Chapter. 11

The elevator doors opened, letting Quincy and IF out into the cavern. If took a few steps forward as she looked around the walls.

Quincy stood beside her as he put on his gauntlets. "So what do you think?"

"I think it looks cool."

"Glad you approve." Quincy held his hand to point into the cavern. The gauntlet glowed a faint red. "Come, it's this way."

The two walked deeper into the cavern, Quincy took the lead as he led out his gauntlet to make sure they were going the right way.

"Hey look at that." If pointed some roots in the ceiling that dripped a yellow liquid on an orange crystal.

"That's how the crystals are formed. The trees up top makes the energy from sunlight and any of it not being used drips here, forming into crystals. The more that drips on the crystals, the bigger and stronger they get. Now, there wasn't a problem with it, the stronger they get, the better the batteries we could make out of them."

"So then what changed?"

"There's some kind of distortion under In-D that causes the Trees up top to be half metal. It's also causing the crystals to come to life."

"Really, and you haven't done anything about it?"

"No, I've been putting all of my time into getting In-D on its feet. Which is why I need this guild to help." Quincy thought for moment then nodded. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"You ever get the feeling like, I don't know. Like you're looking at something, you don't know what it is but everything in you is telling you that you should know what it is?" Question marks appeared over IF's head. "It's like, there's something in the back of your mind."

"Like something is telling you that you've forgotten something important?"

"Yes! Exactly! I get that feeling every time I come down here."

"What's it feel like exactly?"

"I guess... Nostalgic, maybe?" Quincy's gauntlet shined a bright red. The CPU stopped and looked around. "We have trouble."

IF swung her arms to drew her weapons. "Where is it?"

"It's red so... There!" Quincy created a cannon and fired a large red crystal. Out of the smoke a two headed crystal snake slowly slithered towards the two. One of the heads opened its mouth and charged an energy.

Quincy created a pair of hands to close the snake's mouth, with no for the energy to go the snakes head exploded. "Go!"

IF charged at the snake and slashed at it, her qatars cut off the snakes seconded head. The snake's body began shacking and swung its tail to strike IF. Quincy conjured a large hand to caught the tail and crush it.

What remained of the crystal beast's body stopped moving, Quincy created a hammer and smashed the crystal remains. "Not too hard."

"What that what we came to deal with?"

Quincy's gauntlet shined purple. "That's another further in, it's stronger then what we just took out."

"What do this crystal monsters want?"

"It destroy I guess. A few do get to the surface and the first thing they do is start breaking things."

"Then let's go get it taken care."

"You sure?" Quincy patted his fingers together. "I mean, it's deeper into the cavern. We don't know if it's come up to the surface."

"Oh come on." IF folded her arms. "Isn't your job as a CPU to protect your people?" Quincy just hung his head and followed IF. Thinking on it, IF thought she was a bit too rough on Quincy and tried a gentler approach. "Besides, don't you want to find out why you feel the way you do?"

"You're right." Quincy spoke in a meek tone. IF decided not to push the matter and to carry on into the cavern.

As they journeyed deeper Quincy's hands were starting to fidget. IF glanced to Quincy and noticed his hand movements. "You okay there?"

"I, I've never been this far in the cavern."

"You getting scared?" IF joked.

Quincy stopped and looked down at his boots. "Yes..."

"Really?" IF tilled her head.

"I'm not that strong of a person. I try to put on a brave face, but I'm afraid of failing."

IF shook her head as she placed her hands on her hips. "You're just like Nepgear, you know that?"

"Nepgear?" Quincy looked up to IF puzzlingly.

"She also didn't feel like a strong person. You just need to find something that means a lot to you and let that be your strength. For Nepgear, it was her sister Neptune."

"Oh." Quincy's gauntlet shined brightly as a large purple crystal started to move, taking the form of a giant dragon.

IF drew her weapons. "You ready? Quincy?"

The CPU was stepping back, away from the monster. "I've never fought something that big before! We need to run!"

"But isn't this what we came for?"

"I didn't know it would be this big!"

IF gowned then charged towards the crystal dragon. If swung her qatar at its knee but her weapon only bounced off. The dragon flapped its wings to blow IF back with wind. The dragon then swung its claws and IF dove forward to evade them.

IF got back on her feet and saw the crystal beast raise its leg to stomp on her. IF jumped out of the way and sheath one of her qatar into her sleeves. "Demon Flame!" Fire rose up from under the dragon but did nothing to it.

Quincy watched IF fight the monster, he felt stuck to the ground as he watched to run but didn't want to leave IF. "I can't do this, I can't." Quincy looked down at his hands and closed them in fists. "I can't... just sit by."

IF tried again to cut at the crystal dragon's knee and her weapon's bounced off again. The dragon roared and kicked IF away. On the ground IF looked up to see the dragon raised both of its claws, IF held up her qatar, trying to defend.

IF heard the sound of chains, she looked up to see the dragon's claws were chained to the roof of the cavern. Quincy changed to his HDD form and struke the crystal beast in the head with a large hammer, knocking it back.

The CPU hovered over the ground and turned to IF. "Sorry about that, really shouldn't let my doubt, drag-on." IF looked confused by the change in Quincy's personality.

The dragon stood up again and roared. Quincy conjured two giant fist and sent them flying into the dragon's wings, shattering them. "Here." Quincy waved his hands over IF's qatars, a red light glowed over the weapons extending the weapon's reach by four feet. "I think you'll find these will, make the cut."

"Okay?" IF shook her head to focus and rushed to the crystal beast. She slashed at the dragon's leg and cut clean through it. As it fell IF cut off it arms as Quincy swung his hammer into the dragon's torso.

The dragon's body shattered, leaving its arm and head. IF cut up the arm while created a large boot. "Word of advice. Quit, while you're a head!" Quincy gave a thumbs down as the boot crushed the dragon head.

IF swung arms to sheath her qatars into her sleeves then placed her hand on her hip. She glanced to Quincy to see he did the same thing. "That's my victory pose."

"How about that. Guess that makes you the, poser here." IF just stared at Quincy as he shrugged. "Sorry. Not my best one."

IF looked over Quincy appearance. She gave an approving nod with a grin. "So you really are a CPU."

"That I am." Quincy picked on a purple share and gave it to IF. "Here, as thanks for joining me in jolly cooperation."

IF took the shard and weighted it in her hand. The crystal glowed with a warm light which gave IF a calming feeling. "Thank you Quincy."

The CPU bowed to IF then stood up. "Of course. Now let's get out of here." Quincy held out his hand. "I can fly us out, IF you'd like."

IF started to smile at Quincy's jokes. She placed her hand in Quincy, her body was covered in a blue light as she hovered over the ground.

"Here we go!" Quincy and IF flew through the cavern and returned to the entrance. Once they arrived outside the elevator Quincy changed back to his human form and pressed the call button.

The elevator doors opened and carried the two to the top. On the ride Quincy explained the situation of In-D and his meets with Neptune and Vert. The doors opened once again to let the two out at the top of the tallest tree.

As they stepped out IF was enamored by the view of the land below. "Isn't amazing?"

"I'll say, with a view like this you have to wonder how not everyone in Gamindusti knows about In-D."

The two heard quaking coming from behind them, they both turned to see Hat towards them. "Hat!" Quincy picked the duck that stopped at his feet. "What's up Hat?" The duck quacked endlessly at Quincy. IF watched Quincy's expression change to anger, then relief, then confusion, then worry.

Quincy ran to the house with Hat under his arm and IF chased after him.

Quincy threw open the door and headed for his living room. Inside he found Tech-u with a girl with long hair and in a black dress sitting quickly with him. Some food rested on the table in front of them. "Tech-u?"

The brother stood up to greet the newcomers. "Hey brother. I'm guessing Hat told you what happened."

"Told you what?" If came in then saw Uni. "Uni? What are you doing here?" The girl didn't responded to IF's question. "What happened to her?"

Hat quaked to IF. "She can't understand you Hat." Quincy pointed out. "Oh right. Tech-u this is IF, she's the guild representative. IF this is Tech-u, my little brother."

"Hello there." Tech-u held out his hand and IF shook it.

"What's Uni doing here?" Tech-u lead Quincy and IF to the kitchen where he told the two what happened.

As Tech-u finished Quincy spoke up about his discomfort. "So you were attacked and you didn't tell me?"

"I took care of it Quincy."

"I know that, but what if you couldn't? This is the second time you were attacked Tech-u. Do you ever have the compass on you?"

"No, I-"

"I told you to keep that with you at all time!"

"I can take care of myself Quincy!"

Silence hung over the kitchen, Quincy took a deep breath and exhaled. "Tech-u. Do you remember why I gave you that compass?"

Tech-u calmed down and nodded. "Yes."

"Tech-u, I know you want your freedom. All I ask is that you take it with you when you go out. If something happened to you, it would break me." Tech-u lowered his gaze to the floor. "Even if you don't need it, it still gives me peace of mind knowing that you have it."

Tech-u let out a long sign and looked up to his brother. "Okay I'll keep the compass with me from now on."

"Thank you." Quincy ruffled his little brother's hair. "I know it can be a drag but it's for your own good. I can't protect you if I don't know if you're in trouble. I just want to keep you safe Tech-u. You know I love you, right?"

"Yes. I'm sorry." Quincy held out his arms and the brothers hugged it out.

IF found the sight to be heartwarming, but a question need to be asked. "What's this compass you're talking about?"

Quincy reached into his coat and took out a silver compass. "One of a pair. I these had so Tech-u and I can keep track of one another. If he's in trouble mine will start to glow and chime, if I'm in trouble his will do that same."

"Sounds like a good way of keeping track of one another."

Quincy put the compass back into his coat and turns back to Tech-u. "To the next matter at hand, what do we do with Uni here?"

Tech-u shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. She went silent when I took inside. When I was in my HDD form I found out that she hasn't been sleeping well for at least two days. She hasn't been eating well either, I gave her some snacks but she didn't touch them."

IF tilted her head questioningly. "How do you know that?"

"When Tech-u goes into his HDD form he turns into a living computer, more or less."

"Mind if I talk to her?" Asked IF "A familiar face might make her feel better." Quincy stepped out of IF's way to let her pass by.

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