the kids. "Oh, do you mean you want to visit each other's homes? Like a play date?"

"Yeah!" the kids excitedly cheered.

"Oh, well, that is not up to me. You will have to ask your parents, or caretakers, and if they all agree, then they can plan a time for you to visit each other's homes."

The kids then all pouted. "But what if they can't see each other?" Nepgear asked.

"Hey, hey, it's okay. If you can't get your parents to talk to each other after school, have them contact me, and I'll do my best to help them get in contact, and set up your playdate."

Then the school bell rang, signaling for the kids to come back inside.

"Alright, everyone!" the teacher called out, "time to come inside!"

As all the kids were being escorted inside, the girls talked a bit about what the teacher said.

"So, we just have to ask our parents?" Nepgear asked.

Uni opened her mouth to something, but didn't. In fact, she was oddly quiet. But they were kids, so Nepgear didn't notice.

"I'll ask my mom! And you ask... um, do you have a mom or a dad?" Nepgear continued, too young to realize that most kids should have both.

However, Uni just looked sad.

"Uni...?"

"Nepgeaw..."

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After school, Mercury picked her daughter up, as usual. Though as she picked her up Nepgear seemed quiet.

"Hey, honey, how was school today?" Merci asked.

"It was okay," Nepgear said quietly.

"Honey, are you alright?"

"Yeah..."

Merci was about to turn her car on, and she stopped herself. "Okay, I know something is wrong. Please tell me."

Nepgear sniffled a bit, and said, "I want to have a playdate with my friends!"

"Oh, that sounds fun. But why would that make you sad? Did your friends say no?"

"The teacher said... we have to ask are parents..." Nepgear wiped some tears off her face. "But Uni said she doesn't have parents. She lives at the... uh, she called it an 'O'phanash'?"