Disclaimer: I do not own Neptunia
I have no beta
Warning: I do not own any characters that are not in Hyperdimension Neptunia.
I only own Schwarz and other Oc
Warning: First Story and characters may be out of character.
"Can't say I didn't see this coming..." Schwarz sighed, after playing with Noire for the whole day she finally realized what she just did and practically threw herself back into work and doubled his workload... it was a bit amusing seeing her panic about going behind schedule so he ignored her initial command and helped her with what he can with the paperwork, like arranging them after she tripped and sent them flying.
She then tried to make an excuse and shift the blame on him, who was far away from her facing the opposite direction from her and was the only person in the room, he sighed and just grunted.
"This is... easy..." He was sweating, that was a major improvement from the previous weeks, "Why did these things break down?"
He was of course referring to the long line of vehicles that unexpectedly broke down while they were in the middle of work, there were steam rollers, cranes, truck, loaders, backhoe, bulldozers, dump trucks, cement mixer and a fire truck for some odd reason. He looked behind him and counted the amount he was dragging, "30 in total... well at least this is a good workout."
"Oh my..." He glanced behind him and saw the three girls, that being Neptune, Compa and IF gaping him, "How do you?"
"Training and working, but mostly working," He grunted, "Did you come to visit Noire? She's a bit busy at the moment so I advise you to steer clear of her for a while."
"Why?" Compa asked.
He looked to the side, "Well... I sorta distracted her long enough to make make her panic with work, so she's a bit mad with me and anyone that tries to bother her."
"I see," IF nodded, "Then should we wait for you? We're heading to Leanbox next and you should know more about it because I looked at your profile and since you're a Guild Member way longer than me and traveled more, I mostly stayed around Planeptune."
He shook his head, "You should go ahead, I'll catch up with you later. Right now I need to do triple the normal amount."
"Triple?" Neptune asked, looking frightened for some reason, "Man, you must be so bored!"
He deadpanned, "Not as bored as you will be once you actually start working, my source in Planeptune hadn't told me anything about the CPU returning whereas the other Nation's CPU returned... you should at least let them know that you're here even if you don... actually forget I said that, your lack of memory is dangerous."
"How so?" She asked.
He grunted as he turned a corner, the girls were walking beside him with IF and Neptune asking questions and him answering, Comnpa was just looking at the Ambulance that was in the second.
"First there's the possibility of them dumping all their work to you, and without your memory you wouldn't know the first thing about paperwork and maintaining a nation, Second there's the 24/7 guards that they could be assigning to you despite CPUs usually dealing with monster on a daily basis, for example, Noire made me her guard because of the condition for coming back to life and just in case Avenir tries something," He explained, "The thing I did with her hand back then, that was something an acquaintance of mine taught me about guarding people and I'll feel something akin to a wind attack when she's in danger, or at least near danger when I'm not with her."
"I haven't had the time to do this with K-Sha before she..." He gritted his teeth, "Yeah, you should use the Terraport while its still working."
"Okay," IF nodded, "We'll stay near the cafe 'La Soliel,' for a while if you don't know where it is just ask around, and if you take longer than an hour then we'll be heading for the Basilicom."
"Right," He grunted, "This is getting a bit hard..."
"We are walking up the mountains," Compa reminded sitting in the passenger seat in the Ambulance, she was humming some sort of song he didn't know about. Then again the only song he knew was Shikkoku no sustain voice by a person that sounded suspiciously like Noire.
When he asked he got a literal bone crushing hug and a cute show of her stammering over her words, exactly in that order.
"Fair point," Noire said that he just had to take the broken vehicles up the mountain and leave them there, she said the greatest engineer Lastation has to offer lived there, and he could see it happening. For being barren, the mountain had some tress close enough to give you enough shade and the cool and clean air was a bit refreshing, the girls already left for the Basilicom to request access to the Terraport.
And there was a lake nearby for fishing, there was a flat are where a person can make a cabin or set up camp near here.
He grunted as he took out the iron bar that was connecting the first truck to the second and the second to the third with his mouth, he was using his other arm to prevent the Ambulance from rolling down the mountain.
"Oh geez, did the Lady make you do this?" Schwarz nodded and glanced behind him, there was an old man wearing a fisherman's jacket and shorts, he had a fishing rod on his shoulder and a bucket filled with aquatic lifeforms. "The name's Glyph and I'm probably the guy the Lady said will fix all of these."
"Schwarz," He grunted as he did the same with the twenty seventh truck, "I heard you skills are on par with the deceased Gwyn Reinford?"
"That it is," Glyph chuckled, "Now once your done here, shoo! I need to concentrate when doing my work and you being here is just a bother."
"Or so most people say," He snapped his finger and Ira came down from the sky and impaled itself in front of the old man, who recoiled in shock and fear... until he looked down and saw a thorny devil like monster as it was only able to get its large head out before being impaled by Ira. "Until I save their lives, I just become a pain rather than a bother though. Don't know which one is better."
"I-I could've taken care of that one by myself just fine," Glyph dusted himself, "...oh, right before I forget, have you seen a little blue haired kid? She's about as tall as my torso and she's really energetic, she has something she calls 'Lammy' that I swear looks like a floating white dildo with arms."
"...No, but she sounds familiar," 'That sounds like Millium, but she's not the Orion I'm looking for,' and dildo with arms? I would've suggested a white puppet... Millium would pout if she heard that... or laugh... wait a minute... MILLIUM?! How? Why? When?' He bowed and excused himself, "I don't sense any monsters around so you're safe for now."
"Right," Glyph nodded then turned to the recently broken vehicle, "Now shoo! I'm busy."
'Why did he take off his shirt?" He asked himself, sighing as he walked down the mountain, hopefully it would calm him before he reaches the Basilicom.
(Nevermore)
He did a few more jobs around the city and came back to the Basilicom looking a bit worse for wear, and a bit more annoyed than usual, the Guard that tried to stop him from looking suspicious learned that the hard way. The receptionist looked a bit frightened and the blonde beside him looked a bit surprised when she said his name.
"H-How may I help you, S-Schwarz." He could feel the girl's blue orbs on him, "A-Are you coming back from work?"
He nodded, "Can you schedule a Terraport for me later? I need to do a job in Leanbox."
"U-Understood!" The receptionist gulped, "Peter! Come here and send this to Loren, he's in charge of the Terraport at this time of the day!"
A browned haired teenager came running, he bowed to him and he nodded in return, "Is Schwarz using the Terraport? But he's Lady Black Heart's personal guard, he's supposed to be by her side at all times!"
He sighed and rubbed his head, then held up his right arm... not that he had a left one anymore, "See this mark? Its a summoning seal Noire made for me in case an emergency happens and I'm not with her."
"He's even in the real name zone!" Peter cried, "I'm so jealous! I want to call the Lady by her real name too!"
"Then do your job right!" Everyone in the Basilicom other than the blonde, shouted at the crying teen who yelped and bolted to the Terraport area... only to come back crying that he forgot the slip the receptionist made for him.
"...That was something." The blonde smiled while he nodded.
"He slacks off more than what his work is worth," He sighed, "What business do you have here in the Basilicom?"
"Nothing much," She nervously said, "I was just going to ask where the convention for the Four Goddesses Online, I heard it was hosted near the Basilicom."
He tilted his head with a surprised look, "Oh that? It was canceled because of an attack, shame too, I was planning to attend it."
"What!?" The woman gasped, "How unfortunate, I was so looking forward to it too."
"Well, there's going to be another in the next two months, and as an apology I heard they'll make it last twice as long and they said they'll even invite the CPUs," Schwarz hummed, he could remember Noire saying that she would attend it only if she was able to come with him for some reason, well he was her slave so he didn't really have much of a say in this matter.
He turned and took a proper look at the person he was talking to, he could smell that she was powerful, almost the same as Noire at least, "I'll be excusing myself now, if your planning to tour Lastation then all I can say is please be careful, Lastation as of now isn't as peaceful as it was the last month."
(Nevermore)
"I leave you alone for a few hours and then you get into this crap," He pinched his brows, "And who are you suppose to be? You do know you're old enough to be considered their father right? Or are you into pedophilia."
With IF and Compa at least, Neptune was in her thousands so he was safe despite her body saying the complete opposite.
"No! I just wanted to let them know the joys of worshiping the Overlord Momus!" Great... this person should've just walked in front of them holding a giant sign that said this is a trap in bright, bold red letters... at least the cloak was cool.
Not as cool as his though... before Noire tore it to shreds that is.
"Overlord Mammary?" Neptune asked, "Hey, Shaz do you know who that is?"
"No, Momus," The messenger corrected.
"Overlord Mammary? Never heard of it before... have you Compa?" IF asked.
"Um, Momus, M-O-M-U-S!" It's useless trying to correct these girls.
"I've never heard of Overload Mustard before, either." Compa tilted her head, "Schwarz?"
"Neither have I, Overload Mustard? I thought it was Overhead Mommy..." He muttered, "Hey, you, is it Overlord Mammary, Overload Mustard, or Overhead Mommy?"
"I thought you of all people would at least get the name right!" The messenger cried, "I don't even know where to start... That's M-O-M-U-S, and its Overlord... you people must be doing this on purpose."
"Listen, I don't care about this Overboard Masturbation, or whatever his name was, I don't care and I'm sure they don't either," Schwarz sighed, "Just say what you want and be done with it."
"Finally... well we want everyone to know the joy of coming to know the Overlord Momus." The messenger preached.
IF sighed, "Well, you may want to stop already, Schwarz already said it but we're not interested."
"Yes, I believe in Lady Purple Heart," Compa said, then turned to him and Neptune as the goddess tried to force him into helping her build the pool of pudding, "Speaking of... how about you, Nep-Nep?"
"Me? I only believe in myself." Neptune said as she was being held upside down, he was holding her thigh so the hoodie didn't fall down and show him something he doesn't want to see, "...Just joking! I must have sounded narcissistic there a bit?"
"Says the girl with the 'hottest, cutest and sexiest' person you'll ever see," He tossed Neptune high into the air did the air quotes, then caught her again in the same position. "And I don't believe in anyone... actually its more like I can't but who cares about that?"
"Oh shush you!" Neptune petted his hair, "Wow, your hair is surprisingly soft! I thought with how it looks similar to a sea urchin, porcupine and a horse's mane it would've been harder than diamond!"
"I can make it hard, if you want." He sighed, that could've been worded better, "...what are you doing Compa?"
"It feels like my clothes!" Compa then hugged him from behind, his hair reached his lower back and was thick, so she could probably use it as a pillow is she asked. "Can you become my new pillow?"
"Only if Noire allows it," He said, though that probably won't happen because she also enjoys sleeping in the black forest he calls a hair.
The messenger coughed, "Well, just hear me out. Overlord worship is actually really fun."
Schwarz sighed and walked up to the man, still holding Neptune down by her thigh and smiled kindly as he swung her over his shoulder. This was getting a bit annoying so he'll force this man to make it quick, or get his shoulder dislocated, or worse... please let it be worse.
"H-Here!" The man yelped, "Let me give you this! A Special 'Overlord Momus Limited Set!'"
"You don't give up do you?" IF said, Schwarz looked at the sun and saw that they have spent at least an hour talking and the messenger trying to convince them to worship the Overload Masturbation. He blinked when he saw him try to hand over a pillow to Compa but she just hugged his back, he didn't mind the twin mountain's peaks rubbing against his back as he was sure the messenger was trying to control his jealousy.
He didn't blame him, Compa was a beautiful girl, both in the inside and the outside, and she was a nurse-in-training so that means she was smart a bit of a airhead but what were they without their flaws? He in particular had the habit of not properly checking his answers when K-Sha made him enroll a year in collage and he always made the most basic mistakes like writing too fast and not re-checking his answers after he was done.
Add that to the fact that he was naturally careless, it brought him a lot of humiliation since he was one of the to scorers in the entrance exam, it doesn't help that even in college there were still bullies. Holding back has never been so hard. Just goes to show his rapid development in the mind when he was younger was more towards control, rather than knowledge, and he always had trouble memorizing things that he couldn't use in a fight.
Like calculus.
He'll probably never use that in a fight, along with algebra.
He made a note to ask MAGES. if she has an attack that materializes pi.
"Oh, now, I'm probably going to die in this fic so let me enjoy what life I have left and let me give this pin to you," He tried to calm the ranging Neptune.
"Pins and all this other stuff is just junk to us. Take it all back," IF angrily threw the dildo down the mountain, what were they thinking when they put that in the pile.
"My grandpa taught me nothing is free, so you can take it all back." Compa's voice was slightly muffled but it was still understandable, also when are you going to let go of him?
"No strings attached. You can have them," He pushed them towards IF's arms, "Well, I have to go now, take care!"
The messenger of Momus then turned and ran like a bat out of hell, a bit strange considering his footsteps sounds like he was just walking regularly.
IF looked at the pile of junk, "...What are we going to do with all this?"
"We can't leave them here, so I guess we have to take them with us." About time you let go of me woman... about time for me to let go of Neptune too, the blood already rushed to her head and made her a bit nauseo- nevermind she just threw up all over him.
"...That was my last jacket." He deadpanned, "...Noire made that jacket."
He never received gifts when he was younger that he actually enjoyed... actually when was his birthday? He was just counting the years since he was born to determine his age and he never saw birthday more than an annoyance because they were so loud... well, not not he would say that out loud he did slightly enjoy K-Sha's birthday a few months ago so they weren't all that bad.
And the jacket was given to him by a blushing Noire who said, "You better be grateful, I noticed that you always somehow lose your clothes or at least get them damaged when you fight so I made you a new jacket!" And when he thanked her, then praised her when he said it allowed maximum use of his body even it it was a little tight he should get used to it in a minutes, she said, "Of course, as the CPU of Lastation and the ideal Goddess I should be capable of at least this much and its not like I care for you, this is more for Lastation's and my image! I can't let my personal bodyguard appear like some kind of hobo."
He still wondered when he graduated from being a slave and skipped servant, employee, staff, regular bodyguard and jumped straight into personal bodyguard in just a few days.
"She's going to be pissed," He sighed and took off the jacket and the grey shirt, "Is there something I can wipe this with?"
"W-What, oh! Let me look!" IF hurriedly said with a blush, "Compa, Nep, especially you Nep, the two of you help too!"
"R-Right!" Compa was also blushing, it only increased when he stood beside her and took a look into the pile.
"Why are you girl's blushing?" He asked, "I know I'm ugly, so why?"
The two girls glanced at each other, unknowingly sharing a thought, 'He's well above average in looks, and beyond that in muscle tone... I wonder how much exercise he does to maintain that body...'
They idly compared Noire and him and thought that he was basically a male version of her.
"...Is this what I think it is?" He held up a green disk, "Hey, Neptune. Is this one of those monster disk, I didn't really get a good look before I died."
It then began to shine.
Shit.
He acted quickly and took the ones in Neptune, IF and Compa's pile and then punched them real hard. A miniature explosion came from him, but and he was successful in destroying them.
The monsters?
Not so much.
"Why... does this always happen to me," At least now he was confident that he wouldn't die as the monster's arm was only singular and it only made a deep gash wound and he sliced it off with Ira before a repeat in the abandoned factory happened.
"Schwarz!" They shouted in worry, he risked a glance and sighed in relief when they were all right. It seems that there was only one in each pack.
He then turned towards the monsters, there were organic rather than mechanical, and one was crying for its loss of arm, well he lost his and they didn't see him cry over something like that.
He clutched his side, while it didn't hit anything vital it still was a bit unfortunate... for them at least.
"Hey, can you girls not interfere?" He asked.
"Wha- Are you stupid or are you just that arrogant!? Last time that happened you died!" IF shouted.
"Yeah, but I was taken by surprise," Also thank you for trying to heal me Compa but cute band-aids aren't going to help with a stab found, small cuts maybe but when the hole was larger the material it was better to use a clean cloth. "Hey, Compa, sorry about this. I hope you can forgive me later."
"Huh?" She blinked when he lowered his body and took a mouthful of her shirt and with his other hand he tore it until it showed her belly and lower back, "Kyaa!"
Then he immediately took a cloth from her pile and covered her stomach, he was only thankful that he didn't rip enough to show her bra. "Spwwry"
He then asked Neptune to hold one end while he held the other, then he spun, making the torn cloth cover the spot it was slightly red from his blood so that means he only had... 5 to 6 minutes till he has to change it to a proper bandage or else he'll have to deal with infection.
He was already poisoned as is, so there was no need for him add more to that.
"There, now stay put and watch." He grunted and pounced on the flower girl like monster, he stabbed it with Ira, without letting go he got ready to fight the... chickens.
He didn't question it as he does a palm strike on the chicken behind him and since he was already side-ward faced, he did a front and back kick. Sending one chicken up into the air and he twisted his body more, performing a complete 360 degree spin and crushed the airborne chicken's head, splashing grey matter on his face. He used one of their bodies as a step and jumped off it, directly into the the other one, he placed his foot down on the floor and made his hand look like a knife with a crooked end and stabbed the one he was facing in the heart.
Wasting no time he pulled out his hand and it brought a friend, the chicken's still beating heart, he flipped over the raging cock and grabbed hold of it's oversize head he kicked a spot on the neck and forced the chicken's mouth open then shoved in its brother's heart. He held it there for a couple of second before biting its neck and penetrated its armor, he winced when he tasted the blood flowing into his mouth but continued with his act, and by act he meant pulling upward and ripped its head off, along with its spine.
"Wh-" IF gaped, Compa long since passed out when she saw him brutally kill the second, she saw the brain literally explode.
Neptune was looking at him, a bit concerned at how calm he was. Sure they kill them but never this brutal, usually they ended it with slash to the neck or wear it down until it died from its wounds, but even if most of the deaths were painless, not counting the last as she swore she saw it stretch and the flesh slowly being ripped apart.
Then there was the aftermath, he was looking like he just walked in a rain of blood and the most prominent were the ones around his mouth, at least he was spitting some of it out. The act somehow calmed her a bit, it at least showed he has some shred of humanity in him, even if he claimed he wasn't human. When you're raised around them and lived with them you'll sooner or later take some of their traits.
"Holy Nep, you look terrible," Neptune gasped, "And is it just me or are you a lot stronger than before, cause I swear you were not this strong before."
"Like I said," He spat out some mix of grey matter and blood, "Its all in the training, the three of you should do it every once in a while. Especially you Neptune."
"You look like you just walked out of a slasher film," IF said, "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," He glanced at the unconscious Compa, "I only hope she forgets how I kill these monster, I don't want to ruin her innocence with my fighting."
"You said your attack was Pierce, instead of Bash when yo fight with your fist, right?" He nodded, "Then why do they look like something smashed their heads in? I don't think this helps with your claim, Schwarz."
"That's because of this," He gestured to his gloves, it was colored black and had a grey symbol of Lastation sewn on the back. Another gift from Noire, this one she just handed to him with a huff and blush before slamming the door on his face and going backer desk.
"Oh, we should hurry back and return to the Basilicom." IF suggested.
(Nevermore)
"You girls mind if I head to the Basilicom first while you girls do what girls do?" Schwarz asked, "I need to ask if there's someplace where they can dry my clothes."
They didn't need to be cleaned as when he found a body of water he didn't say anything and just jumped in. IF dived and she looked worried, maybe he shouldn't have spent 20 minutes underwater while trying to clean his clothes before the blood stains, now he only needed a place to dry them because if he wasn't careful his flames would burn Noire's gift.
"Just make sure that you come find us, we'll be going there in an hour so go do whatever." Neptune said. "But can you do me a teeny tiny favor?"
"...I am not buying you pudding," He narrowed his eyes, "I have more important things to spend my money on." 'Maybe I should make her a pudding that's actually filled with eggplants... she does need to eat her vegetables.'
"Awww, why not?" Neptune whined.
"...I already told you." He sighed, "Anyway, I'm going to ask around a bit. See you in the Basilicom."
"Right, later." Compa waved, she thankfully forgot the time he fought so that was a relief, it would've been a shame to lose such an innocent girl.
Like with what happened to Altina.
Schwarz shook his head, now was not the time to remember the past, he's failing to listen to his own advice to MAGES. when one of her experiments almost killed him, 'If you have time to cry, then you have time to make sure that this doesn't happen again. What happened is in the past, nothing you can do about it.'
Or something like that, he forgot, it had been 4 years since that happened so his memory was a bit hazy because he didn't see it as an important event.
(Nevermore)
"Our Lady is very busy, so I may not assure you of that, but she may attend." Was what he heard when he entered the Basilicom, the drying too a bit more time than he expected because he didn't know how to use it, usually he just hanged it on the backyard so the sun would dry it.
He didn't expect it to explode, so he spent almost an half an hour just from fixing it.
"Really!?" IF excitedly asked.
"I hope we meet the Lady. Right, Iffy?" Compa smiled.
The old man bowed, "Well, I need to prepare, so come back later when the sun goes down." Then he saw him, "Oh, how might I help you?"
He pointed to the chatting girls, "I'm with those girls, I'm from the Lastation Guild on a job and since I already finished it I decided to tag along with them."
"Oh, then I have invited them to dinner with our Lady, you are also of course invited," The man nodded, "My name is Yvoire, I am sorry to cut out meeting short, but there are things I must attend to, please excuse me."
Schwarz nodded and walked towards the girl, just in time to hear Compa say she'll reserve a place for them. He said the he can just sleep on the floor, or on a tree if they didn't mind.
"I forgot. May I ask Miss IF to stay?" Yvoire asked, "There is something I would like to discuss."
"...You girls go on ahead," He said to Compa and Neptune, "I'll stay with IF in case something happens."
He then turned to the elder, "Or is that a problem."
Decades of experience, he assumed, was what kept the man from making a scene, "Of course you are more than welcome."
Once the two girls left, IF turned to the elder, "So, what's this you wanted to talk about?"
"Before I go further, I would like to confirm one thing." He said, "Despite your faith in Green Heart, you are not from here, are you?"
"What's it to you?" She asked.
"In fact, you are not associated to any of the Lands. Correct?"
"You checked on me, didn't you...?" IF narrowed her eyes.
"I am sorry on my conduct here, but you are correct," He apologized.
"...Now that I think I about it, I recall a rumor about here." IF hummed, "That the Leanbox Basilicom only accepts local citizens, and I suppose that must be you, What is your plan? Expelling me?"
"That would be my normal approach, but I will thank fate for our meeting." He bowed.
"...I don't get you," IF looked at Schwarz, finding his silence a bit concerning.
Then, "I need you to kill Neptu- Gah!"
Schwarz, from his position leaning against the wall, was suddenly pressing the Basiolicom Elder against the wall opposite to where he was before, he was glaring at him.
"W-What do you think you are doing!?" The old man shouted, "Unhand me at once!"
He growled, "You better give me a good reason on why you want Neptune to be killed, or else you'll find yourself at the end of my blade."
Yvoire gasped for breath, finding it a bit hard to do so, "What did you do to me!?" Even speaking was a bit difficult.
Schwarz scoffed, "That? I just applied pressure on your air paths just to make breathing harder for you, don't worry this won't kill you."
"Schwarz, that's enough." IF held his shoulder, he clicked his tongue and scowled, now standing beside her his crimson orbs darkened a bit, "Why would Lady Green Heart's Basilicom want Nep killed?"
Yvoire coughed, "The one you call Nep brings a bad omen to our Lady and Gamindustri, sooner or later, our Lady will take action, but I prefer not to taint her."
"So you want me to dirty my hands then?" IF asked.
"Should you succeed, you will be granted as a citizen of Leanbox." Yvoire said.
"Me? A Leanbox citizen?" Schwarz turned to her.
Then said in a voice that sent chills up her spine, "You better not be thinking about doing it for something as stupid as citizenship, IF."
"If you truly believe she is pure, you can have her drink this without fear." Yvoire handed her a vial of purple, gooey and bubbling liquid. "And if you refuse then Leanbox will get rid of anything suspicious."
"This potion will only work on the vile and those pure will not be affected." Yvoire said, sending a glance at him. "Like, for example, the young brute right there. Should he drink this poison he will perish."
He left it at that and soon they were left alone in an hallway, IF was still staring at the poison in her hands.
Schwarz poked her in the cheek, and said in a cold voice, "You better not be thinking what I think your thinking..."
"W-What!? Of course not!" IF shouted, "How could you even think that I would betray my own friend?"
He pointed to the vial, "Because you still haven't tossed that thing away..."
"Ah..." She opened her mouth to say something but it nothing came out, "Damn, that geezer didn't really give me much of a choice back there..."
"What choice?" He asked, "I don't know about you, but the only thing I was thinking back then was a resounding 'Hell no.' Neptune and I may not be best of friends, but even I wouldn't think of killing her."
IF sighed, "I know... its just..."
"If you want to be made a citizen of Leanbox so badly, then why don't you just ask the Goddess to make you one?" He asked, "Even if Yvoire is the elder of the Basilicom, the Goddesses overrules all and anything she decides is absolute."
"I know, but..." IF sighed, "Huh, we must've wondered a bit. I think this is the exit... Coming through..."
What greeted them was a sight of a mature blonde woman yawning, she must've just woken up because there was no lights in the room... or she just liked it dark.
'By Noire, she looks like Vert!' Pause... 'Wait, what did I just say!?'
"Hmmm... Its so bright?" She yawned. "Who are you? Bothering me when I was nice and cozy here..."
IF looked sheepish, "Oh, I'm sorry, I'll be out now..." Then three, two, one, "Whaaaat!? L-L-Lady Green Heart!?"
"Why does her eyes look so sad?" He asked himself, "IF, you alright there? No, mental (fangirl) breakdown?"
"Oh, my, a girl's voice?" Green Heart said, "My, oh my! I can't believe such cute girl came to visit me!"
Now that the lights were on the room he saw was... less than what he thought would look like, a lot less. For one there were posters of what is normally expected of an Otaku and a Fujoshi, and she even had figurines. The windows overlooked Leanbox, and it gave them a great view of the world beyond, what caught his attention however was...
"Is that... a poster of me?" He quietly asked himself, already sneaking around them so that unless Green Heart would turn around she wouldn't see him. It was a good thing for him that she closed her eyes back then.
"H-Huh? Me? C-Cute!?" That you are IF, just don't act like the typical fangirl, kay?
"What is your name," Green Heart asked.
"Y-Yes! M-My name is I-IF!" She stuttered, Schwarz smiled, now he knew why Neptune loved teasing when when there was a moment.
Green Heart smiled, "IF, is it? Such a cute name. It matches you very well."
"L-Lady Green Heart called my name 'cute'..." Ahhh, it was no good, she's going to fangirl any moment now.
"My, and your blushed face is just as cute, too." Green Heart said, IF suddenly found the ground very interesting, she looked up and her blush deepened when she saw him hold up a camera and took a picture, it turned into an inferno when he mouthed the words.
'Wait till Neptune sees this...'
"Well, since you came, why don't we talk for a bit, shall we?" Green Heart offered.
"W-With m-me!?" He was now forgotten.
"Yes. I only have older men here to speak with and my only friend is a bit busy, so I am a bit bored." She smiled.
"That's true. I hardly see any females working in the Basilicom," That was a bit of a surprise, considering the women were the dominant gender in this world. Oh, and good job on not stuttering IF!
Green Heart yawned, IF said, "My Lady, you look sleepy. I really shouldn't intrude in your resting..."
"Oh, not to worry. I just woke up after coming back from Lastation for a game convention, but found it was cancelled, and before that I hadn't slept a wink after a night playing games." Green Heart was a gamer confirmed, it looks like Neptune would be keeping her pudding... Heh, Green Heart... G... Gamer Heart? "I was sleeping to get some time in before the next online mission, I do hope that he's on too, I miss speaking to him."
"...Games? Does my Lady play video games," IF said while sweating.
"Why yes. I enjoy games, anime, manga, and any sub-cultural pastimes." Well he knows where to go after he found K-Sha and maybe he could even force Noire to go with him, he could see that she was tired so maybe a short vacation would do her some good? He probably should wait until all the issues in Lastation was sorted out before he does any planning for a vacation.
"Th-Then that webpage that was hidden in Lady Green Heart's blog...?"
"My! Did you find my hidden page?" Green Heart sounded a bit shocked, pleasantly shocked at least.
"Y-Yes..." You're looking someplace else... so Neptune was the one to find the blog and she's just going along with it.
"I'm so happy! Oh, now we MUST become friends. Yes, let's be friends." Green Heart joyfully said, "You are officially the second person to find that page!"
IF seemed to not have heard the last part as she was still stuck on the first part. "F-F-F-Friends!? M-M-Me!? Friend with my Lady!?"
Hey was friends with Noire, that he realized on his fourth day, and she was his master, and your friends with Neptune? The Goddess of PLaneptune, granted she doesn't act like it but she is. He never understood why people think being friend with someone better at them in everything is so intimidating, they were still people you know, those talents have people and emotions attached to them.
"...I suppose such a close relationship with a Goddess is intimidating," He wondered if he should blow his cover just so he can say she was friends with Neptune and Noire, who were Purple Heart and Black Heart respectively.
"NO! NO!NO! NO! NO! On the contrary, I am truly honored!" Nice save...
"Very well, then we are now friend Iffy!" Green Heart happily declared.
"I-I-I-Iffy...!?" You were called that by Neptune and Compa, so why are you so embarrassed?
"Well, as friends, nicknames are needed. You can call me 'Vert'..." Wait... what? Is it the same Vert or another Vert, in all they're three days of playing together they built a close relationship but they never told each other their true names...even if his screen name is the same as his real name.
"I-Is that your true name, Lady Green Heart?" IF asked.
She nodded, "Yes. Oh, but feel free to call me anything, like Vert of Ver-Ver."
Schwarz then mouthed words that made IF blush, 'IF... should I leave the two of you alone? I don't want to intrude in such a... precious moment for you...'
"I-Iffy... V-Ver-Ver..." Whoops, looks like his words had a much more stronger effect than he intended.
"I-Iffy!?"
"Damn, and I was hoping to get a longer video," He sighed as he pocketed his camera, "Oh, well I'll take what I can get."
"And you are?" Vert asked, "When did you get behind me?" 'Schwarz!?"
He extended a gloved hand, "When the lights were out I was already moving and when you closed your eyes earlier I was already behind you, and I'm just a member of the Guild in Latastation."
"Its a pleasure you meet you, Lady Green Heart." Vert smiled and shoo his hand. "Though I have to say you're not like what the rumors say about you, I'll admit there's some truth."
"Oh, what rumors? Is it the one where people think I love gaming?" She asked.
"Mostly, they say your one of the strongest players in the Leanbox Server in Four Goddesses Online, how much truth that hold I don't know," He said.
She held her cheek, "Then perhaps I shall show you, the server error should be gone now so I can show my character to you."
"Sure," He shrugged before gesturing to the fallen girl, "Maybe we should place IF in your bed first? I don't think she's going to like sleeping on the floor."
"That is acceptable." She giggled.
(Nevermore)
"Do you have an account?" Vert suddenly asked, "Because I have two monitors for when Chika wants to play with me, sadly she is away on her duties so I cannot introduce the two of you."
"It's fine, and I do have an account." Time to see if your really 'Vert'... and to see if I'm married in-game to a Goddess... mostly the second one because I at least want to know what gender that person is.' Quickly typing in his [Username], [Email], and [Password] fast enough that Vert had trouble hearing him, much less see him.
"Are you in Leanbox?" He asked, his monitor was facing the back of hers so he couldn't see he character, "Oh, my friend's online."
"As is mine," She hummed, "Now that we have established that the two of us have account, do you mind switching chairs? I would like to see your gear."
There it was, "Sure,"
He gave her a curious glance, was that a light blush on her cheek or was it just make-up, she seemed the type to do so. He took the seat and hear Vert gasp, putting on the headphone he opened the monitor and gaped.
It was confirmed... he was married to a Goddess.
In Cyberspace that is.
