Chapter 10: Some Stuff Happens and the Story Goes On

So it's been a few days since we were brought here. We've been doing work around the Basilicom. Me, Johnny and Storm have been doing grunt work (Quests), but it's not too bad. Johnny used his scroll that he got from the dragon and learned how to use the Gallick Gun. He uses it at every opportunity. I think he's been trying to mix the technique with his hammer, but I'm not sure. Storm learned that he can manipulate the fire that comes from his plasma grenades. I've been practicing with my DT, Nix and Lucifer. Dante said that the longer I hold Devil Trigger, I'll gain a higher endurance for it. Out of the two weapons, I've been working with Nix more. Scythes are a pain in the ass to learn to use. The three of us are on the couch, drinking some soda because we just got back from some Quests.

"That's it for today." Noire stated.

"Wow, with the six of us, work sure goes by fast…"

"Thaaaaanks…!"

"Naturally. When I'm around, the mightiest of mole hills are nothing but ant hills!"

"We're the ones who have worked, you just sat there." Storm's annoyed at Neptune. Hell is probably frozen solid right now.

"Yeah, you were in our way the whole time! Okay Steven, we'd better get going."

"Oh, me too…"

"No need. If you come along, it'll take even longer. Just wait here." I shake my head at Noire's attitude towards Plutie as we walk out the door.

"So, where to this time?"

"Zeca Ruins. It's a bit farther out than usual, but we are more likely to find something."

"Alright, lead the way." As we are walking, Noire sneezes. "Are you alright?"

"Yes, I'm fine." Silence. We reach the ruins after about forty five minutes. After taking an initial look around, I hear footsteps. Tapping Noire's shoulder, I point to the entrance.

"I think someone's coming."

"Hey guys!"

"Oh, Space Christ, it's Neptune and company."

"No need to be an ass about it."

"You two are fine, Johnny, because I know you'll help. Those two's motives are questionable at best."

"I told you not to follow me!"

"But, but, but…Neppy ran off, so I thought I'd run off, too…Then Storm and Johnny followed us…"

"No way I'll let you become a CPU on your own. You're one gajillion years too young to pull a fast one on me!"

"I don't mind you coming along, but Plutia walks so slow and wanders down random paths…"

"I promise not to do that today…I'll walk suuuper fast…"

"You know, that's not necessarily a bad thing."

"What do you mean by that, Storm?"

"Well Noire, if she's trailing behind us, she might find something we overlooked. And if she goes down some random path, there might be a chance that an item of some kind could be there."

"Huh, never thought of it like that…"

"Ignoring my big speech, eh? If that's how it's gonna be, then I'll go on ahead of you!"

"OH, okay. Good luck."

"Be caaaaarefuuuul…"

"See ya!"

"Have fun."

"Don't die."

"Wow, thanks for the morbid thought, G1."

"What?! Do YOU want to deal with a sad Storm and Plutie?"

"Fair dues. Fair dues."

"H-Huh? You won't try to stop me? I'm the type of go-getter who really will go if I get going!"

"Do whatever you want. Assuming you know where to look."

"Uh…"

"Let's take our time. I mean, even if I wanted to do this in a hurry…"

"And you usually do do this in a hurry…" I quipped.

"…Plutia's here now, so…"

"Yaaay…! If we walk slow and talk a lot, it'll be like a date…!"

"I-Idiot. Don't say such misleading things!"

"Don't think I didn't see you looking at me when you said that, Noire."

"Shut up, Steven!"

"Nope." I say, popping the p.

"Why not?"

"I am the troll master, master of the troll."

"Internet goers tremble before him!" Johnny says while we mimic the whole "combat skirt" scene from RWBY.

"Um, hey, why don't us three girls stick together? It's pretty rude to try and get ahead of one another and steal their thunder. A-yup!"

"And what about us?"

"Oh, Johnny. Guys can't become CPUs, or do anything involving transforming." Oh dear God, I want to prove her wrong. Seeing the look on her face would be priceless.

"Of course the guilty party would want to cover her tracks."

"Awww, I'm really sorry! I was in the wrong, so please take me with you! Pleeeeease?"

"Weeeeeell, okay. Hehehe…Let's be best buddies again…!"

"Good grief. Ever since you four appeared, everything we try to do ends up so chaotic."

"Hey, at least it's not boring."

"Yeah, that is true." We start looking around, the girls taking the lead. An hour or so passed and someone was getting impatient.

"Hey, are we there yet?"

"Relax. Just a little farther."

"Hmm? Hmm…Hmmmmm…"

"Huh. It's rare for me to see you thinking deeply about anything. What's wrong?"

"Um, well…Were there always so many monsters here?"

"Good observation. Their numbers have actually been increasing, especially since you became a CPU. The boys have been helping to keep them down, but still…"

"Oh…But if there are this many monsters around, we can't have a picnic…"

"We'd be fine. They're weak enough that I can handle them by myself."

"Except for that one time…"

"I thought we agreed to never speak of that!"

"What happened?"

"Fan service."

"All the eye candy?"

"All the eye candy."

"S-Shut up!"

"But if we run all over and get into fights, our lunches would get smushed…"

"And you make good lunches. It would be a shame." Johnny brown-noses.

"So are we there now? How about now? ...Now?"

"You're so irritating. I said it's a bit farther, didn't I? Look. You can see it from here."

"Oh, so that's the goal line! Time to activate my turbo mode! Gotta loot the loot before Noire!"

"Hey, stop!"

"Ehehehe. Neppy made a silly joke…"

"I'd hardly call it a joke! Hey, I'm first! Stop right there!" And off they go.

"We better catch up."

"G1, Johnny, let's go." We catch up after a few minutes.

"Hah! What kinda idiot would I be if I stopped because you asked!? …Gahhhh!"

"Oomph!"

*Crash*

"Ouch! Come on, don't ram into me like that!"

"Steven, don't even think about it!"

"Killjoy." I mutter.

"Neptune, you're the one who ran full tilt and then stopped mid-stride! What happened?!"

"Take a gander o'er yonder. People, there be!"

"Really? Who'd come all the way out here besides us…?"

"People with the same goal as us, perhaps?"

"True that, Storm." I can see on old-ish looking lady in a revealing gothic outfit talking to a rat. Weird.

"A mouse and an old lady comedy team? Huh. I feel like I've seen that little rat-thing before."

"You know them?"

"I…think so? My memory is more fuzzy than that rodent. I get the same brain-tingle from the old lady, too. Like she's been slapped on my hearet's Akashic record."

"So do you know them, or not? Wait, they're holding the…!"

"*Huff, huff* Stop leaving me behind…"

"Yeah, no need to take off like that." Storm adds to the list of complaints.

"Hmm? Ooh, is that a rat? It's so adorable…!"

"Grr! I won't let them have it!"

"Huh? Noire, what's up? Hey, wait!"

"Mister Raaaat! Squeaky, squeaky!"

"Storm, Johnny, go with Neptune and Noire. I'll go with Plutie."

"Okay/Sure." We run after our respective groups. After I run for a while, I hear Plutie.

"Please waaaaait, Mister Rat…!"

"Who's there?!"

"Oh, hey Stevie…I finally caught up with Mister Rat…He's even cuter up close…!"

"Me? Cute…?"

"Yeeeeep. Cute and cuddly…"

"Yeah, kinda like a stuffed animal you would give to a five year old."

"Hehehe. You got good eyes. However, I am not a rat. You may call me…Warechu!"

` "Wah-ray-chu? Ewww…That's not very cute…"

"Wh-What'd you say!?"

"Anyway, Mister Rat…Ummmmm…"

"I said Warechu! Why're you staring at me?"

"I was looking for your outfit's zipper…Is it on your back…?"

Re holding

"Yeah! This ain't no outfit, and there ain't no zipper! I'm the real deal! Ain't nobody in my skin but me!"

"Oh, really? Hmmmmmm…That might be a problem…"

"Why…is that a problem?"

"Um, becaaaaause…A stuffed animal rat is cute, but real rats are icky…"

"Don't forget most are usually carrying all kinds of diseases."

"I-Icky!? I'll have you know that among my peers, I bathe about three times as often! And I have all my shots! Wait, why am I even arguing with this ditzy broad and red coated know-it-all/ I'm a busy individual, so I gotta scram, chu?"

"But real rats dig through trash and play in the poopy sewer…Ewwwwwww…You're sooooo gross…!"

"Hey, enough's enough, chu! Knock it off, wouldja?"

"And I bet you even…! Huuuuh? Wait up, Mister Rat…!" Warechu leaves, and we give chase.

"Why're you so persistent?! How many times do I gotta say that I'm busy, chu?!"

"Um, ummmm, well…! Those things you're holding…What are they called again…? They're, uh…those things, right? You know, the things Noire and Neppy really, really want…?"

"Like hell I'd know, chu."

"CPU Memories."

"Whatever. Those two broads you mentioned. They're the ones you left back there with the two weird guys?"

"I dunnooo, maybe…They really want those things, so gimme, please…"

"Don't be a fool. You really think I can hand these over just like that?"

"Aww, don't be a meanie…" I slowly reach for Infamy, ready to turn the rodent into Swiss cheese.

"Besides, those guys are probably dead as doornails right about now."

"Huhuh?" Time to reach for the other gun now. He better not be bullshitting us.

"That old hag doesn't know how to dial it back. I bet they're beaten to a pulp by now…I'm sorry they got caught up in her menopausal nonsense, but hey."

"…What does that mean? Are you saying something had happened to my friends…?"

"I didn't do it, chu. Just chalk it up to bad luck and head on home."

"You know, if something happened to them, I might get angryyyy…Noire said not to, buuuut…"

"The psycho's talking to herself now…Ugh. My patience is at its limit!"

"You're not the one bumming it on her couch."

"That's rough."

"You have no idea."

"It's okay to get mad at times like this, riiiight? We gotta get back to them…Okaaaay, I gotta get them out of trouble…!" Light fills the area.

"Yipes! That's bright! Wh-What's the deal, chu?!"

"You're screwed." I say, taking a step away from the unfortunate soul.

"Hmhmhmhmm. Such impertinence from a tiny rodent…" Said a deeper, more sultry voice.

"Wh-Who are you? Wh-Where'd that airhead go!?"

"Rats like you are disgusting little bottom-feeders whose only skill is wallowing in others' filth."

"Did she transform…? No way…She…She can't be a CPU, can she!?"

"A CPU? Who gave you permission to label me as such?"

"Holy crap! This is bad, chu! My rat senses are screaming at me to defend myself…! B-But my body…is totally paralyzed. I'm screwed, chu." Looks like it's my turn to "transform". I activate my Devil Trigger, and feel the familiar rush of power.

"I told you."

"What in the world are you, chu!"

"So you can transform as well? Interesting…You will call me Her Ladyship, scum!"

"N-N-Noooooooo!"

"Hahaha…This'll be fun!" We head to save our friends after we have our…fun…with the rat.

End of part 1. Had to split it up. This is a long ass chapter. I'll put the rest up within the week, when I don't have to worry about classes. Please bear with me.