Hey everyone, Bropower125 here, bringing you another chapter. So, yeah, let's get this started.
-X-
It hadn't taken long for the trio to find a few easy quests to take on to test out Gray's new weapon and to allow him to practice a bit with it.
Generally trash mobs can be found in Virtua Forest so they had taken quests to head there. The quests mainly had killing Dogoo's and Alune's as the objective, however there were a couple others like killing a few Boxer-X's as well as exploring another cave that opened up underneath Virtua Forest.
Soon enough they came upon their objective and Gray noticed that these Dogoo's were literally Goo Dogs.
So much for originality…
Gray thought about the redundancy of his opponent before realizing one was headed right towards him.
"Crap!" Gray yelled before quickly sidestepping to avoid the gooey projectile headed for his face.
"Smooth" IF commented sarcastically as she stood to the side evaluating Gray's performance.
Tch, I'll show her, Gray thought as he finally decided to fight back.
I have no clue how to use this thing but it's now or never…
Gray pointed his sapphire mounted staff at one of his gooey opponents and not too long after it started to give off a blue glow before fizzing out and creating a small spark.
At this point one of the dogoo's thought it would be smart to launch itself at Gray resulting in him sidestepping again before just swinging the staff at the dogoo and causing it to burst into a large pile of pixels, but not before going, splat.
Gray tried to cast something at the other dogoo but this time he was a bit pissed at his staff and his anger made the staff glow red before tossing a ball of fire towards the dogoo easily killing it while dealing extra damage because Dogoo's are weak to all elements.
So that's how it works. I think I've got this now.
"I guess that wasn't the worst you could have done." IF told Gray while he wondered exactly what he could have done better, he hadn't exactly used spells before so there wasn't much he could have done, and his sidestepping was more natural instinct than anything else, though it was partially due to the fact he saw the attacks incoming.
The threesome continued on completing as many quests as they could before finally reaching the cave. The cave itself seemingly swallowed every ounce of light around it as the entryway was a solid black.
"Uh, it isn't going to be that dark inside is it?" Gray questioned as his eyes diluted and fear ran through his spine at the thought of going into a possibly monster filled cave which was covered in pitch black darkness.
"Nope!" Compa replied helping to assuage his fears as IF pushed him in while he was distracted.
As soon as he fell in he began to roll down the steep entryway and right as he stopped rolling he felt something click as the path he had come in had closed before Compa or IF could follow behind.
"Great. Just wonderful! Not only do I get to walk through a dark ass cave while afraid of the dark, but I get to do it all by myself, and people wonder why I'm a pessimistic realist!" Gray yelled out to nobody in particular and noticed that his voice echoed.
"No point moping anymore I guess, if I want to get out anytime soon I'm going to have to go through here, whether I wan't to or not." Gray said as he pushed his fear down into his stomach and took a step forward into the dungeon.
At least I'm not like one of those protagonists who don't level up, that would be worse than the situation I'm in now. Gray thought as he tried to at least look at his situation from the bright side even if he was so pessimistic just to be prepared for the worst.
Gray walked through the dungeon but every time he heard so much as a sound he would nearly jump out of his skin. The only time he seemingly didn't care about the sounds was when he was fighting.
As he came across some new monsters he decided to wait through his first turn to gauge his opponents and learn their attacks.
The first one was a space invader-looking enemy who instead of directly attacking him used an ability which upped it's stats along with its allies as well.
The second and third were a Pac-Boy and Pac-Girl which looked like the ghosts from Pac-Man, the one with the ribbon on its head backed up while the other tried to cast a fire spell on Gray who quickly moved out of the way, only to realize he wasn't quick enough and got small burns on his left side as the fiery projectile passed by.
Gray decided now would be a good time to channel his inner calm and cast what he assumed to be a water spell. He had assumed right as a small whirlpool appeared underneath the male ghost and damaged it, leaving it close to death. However the female ghost wanted none of it and quickly healed up it's partner.
Eventually the monsters had worn Gray down to a point where he was having trouble keeping up.
As he began to think of the worst possible results of his fight he began to worry and he began to feel fear.
Before he knew it a large purple mass came out of his staff and had utterly destroyed his attackers. He also noticed he felt much like he had before the fight began and checked his one burnt spot only to realize he had completely healed.
-X-
"What do we do now, if I would have known it was trapped I wouldn't have pushed him in." IF said dissapointment in herself clearly cutting into her voice.
"Don't worry Iffy, he'll be fine, I know it!" Compa reassured IF with her usual ditzy speech.
IF put a hand up to her face as she sulked just a bit,
"I hope you're right Compa. I guess for the time we shoud look for another entrance into the cavern in the hopes of finding Gray sooner. Histoire would be pissed if I let him die on his first day."
-X-
At some point Gray had found himself nearing the exit to the cavern at last however before he could walk out into the light his spine began to crawl and he became accutely aware that something was watching him.
"Who's there? That you IF? I swear to god if it is I will not be impressed." Gray said trying to project his voice as much as possible.
"Oh my, did you lose your friends? Did they dare you to come in here or did they trap you?" A mature voice came out from somewhere before the owner of the voice stepped out of the shadows revealing a lady wearing a purple witch dress who had a sickly violet skin tone which was unnatural to the very eye.
"I highly doubt they would trap me in here, I have a feeling they are searching for me, Witch." Gray replied as he turned to face the witch.
"Now, now, that's no way to talk to a stranger." The lady told Gray trying to upset him.
"If that's all you were here to do I will leave this cave, I have no time to chat." Gray told the witch as he began to stride towards the exit.
"Oh, but who said you could leave?" The lady said as she suddenly teleported in front of him leaving nothing but an after image where she once was.
"If you won't let me leave I'll fight you, I hate caves more than any person." Gray warned the stranger off however she simply laughed at him.
"Well, maybe I'll become your new fear." The lady said before deciding to take the first move and beginning to cast a spell.
Suddenly a dark ray shot forwards and just barely missed Gray who just stood there barely acknowledging the attack that flew at him.
Don't show fear she can practically taste it on you
A voice sounded through Gray's head alerting him of exactly what he had thought. This lady was more beast than human in the end.
Gray takes a step forward as his staff begins to glow by his side, the glow is an intense green which radiates an aura of courage unlike any other as it washes over Gray calmly reeassuring him.
Randomly Gray pulls his staff out and shouts,
"Winds of Courage!"
Suddenly a huge tornado flies in out of nowhere knocking the evil witch all over the cave.
"If you don't have the power to fight then don't even try." Gray says as his staff begins to glow yellow signifying a cocky electric aura.
"Well see who wins next time. My name is Arfoire, remember it, fear it." Arfoire says as she suddenly vanishes out of thin air leaving Gray to his thoughts.
Who was she, and what did she want with me?
Your power
Before Gray could question the voice which had appeared in his head IF and Compa burst into the other side of the dungeon and instantly spotted him.
"I told you he'd be fine." Compa told IF with a cute smile on her face.
"I'm glad you were." IF said in reply to Compa before heading over to Gray, Compa quickly followed behind her.
"Hey." Gray said before heading towards the exit without another word. He wouldn't say it but he was still a little steamed at his friends.
-X-
Soon enough the small group had made it back to the basilicom and met with Histoire, however, only after turning in the quests for the rewards.
"Hmm, a merchant gave that weapon to you." Histoire began to ponder on Gray's words.
"I wouldn't worry too much about it right now. The actual attacks relating to your emotions is interesting but nothing to worry about either." Histoire finished up, assuaging not only Gray's fears but a few of her own at the same time. Emotions on the battlefield aren't always the safest thing.
As soon as the group finished speaking to Histoire two people barged into the room.
"Hey, Histy, who's that?" The shorter girl yelled causing the taller one to flinch away in surprise.
"The shorter one is Neptune, the CPU of Planeptune, the other is Nepgear, the CPU candidate." Histoire tell's Gray before turning back to Neptune and Nepgear and pulling the two away by the ears.
"What just happened?" Gray asked somewhat dumbfounded by the complete oddity of the situation.
"Histy's just pissty!" Neptune's voice came through the wall explaining the situation before a loud smack resounded through the building. Not soon after a groan of pain came through the paper thin door telling Gray all he needed to know about what had happened just then.
A few hours later Neptune, Nepgear, and Histoire came out of the room, seemingly while ranting Histoire had given the purple duo Gray's name as they had already started calling him by it.
"Aw, shucks, Histy, I wanted to say hi to him but now look!" Neptune pointed the sweater clad male who was now soundly sleeping, who simply turned over after Neptune shouted as if she wasn't nearly enough to wake him.
As Gray's snoring echoed throughout the room everyone else realized they were just as tired, except for Neptune who to this day has never slept, somebody should confiscate her Nep Bull.
-X-
The next day…
Gray woke up and could smell something cooking.
Bacon
His nose would never lie to him, it could always smell tasty things, though some smells would be good food at times they weren't to his exact palette.
He shot up off the couch that he had found himself and headed towards the source of the food.
He was expecting Compa to be in the kitchen considering he could smell pastries coming off of her when he met her, but instead it was IF who wasn't wearing her coat but instead had an apron on which said, 'Kiss the Cook'. It was somewhat funny as it definitely wasn't something IF normally wore.
"Morning." Gray said which caused IF to jump in surprise. She hadn't been expecting the newbie mage to wake up so early because of how heavily he had slept the night before.
"Geez, don't startle me like that!" IF puffed her cheeks a little and then went back to her cooking.
Gray let out a yawn before asking the important questions, "What time is it? Also what's with the apron, I didn't expect you to wear such a girly apron."
"It's around eight in the morning, and it's the only one I could find I swear!" Gray spit out the piece of bacon he had started nomming on when IF said the time while IF blushed a bit after realizing what her apron said. Wearing it was embarrassing enough but the text on it made it worse for her.
As Gray got up to grab another freshly cooked piece of bacon he felt someone creep up behind him.
"Heya, Buster!" Neptune shouted energetically as she announced her presence.
Gray and IF both jumped out of their skin this time, Gray more so because he wasn't expecting Neptune to be so loud whereas IF hadn't realized Neptune was even there.
"Geez Nep!" IF yelled at Neptune still a bit in surprise.
"Ha, I got you both!" Neptune declared victoriously as she made a pose from final fantasy.
"I just didn't expect you to be so loud Neptune." Gray tries to defend himself.
"Oh, really? Well, I don't believe you, you were more scared than Iffy!" Neptune shouted waking everyone else who had still been sleeping up.
"Neptune!" Histoire shouted after being woken up by the immature violette.
-X-
A few hours earlier...
On a holographic screen one could see the three other oracles, Mina Nishizawa, Kei Jinguji, and Chika Hakozaki talking to Histoire.
"So you're sure he's the anomaly?" Kei asked Histoire. She analyzed Histoire's body movements to double check that she wasn't lying and was satisfied when she could find no signs.
"So then what's the plan, we send him back with a pat on the back, I don't want him anywhere near my Vert, he'll steal her from me!" Chika roared out after Kei had finished talking startling everyone else a bit. Mina did nothing but make a hand signal, showing she had nothing to really add at the moment.
"I'm afraid it's not so simple Chika, for all we know he doesn't even have a home to go back to, and if he does it could be long gone or any number of results." Histoire sighed as she let out a breath she didn't know she was holding.
"Judging by this the best course of action would be to wait then?" Mina asks Histoire, asking what everyone was thinking.
"Unfortunately so." Histoire said before saying goodbye to the other oracles, with them doing the same, before shutting down the communication.
-X-
After Neptune had been scolded, again, Histoire finally told Gray what he was to do next for the time being.
"I want you to do a solo mission,"
'His win against Arfoire was a fluke at best, he needs to get better'
"It involves an Ancient Dragon, do not take the creature lightly, they tend to be just as dangerous as their size implies." Histoire wondered if she was doing the right move, it was a suicide mission at best and a guaranteed death at worst.
"Histy, isn't that a bit too difficult for little 'ol Gray here?" Neptune asked Histoire as the small fairy tried to shoo Gray out the door before she answered Neptune's question.
Soon enough the fairy had gotten Gray out but not before he had begun to form his doubts about his own survival against the dragon.
"Yes, it is Neptune, I just hope he doesn't get himself killed." Histoire tells the rambunctious violet haired CPU.
-X-
Several hours later…
"Uh, hello there dragon? Would you mind dying for me?" Gray asks the Ancient Dragon hoping that at the very least the thing might, it was of course, pointless as the dragon simply roared in his face before smacking him into a wall.
"Christ, that hurt." Gray said as he slowly removed himself from the wall as the Ancient Dragon walked towards him slowly.
As soon as Gray got out of the wall he casted a wind spell which harmlessly plinked off of the dragon.
"Crap." Gray said before getting absolutely roasted by the dragon's fire breath.
Gray continuously pelted the Dragon with every spell he could muster but nothing worked and before long everything was starting to get to him. He was all alone against a monster way out of his league with nothing but the wall behind him and an Ancient Dragon in front of him.
It quickly whacked him with it's tail which flung him into a Boxbird killing the small monster before knocking Gray out.
-X-
Is this it for Gray? Find out next time on Dragon Ball Z, just kidding! Anywho, I hope the cliffhanger doesn't upset you guys too much, it was suggested that I do this