Chapter Seven: Side Questing
() is Liam himself, [] is William Liam's "Dark self", {} is me the author, and ([{}]) in any combination is multiple voices talking at once.
"FUCKING HELL!" Liam awoke with a shout falling out of bed and startling the others.
"What is it!?" IF yells.
"First off, I fell and I feel like I'm on fire!" Liam yells
"Second, what time is it?"
"Four o'clock, but are you ok? You kinda made a bang." Neptune says
"Yeah I think I'm fine." Liam says pulling himself up from the floor.
"Think the fall hurt more than the burning thing."
"Liam, you seem to be kinda… glowy." Compa says as Liam pulled back into his bed.
"I'm sure I'm fine. See you in the morning."
Liam was still glowing from the share energy from the Void but it was quickly fading and by the time it was eight and Liam wakes, the glow was completely gone.
(Fuck I'm sore.)
[Well falling of the bed isn't the most comfortable thing to do.]
(So what happened to me, why was I glowing?)
{Not a fucking clue.}
(What do you mean no clue?)
{I mean I have no idea what the shares did to you but it may have been them that made you glow.}
(Oh… wait then… hm.)
Liam noticed that the cat ears from the other day were on the floor of the hotel, he grabbed them and put them in his guitar case/backpack.
"-yawn- Morning guys…." Liam says with a yawn.
"Morning Liam." IF says stretching.
"Morni-yawn-" Compa yawns midstentense.
-ZZZ- Neptune however is still sleeping.
"Who wants the honors?" Liam asks motioning towards Neptune.
"You can do it, I need to talk to Compa for a minute." IF says motioning Compa to follow.
"Hm…! HEY NEPTUNE! SOMEONE STOLE THE PUDDING!"
"WHAT!" Neptune is startled by Liam's exclamation and she fell out of bed, similar to Liam only a few hours ago.
"Who is it! Let me at them! I bet it was the old witch!" Neptune was thrashing about and Liam was laughing his ass off watching it happen.
"Sorry Neptune but… no one stole the pudding… I just needed to wake you." Liam says trying to catch his breath.
"NEPU! Liam how could you! Don't joke about that!"
"Hey, it worked at least. Morning." Liam says walking out of the room as Compa and IF walked back in.
"Perfect, I was just going to get you two. What are we gonna do today?"
"First things first we need to get a lead on where the key fragment is, second we need to learn more about Avenir." IF says.
"Alright, So what are we gonna do?" Liam repeats.
"Let's go to some of the smaller companies and maybe they can give us some information." IF answers.
"I like that idea, I already have a place to start." Liam responds.
"Really? Nice, let's go there then."
The group leaves the hotel and take to the streets of Lastation, Liam's mind wanders inward.
(So… is anything amiss?)
[What?]
(Is something off about me?)
[I don't know is there?]
{Nothing terrible, just a bit more powerful than before.}
(Anymore powers or something like that?)
{Well no but it is kinda odd.}
(Odd in what way exactly?)
{Well… I believe you can now control the amount of shares you can absorb but I'm at a loss to how it works.}
(Wait Wait Wait. Didn't YOU give me this power?)
{No, the Void did. I just know it's a thing you can do now I don't know how it works.}
(How long will it take until you can figure it out?)
{I can probably figure it out in the day.}
(Do that please.)
[Do I do something?]
(Can you do something useful?)
[I can be a smartass.]
(Then do that.)
[On it.]
The group except for Liam lays there eyes on The Busted Giant for the first time and Liam leads them in. Lendas was taken aback by the amount of customers he suddenly has to deal with but responds with professionalism.
"Hello and welcome to the Busted Giant, the only place you can get weapons AND modifications."
"Hey Lendas, is your father here?" Liam asks.
"No, he left for Leanbox only a few hours ago for supplies but he should be back in a day or so. Why?"
"We need some information about something called a key fragment, looks a bit like this." Liam says as he pull out the key fragment fragments.
"No sorry I haven't seen anything like that before." Lendas apologizes.
"It's fine, a bit of a long shot on my part. Anyway we're here to see if you or your dad needed help with anything? Monster hunting and the likes." Liam asks.
"Well we personally get our supplies from Leanbox but we used to get the extras from a nearby factory. They said that they don't have the extra materials because of Avenir buying it all and because their main supply line was cut off by monsters." Lendas answers with a look of concern.
"Well then, point and we shall go."
"Sorry what?"
"Where's the factory located."
"Oh… just down the road if I remember correctly."
"Great. Oh! I almost forgot to introduce my friends, Lendas these are my friends, friends this is Lendas."
"Hello, nice to meet you all." Lendas says.
"Hi I'm IF, the loud one is Neptune, and the pink one is Compa."
"Hello mister Lendy." Compa says smiling.
"Heya Lendy, it's nice to meet ya!" Neptune says.
"Lendy?" Lendas says with a understandably confused look.
"Don't worry that's normal." Liam says sighing.
"Quick question, do you sell potions?"
"Yes we do, take a look."
After looking around the store the group bought a multitude of healing potions, anti-ailments, and more powerful equipment. Spending about 3500 credits in total. Almost everyone was exploring the store when Neptune approached Lendas at the counter when no one else was visible.
"So… do you have any love potions?" Neptune asks bashfully.
"No." Lendas shoots her down.
"We mainly sell weapons and general goods. If you want specialty items that aren't weapons or weapon modifications your gonna need to look elsewhere."
"Oh darn. My plan fails."
"Oy! Neptune, we're leaving soon so finish up what you're doing and meet us outside!" Liam yells out from the entrance of the store.
"Be right there! Bye Lendy!" Neptune waves at Lendas as she runs out of the store leaving Lendas confused and counting the credits.
The party arrive at the factory Lendas pointed out. He apparently called ahead to let the owner know the group was coming because someone was standing outside looking around for them.
"Is that her? The person wanted us to fight monsters?" Compa asked
"She's kind of small… I was thinking like, a big burly man or something." Neptune says.
"She staring at us… Now she's waving… I think she's right person." Compa continues.
"I suppose she's come to the same conclusion about us." IF says.
"There's only one way to find out." Liam finishes as the party arrive in front of the store. The store owner was a lady with short blue hair, gold looking eyes, soot and oil covered clothing, and pair goggles on her head.
"So it's you girls? You're gonna take to work I ordered?" The owner says surprised and uncertain about the party's combat capabilities.
"Are you sure you'll be okay?"
"More than okay. Nice to meet you. I am IF, this is Compa this is Liam, and that's Neptune." IF says
[You're being awfully quiet about this.]
(I don't really have anything I want to say, that I'm just kinda absorbing the information into my brain.)
[Even though she called you a girl?]
(That's normal.)
[Alright then.]
"Well, I guess you wouldn't of come if you weren't okay. My name's Chian. I run a small factory called Passe." Chian introduces herself and her factory.
"Now, now use standing around here. Follow me."
The party enters the factory but instead of machines working at full output they enter a traditional looking café or bar.
"Didn't you say you ran a factory? This place looks more like a cafeteria." IF questions taking a good look around.
"My parents run the cafeteria. The factory is right next-door." Chian says leading the group to the bar looking part of the cafeteria.
"You'd rather speak in a cleaner place, right? Take a seat."
Everyone sits down at the bar.
"With this cafeteria, you can order a heck load of parfaits and puddings!" Neptune exclaimed excitedly.
"That's not gonna create revenue, you know?" Liam and Chian say at the same time.
"The factory isn't enough, so we make do with the cafeteria too." Chian continues.
"Sorry to intrude, but can you tell us the details to the work?" IF interjects.
"Sure. I need to take care of the monster around the trade route." Chian says.
"It used to be safe, but recently, a large monster appeared from nowhere. With the route unsafe, all trade has halted."
"Hold on, you're saying this like it was monsters on the route before right? Why aren't you sending us to, say, kill ALL the monsters?" Liam asks legitimately confused.
"Because it would take too long to kill all of the monsters." Compa whispers into Liam's ear.
"Oooohhhhhh okay."
"This may be the work we're looking for. We'll take that order." IF continues negotiations ignoring Liam and his stupid questions.
"Good. With Avenir killing the market, we don't need anymore problems." Chian says.
"Chian? Chian? What's this "Avenir"?" Compa asks.
"Wait, you don't know Avenir?" Chian says surprised.
"We only arrived in Lastation yesterday, we don't know much about this Avenir." Liam says partially feigning ignorance.
"Avenir is a major company that's pretty much ruling Lastation." Chian answers.
"They make everything from goods to weapons and they're controlling the market. People like me can't compete with them, so our products don't sell as well. And it's not like they create work. I know a couple people who closure already."
"That's terrible. It goes against antitrust laws!" Compa says The closest too angry Liam has seen her in yet.
"Didn't you talk with the CPU? It's hard to believe she would let this go." IF says.
"Myself and others tried but lady Black Heart has been away for too long and Avenir placed there goons in the Basilicom. They pretty much own it. What a waste too since lady Black Heart just returned from Celestia. Avenir won't let us near her at all." Chian says defeated.
"So Avenir IS bad! Everyone is suffering because of them, right?" Neptune interjects.
"They're not just bad! they're monsters!" Chian exclaims.
"Well let's just take care of the monster first, then we can deal with this Avenir." IF says.
"Yeah I'm getting bored of dialogue, let's go!" Liam yells.
The team walk out of Lastation and into the country for a couple of miles arriving on a road next to a rocky canyon that leads into the nearly uninhabited part of Lastation. This is the place the monster was located.
"We're here! So this is where that monster thingy is going to appear? Well, no monster will beat me! I'll just snap my fingers and blow them up! Hey-! Guys-! Hurry, hurry!" Neptune was miles ahead from the group having seemingly unlimited energy.
"*huff**huff* Nep-Nep, wait… i'm so tired…" Compa was having a hard time keeping up.
(Man… normally I'm the one falling behind. Hmm… !)
"Come here love I can carry you for a while." Liam offered as Compa nods in agreement.
"-sigh- With Nep this excited, she'll lose her spunk when we need it." IF utters.
"Who needs a last-gen yellow stamina bar?! I have infinite stamina!" Neptune exclams.
"Let's wipe out the monsters in the area and report back to Chian!"
"Ten credits she will make it all the way." Liam bets.
"Your on." IF agrees.
The group continues down the path and the first monster they fight is… a box with a face of a bird wearing a crown and a flower.
(These opponents get weirder and weirder don't they.)
{You haven't even seen tip of the iceberg.}
Liam finds an odd floating crystal and like the genius he is, he decides poke it. Only for the party to be teleported to an alcove there was a giant dogoo.
([{Mistakes were made!}])
After running away from the oversized beast the party encountered an ancient dragon.
(Dragon souls anyone?)
[At Least your not Dragonborn.]
The dragon was more intimidating than it was powerful group beat it with minimal casualties and any injuries to stand there in the bottle was easily healed. Most of the group is now level 10 and now thanks to the defeat of the dragon them finally hit level 10 himself.
{Another new spell!}
(Oh! What is it?!)
{Gilded Cage this spell forms a indestructible cage around your enemy. The only thing that can pierce this cage is your other spell called Gilded Lance the names are similar so you know that they have something to do with each other. However the cage is not last forever as it only last for a minute.}
(Awesome!)
The group continued for sometime.
"*huff**huff* Iff...y… W...ait… So… tired…" Neptune pants trying to keep up.
(Damn it!)
"You've got to be kidding. I thought you had infinite stamina!" IF shouts.
"Well, Yeah, but… there's too many slopes and slants here…" Neptune retorts.
"Yeah… as much as I'm enjoying carrying Compa when she gets tired I can't go forever." Liam says putting Compa down.
"My tootsies hurt. Iffy, let's take a rest." Compa says even though Liam was carrying her the majority of the way.
"Oh come on, you guys can do better. -sigh- Oh well, let's take a break then." IF says disappointed.
"Rest… finally… ya...y…" Compa yawns.
(But I was… ba!)
[Having fun yet.]
(Shut up!)
"Ooh! Since we're resting, let's have a snack! I got pudding!" Neptune says rejuvenated.
"Taking a nap!" Liam yells before laying in the grass.
"I bet the pudding will taste even better with the wilderness around us!"
*Caw-caw*
"Wait… wasn't this the place where the monster Chian described appears?" IF asks.
{Unnecessary tense music.}
"Huh? Iffy? This monster with the non-color variant design is…"
"Yes, it must be the monster Chian mentioned." IF answers.
"Oh, come on Iffy! You think I'd fall for your tricks?" Neptune jokes.
"Nep, stop your denial. This is the monster Chian asked us to take care of."
"Mr. monster? Can you wait? We were trying to take a break here…" Compa says innocently.
[-sigh- that's going to get her killed.]
"And just when I was about to bite into the tasty pudding…" Neptune then transforms into Purple Heart.
"You shall pay! Feel the wrath and agony deserving of tainting pudding time!"
"Even I get angry when something interrupts me when I'm trying to sneak in a nap!" Liam shouts.
"Nep-Nep and Liam are really angry. And it looks worse now that Nep-Nep's changed." Compa says
"It looks like anything pudding related can jolt her. Good. She's ready." IF says.
"Well, pudding doesn't make me ready. I'm still tired…" Compa continues.
"Hey! Are we killing the thing or what!" Liam yells.
"Compa, Iffy! Stop talking and let's beat the hell out of this monster!" Purple Heart shouts.
"So... tired…" Compa sobs.
"Come on Compa. Let's finish this and we can rest after, okay?" IF tries to comfort her.
-Battle Start!-
The Phoenix looking beast charges at Purple Heart as she moves out of the way of its beak swinging her blade down at its head doing little damage.
Liam takes advantage of the beasts position and fires a Gilded Lance at its head doing about the same as Purple Heart.
IF runs up and stabs the beast with the same result.
Compa tries to fire her syringe but misses.
([{Oh boy.}])
Liam tries a different element to see if the beast is weak to it.
Element change ice
Purple Heart performs a Cross Combo doing significant damage to it.
Compa fires again this time hitting the mark.
The monster tries to hit Purple Heart one more this time using its talons doing significant damage to her.
"Don't you dare!" Liam yells out before firing his attack.
Icy Spear
A spear of ice lodges itself in the back of the breasts wing,looking more painful than it was.
A column of fire engulfed the beast from IF's Demon Flame doing nothing to it.
The oversized bird inhales and Let's lose a torrent of fire and it was going to hit Purple Heart until Liam jumped in front of it taking the brunt of the damage.
[The hell are you doing!? You almost died!]
{Main characters can't die though.}
(Shut up both of you I need to focus!)
Purple Heart was distracted by the sudden appearance of Liam but continued to attack the monster along with IF.
Compa healed Purple Heart because she was the most damaged and the most likely to be attacked next.
If the monster was intelligent it would finish Liam of but instead attacked IF missing again.
Liam had a great idea on how to finish the beast of and wanted to try his new spell.
Gilded Cage
A cage of purple energy surrounds the birds head holding it in place.
"Hey, you oversized turkey! Can't roast me!" Liam taunts.
The beast looks down at him and fell for Liam's trap as it breathed fire within the cage burning its head to a crisp.
-Battle End-
"And that's what happens when you mess with me." Liam says putting his staff on his shoulders.
"Whew… That was some fight." Purple Heart says.
"Really? It was rather quick because of you and Liam, Nep-Nep." Compa says.
"Hey! I need some healing over here! Kinda got burned!" Liam shouts in pain.
Meanwhile behind a rock.
"I came as fast as I could but…" Black Heart mumbles to herself.
"I didn't expect them to be in battle. I lost my timing to show myself… I rushed here, but now that I've had a chance to cool myself down… attacking them now it's too low for me." She continues to talk to herself.
"Still, it does make sense to fight so that I can regain my position…I can't lose my shares… I won't be able to win the console wars like this… but fighting Neptune now isn't like me. It isn't a great image for a goddess. I sure wouldn't enjoy my victory… And my pride wouldn't let me… sadly enough, with my position now, I don't have a choice…" Black Heart finished transforming into her goddess form.
Back to the group.
"Hey, wouldn't it be faster if Nep In TRANS-AM mode flew us here?" IF asks.
"No. There's no way I can carry you all. This is quite tiring, you know?" Neptune still transformed says.
"Man wouldn't it be convenient if I could fly." Liam says to himself.
"How about being our taxi for one pudding each direction?" Compa tries to bribe Purple Heart.
"This is no ordinary pudding. I'm talking about the super premium one."
"That's enticing, but I'll have to pass." Purple Heart answers.
"Aw.. it would've been so easy if we just flew instead." Compa says defeated.
" enough on this already. I'm changing back." Purple heart says.
"Hold on a second don't change yet!" Liam yells.
"Someone is behind that rock!"
"Wha?!"
"I didn't expect you to notice. Well done." Black Heart says as she comes around from behind the rock.
"It's been a while, Neptune. Of course, you probably don't know me now…"
"Bitch we met you yesterday and I met you before that! we all know who you are you cunt!" Liam shouts, very angry that someone once again interrupted his break.
"Now then, you can probably answer my question now, what do you know about Neptune. And make a quick my patience is running thin."
"Indeed. I know Neptune well." Black Heart says.
"Really?! Then tell me, who am I?!" Purple Heart exclaims.
"Ahaha! Being asked for help by Neptune! Very well, let me tell you…"
(Well that was easy.)
"That's great Nep-nep! We finally met someone who know you."
"But on one condition." Black Heart demands.
(Damn it!)
"Condition what's that?" Purple Heart asks.
"Do you even have to ask…? Defeat me in battle!" Black Heart answers.
"Son of a bitch!"
-Battle begin-
Black Heart looks at Liam with irritation in her eyes and a green cloud forms around her blade as she thrusts it towards him.
Venom fencer
Liam felt his stomach clench as the poison runs through his system and doing a good amount of damage.
Purple Heart preformed another Cross Combo doing more damage to Black Heart than the Phoenix.
IF attacked with Demon Flames doing actual damage to Black Heart.
Compa through Liam a antidote and Liam used it with no complaint.
Liam now prepares a new form of attack that he didn't even think about before.
"How would you like a taste of you own venom, Poison Bolt!" Liam shot a sickly green bolt of poison at her face and managed to hit her with the poison taking effect.
Black Heart looks at Liam with more anger and hatred then before and begins to slash wildly at him doing a TON of damage to him but he still stands.
"Ha… can't take me down… you cu-" Liam was interrupted by Black Heart hitting him with an upwards swing sending him into a nearby stone wall and knocking him out.
(Bitch.)
Purple Heart charged at Black Heart with no regard for her own safety letting loose a burrage of slashes similar in nature to Black Hearts.
Compa fires her syringe at Black Heart.
IF runs up and begins to stab at Black Heart.
Purple Heart continues the unrelenting assault finishing black Heart off.
-Battle End?-
(Damn it I missed the clash of the boobi- I mean clash of the goddess's.)
[{Sure.}]
"Tch! Even if I was outnumbered… me, lose?! What's going on?!" Black Heart says outraged.
"Or, is this my power…? No… I won't believe it!"
"Believe it… bitch." Liam picks himself up.
"Now that I won, tell me what do you know about me." Purple Heart says confident now that she knows Liam's ok.
"Don't think you've won it all by just downing me!" Black Heart continues to complain.
"I admit That we did outnumber you but, a win is a win." Purple Heart confronts.
"No… No…! I won't accept this!" Black Heart finishes before flying off above the nearby forest.
"Wait!"
"Quick! After her!"
"I got this. Lightning Bolt!" Liam's bolt split the sky in two hitting the fleeing Black Heart sending her into the woods. At the same time, Purple Heart turned back into Neptune.
"Come on let's go!" Liam shouts before falling on his face due to the beat down he took. IF and Compa had to carry him into the tree line.
Meanwhile in the forest.
"-sigh- Lost to Neptune and lost my HDD form. Oh what a day… I can't believe I lost to Neptune… well it was four on one so if I took her and that Liam guy I would've-" Black Heart Now in her normal form was interrupted by a Neptune tackle.
"Gotcha!"
"Waaaaah!"
"Gotta catch them all!" Neptune made a reference as Black Heart try's to figure out what happened.
"I'm not letting go until you spill everything you got! Huh? Wait… I've got the wrong person."
"Why are you here?!" Black Heart is completely confused by the situation.
"Ummm… I'm looking for a girl. Did you see anyone come by?" Neptune asks completely oblivious who this is.
"She's black, shiny, and was flying until she was struck by lightning. think it should be really easy spot."
"Well, that was someone going down that direction. Like really fast." Black Heart somehow bullshits her way out of this.
"Aw shucks. She was my important hint and all… -sigh- Iffy is So not going to like hearing she got away."
Black Heart takes moment to comprehend this bullshit.
"Whoops, Sorry,talking to myself there. By the way, why are you alone out here? Hey you're all scratched up!"
"Huh?!"
"Yikes… you're really badly hurt. I know! You've been attacked by a monster! I'm here, so no worries now!"
"Right, YOU were the monster…" Black Heart mumbles under her breath.
"Anyhow, your wounds look, bad, but are you okay?"
"Oh, it's only a bunch of scratches and burns. Nothing to bawl over." Black heart says confidently.
"But it isn't good to assume you're fine without a professional opinion. Don't worry my friends a really good nurse, she can check you out."
"What? Wait, um it's no big deal really…"
"Damn it Neptune did you find her!" Liam shouts before limping past a bush.
"No just someone who needs some bandaging!"
"I can do that, what's your nam-" Liam stops mid-sentence.
(That's Fucking Black Heart isn't it.)
[{Indeed.}]
(So why is Neptune talking to her instead of beating information out of her!)
{Dude calm down.}
"Oh I didn't introduce ourselves, I'm Neptune, the tall one is Liam, that one is Iffy, and the pink one is Compa." Neptune introduces us.
"That's IF, nice to meet you."
"What's your name?"
"...re"
"Pardon? I didn't get that."
"Noire." Black heart gives her name.
"Noire? Fancy name. I bet you don't have any friends and stuff."
"Wha- why you! Oh, is that how you greet people!
"Woh, Neptune calm down no need to make assumptions like that." Liam says confused as to why Neptune would say that from out of nowhere.
"Lighten up it's just a joke, just trying to be funny here…"
-group sighs-
"Compa, If you please." IF says
"All righty! Leave it to me!" Compa says excited.
"Here you go! All patched up."
"Thank you, this helps a lot."
"Now then, Noire was it? What were you doing out here alone, scratched up, and burned like you were struck by lightning…" Liam says while trying to be as intimidating as a limping man can be.
"Um.. I don't remember…" Noire tries to bullshit her way out again.
"What? Then you a fellow amnesiac like me!?" Neptune believes it.
"Huh? Oh yes! Amnesia! I can remember a single thin! It must've happened when I was attacked."
"Real convincing." Liam says sarcastically.
"Uh-oh… then how are we going to get you home?"
[(Oh for fuck's sake!)]
"Wait, we're believing her…?" IF is noticeably confused and irritated.
"Just play along, I think this is a plan." Liam tries and fails to make sense of the situation.
It was at this moment rain began pouring down.
"Damn it, let's make camp." Liam begins to pull out tents and tarps doing most of the work as a girls continue talking to Noire.
The first shift was IF and Neptune , then Liam and Noire, then Liam and Compa. The first shift went by without incident and now it was Liam's turn to watch with Noire.
"Well then…" Liam looked around to see if anyone else was awake.
"Black Heart, tell me why are you playing around with us?"
"Huh!?"
"Shh! Do you want to wake the whole camp? -sigh- just letting you know this now, if you hurt anyone in my party… I will make you life a living hell... much worse than what Avenir can do, trust me." Liam looks about again and the rest of the night went on with no incident.
That is the end of chapter seven I hope you enjoyed.
