HyperDimension Neptunia Ascension

(Early Evening – Planeptune Basillicom – May 3rd, XX18)

"I still can't believe it..."

A sigh of heavy regret left a young boy's mouth. Fuuin looked off to the side, slumping forward as he sat on the large sofa in the living space of the Basillicom's CPU residence, many of the others in their small group sitting or standing where they could. Neptune was the only one who seemed rather chipper among their ranks, eating a small cup of pudding as she kicked her feet back and forth like a small child.

"Well..." Garland raised a hand to his brown hair and tugged at one of the split ends sticking out from the sides, "when you consider everything, it had to be expected. Such an important man would not just be left in Planeptune, especially after everything that happened."

Fuuin only looked down. The lavender-haired candidate rose a hand to her lips in concern, trading glances towards all of the teens, an aura of failure over most. Aside from her cheerful big sister, the country boy, Gohan, did not appear too concerned with the results of their life threatening ordeal.

Fuuin cast a heavy gaze to the arms of the sofa. "It seems we won't be able to take Cultrizer down after all… Why is it that when victory seems so close, it really is just so much further away?"

"It's not all bad." Gohan expressed. However, unlike many of the times he would speak up, no one really seemed to be interested in his thoughts. "At least we are all still alive. We're up in the Basillicom too, they can't touch us up here."

"That may be..." Nepgear started, "but they know we'll be after them. At any time of the day, we could be in sudden danger. We won't even know if they'll have someone waiting to do one of us in right outside of our doors."

Gohan perked eyebrows up. "Well, you and Neptune shouldn't worry so much about it, right? You're goddesses. You can take on more fatal injuries than we simple humans can. If I was stabbed through the heart, I'd die, but if you were stabbed through the heart, a simple good-night's sleep would be well enough to fix you up as long as you have the shares, right?"

Looking away, she could only confirm his thoughts with a nod.

"The day is still fresh." Gohan pumped a fist. "Let's just get our thoughts together and see where they could have headed off to next."

Histoire floated nearby. "The council said something about an anonymous source giving them the whereabouts of Mr. Leon. He went to Lastation, that much is certain, where, I am not sure. I am certain however, that this anonymous source was no mere citizen. They may give us more information in the future that we can use."

"You think so, Histoire?" Nepgear asked. The oracle nodded her cute little head dutifully.

"Positive."

Suddenly, a loud buzzer sounded, catching the attention from all of the children and the oracle. IF rose an eyebrow. "A visitor?"

"Not only a visitor, it seems someone is requesting for either myself or Lady Purple Heart." Histoire noted, looking towards the roof with her eyes.

Neptune swallowed a large bite of pudding and rose a hand into the air, waving it. "Purple Heart's not available!"

A sigh. "I understand, I'll go see what the matter is."

"Allow me to go with you." the soldier from Lowee took to his feet, snapping close his holster.

"Very well then." At once, the two were on their ways, exiting to the pair of dark purple doors which led to the private elevator. Then a moan came. Heads turned to see MarvelousAQL stretching and leaning backwards.

"I don't know about you guys, but I got really sweaty in that whole mess. I'm going to go take a shower and head to bed, I'm tired."

Fuuin smiled softly at her. "Have a nice soak, Marvy."

"Thanks."

Gohan watched her with a casual expression as she took her leave into the hallway, leaving their sight. He then turned to everyone else. "So what now?"

IF shrugged her shoulders before plummeting down upon the couch. "I reckon we wait. Usually assignments just fall into our laps, that's how this sort of thing goes."

A smug look came as his response before he too decided to join the party of sitters and take a seat at the dinner table. It didn't take long before he slowly slumped forward, lying his chin pathetically against the wood and sighing. "I'm hungry..."

Nepgear only groaned before taking to her feet. "Would you like me to fix you something to eat?"

A childish smile came from the boy as his brows lifted up instantly. "Please?"

"Alright then, I'll make you something quick." Nepgear started off.

"Hang on!" the voice of Garland suddenly called out. Heads lifted up and turned to the door to see Garland standing in the doorway of the entrance, standing beside him a girl in a white frilly skirt much too small for her, black vest, and fancy white clothing. She had long raven hair tied into two long pony-tails and dark ruby eyes. Next to her was a blond boy whose right eye was covered by his hair, dressed in a gray hoodie and jeans. IF stood up with wide eyes.

"It's you!"

Nepgear too took to her feet. "Miss Noire!"

A groan escaped the new girl's mouth. She lifted a hand to her shaking head and laid elegant fingers upon her forehead. "How many times have I told you not to call me "Miss"… It makes me sound old or something like that..."

A small awkward laugh left Nepgear. "Sorry..."

IF took a step forward. "Noire, I have to say, it's pleasant you came to visit us from so far away, but um, I have a question."

"Hmm?" the black-haired girl addressed as Noire turned to the long-haired brunette.

"What is he doing here?"

Histoire's eyebrows perked up. "Oh, allow me to introduce him." she cleared her throat. "This is one of Lastation's greatest elites, he is one of Lady Noire's personal henchmen." The blond slowly lowered his head, focusing his spiteful eye towards the purple-haired boy across the room. "His name is Yuuna Mathers, and he will be Noire's personal bodyguard during the events that will be taking place in the next few days."

Gohan's brows too perked up in surprise. "I didn't know that this girl was famous!" he smiled brightly at her. "So what is she, like a celebrity or something."

Garland raised an irritated eyebrow and crossed his arms. "You can't be this stupid."

"I wouldn't use a word like that, ahehehehee..." Gohan scratched his hair with a wide grin.

"This woman is-"

Noire raised a hand to stop him. With a smirk full of pride, she planted fists onto her hips and poked her bust out. "I am the goddess of Lastation, the founder of a proud and strong nation, CPU Black Heart!" An aura of triumphance was upon her, one of which was not shared by the blond boy sitting at the table, who only blinked at her.

Fuuin's eyes were wide. "The CPU of Lastation!?" He shook and looked down. What's she doing here?

"Relax, Fuuin!" Neptune chirped loudly, getting his attention quickly. "She has no jurisdiction over you."

Noire lifted her brows, confused by the statement. "I don't know what that commotion is about, but I reckon we'll go over that later." She smiled towards Nepgear. "How are you doing, Nepgear?"

A shy smile came. "I'm well. I've had better days for sure, but I'm fine for the most part."

"Today's been hard, huh? What..." a sly smile came and she cocked a hip to the side, "did you and Neptune actually get some work done? Well, I can imagine you getting work done, but your sister, I can only imagine that putting more of a toll on you than her."

"Not exactly." Garland said. "We'll explain it all later."

"So..." Gohan said with a low tone, "I have to ask, why did this introduction cease my dinner?"

"I've got a better question!" IF yelled. She extended a harsh finger towards the boy beside the CPU. "Why is he here!? That guy tried to kill us!"

Histoire's eyes widened, as did most everyone else's. "WHAT!?"

"Heh." a teethy smirk came from the boy as his head went down. He lifted a hand and stuck it into his pocket.

Noire blinked and turned to Yuuna. "You told me you had fought some people in Planeptune, were these people them?"

He only turned his head down and to the side. "Yeah, I did." his eye opened up and glared towards Fuuin. "Both of the girls were already injured, so they were easy to take down, and that kid over there." his eye narrowed, "he was child's play." Fuuin only furrowed his gaze and slumped forward, gripping the cushion. "In fact, I bet he still has that damn shard on him, the one I won."

Fuuin only blinked. "Then why didn't you take it?"

"I have my reasons." Yuuna waved a hand into the air, brushing it off. "Not like it matters."

Fuuin didn't quite understand this feeling of resentment he had towards the blond, but the fact of the matter was he hurt them all quite bad. He had full intentions of ending their lives that day, but for whatever reason, he didn't. Something happened that kept that tragedy from befalling them. Whatever force it was, he was in debt to it.

"Let's not dwell on the past." Noire spoke up. "We're here on professional business, I'd rather not let petty differences make things harder than it needs to be."

Gohan looked up. "I take it you're not here just to participate in the big dinner coming up, right?" Noire gave him her eyes.

"You're smarter than you look." She turned to Histoire. "Who are these people?"

"I believe introductions can be done later, Lady Noire." the tome said. "Please, the boy does raise a point. You weren't scheduled to be here for another two days."

"Something came up." she furrowed her own brows in a serious manner. "It would seem a councilman of yours was a rabid dog, yes?"

"You… were around to hear that announcement?" Histoire inquired with hesitation and evident shame. A nod came from the CPU. "Did you apprehend him?"

"Unfortunately..." Garland said, crossing his arms, "he got away. But we're working on tracking him. He's most likely headed to the place of Cultrizer's technological industry. We know he went to Lastation, but that's all."

"So, a fugitive escaped to my nation? Well, he is a Cultrizer fugitive, so that means I have free reign to do what I wish with him." she smirked off to the side. "It was stupid of him to go to the smartest nation in the world."

Garland huffed, looking away with closed eyes. "You mean Lowee..." Yuuna's eye narrowed at him in a menacing manner.

Pretending she didn't hear that, Noire walked forward with a swag. "Anyway, I would like to be shown to my room now. I expect no less than something to fit my stature, nice rugs, good atmosphere, amazing view..."

Gohan shrugged his shoulders. "I don't think this Basillicom has anything like that unless you pay for it, even up here. Besides, most of the rooms here will fit your stature just fine." he smiled brightly at her with closed eyes.

"You Lowee people are not exactly the most respectful bunch, aren't you?"

Garland coughed. "You'll have to excuse him." Noire turned to him. "He doesn't show "respect" towards Lady Blanc either. In fact, he addresses her like a common friend. He doesn't see CPUs as grand idols or great deities."

"Oh..." Noire's eyes flattened in malcontent. "So he's one of those, huh?"

"One of what?" Gohan lifted his head and looked towards Histoire innocently.

"A non-believer, someone who doesn't believe in a CPU."

"Huh?!" Gohan leaned forward. "No, I'm nothing like that. I just see the CPUs like I do everyone else."

Noire shook her head, tapping her bicep. "That won't do, it simply won't." She turned towards him and walked before stopping just before the warrior. Gohan blinked at her before she bent forward, ironically enough, Gohan didn't retreat, making the girl bop her forehead against his. A squeal came as Noire herself retreated and held her head.

"Milady!" Yuuna yelled, rushing to her side quickly.

"I'm fine." Her response seemed to put the boy at ease, but a growl came as he glared daggers at the other blond in the room.

Gohan blinked. "I'm sorry, I didn't know you'd just bend forward like that. And I also apologize if I may have insulted you." He lifted up hands. "It's just I have a hard time putting others above others is all."

"That doesn't make any sense!" Garland yelled in the far back of the room.

"I guess that's fine and all, but..." Noire rubbed her head before taking a more appropriate posture, "you should still show the leaders of nations, no, the goddesses of Gamindustri, the proper respect. We aren't your everyday people you know, we're-"

"CPUs..." Gohan waved towards her. "I get it, so can I eat now?"

"Not yet." Garland said, stepping forward. "Yuuna..."

The blond's mouth slanted as Gohan fell upon the table with a groan. "As Lady Noire mentioned, we overheard that Mr. Leon was to be arrested for high treason. He escaped. I may know of a way to acquire information as to where he may have gone here in Planeptune."

"He went to Lastation-" Gohan said.

"I mean the information, you idiot..." Yuuna crossed his arms, a visible tick coming over his head. Recovering slightly, he turned back to the cast. "And lucky for us, it is around the right time that places that this guy likes to go to is open."

IF blinked. "Places like what." Yuuna shrugged.

"Strip clubs, whore houses, things like that."

A look of objection came over most of the females present in the room.

"If you're going to go chasing in the dark, you've got to look in the dark." Yuuna calmly said. "He's kind of an informant, he can get things that nobody else really can, for the right price though. He's come in handy when it came to finding certain people from time to time."

"Well, experience speaks for itself." Garland said. "And you happen to know where he is?"

"I can get into contact with him to arrange a meeting place, however, he only does business in a setting of vulgarity. It's not like I care where he conducts it anyway, so if he wants to meet in a club, then it'll be a club. I can arrange a meeting and we'll have to go from there."

Histoire looked around. "This contact of yours… he likes to go to questionable and dark places, staying off the radar, yes?" Yuuna turned to her. "I can only suspect he's a criminal of some sort."

"He's been involved in questionable activity, but he's done more than his fair share of bringing in the scum of Gamindustri."

Histoire sighed heavily. "I suppose I have no choice but to turn a blind eye to him."

"If you want to catch Mr. Leon, then you're right." He lowered his head and planted a hand into his pocket. "I'll go ring him up. I'll be back in thirty or so minutes." Without so much as a good-bye, the blond elite walked away and exited the room. Collective sighs left many figures.

Fuuin sat back. "I can't help but feel a danger when he's around."

Noire couldn't help but chuckle. "Maybe because he kicked your ass, yes?" Fuuin only groaned at her.

Gohan shook his head. "So, someone tell me why I can't eat?"

"Because, if we're going to a club, you can eat there. Not to mention you get a show." Garland said. Gohan turned towards him. "I don't know about you, but I could use some distractions after the day I've had."

"Eh… why eat there when I can eat here..." Gohan slumped down.

"The food at clubs is actually pretty good, its even better when you have a cute girl feeding it to you." he smiled at him.

"I can feed myself just fine."

Nepgear scratched her cheek and looked away. "Isn't that the truth."

Fuuin tilted his head. "So we're just going to go along with this? I mean, how can we even trust anything that guy says?"

Garland shrugged his shoulders. "He's with a CPU, that gives me more than enough reason to trust him." Fuuin only glanced away with evident disapproval. It was obvious to say he and Yuuna seemed to have some issues. With a sigh of his own, he walked over to the lone recliner sitting off to the side of the living space and slumped down.

"So, if he does actually get a meeting with this guy, who all is going?" Fuuin asked, looking around at mainly the females in the room. "I would take it many of you would be quite uncomfortable going into a club?"

Noire shook her head. "A mature mind can be present in any location." a confident and wide smile was worn on her face. Garland looked at her with a flat interest.

Does she have a mature mind though?

Fuuin turned to her. "Have you been to clubs in the past, Lady Noire?" The CPU stifled in shock at the question.

"Y-you dare ask a lady that!? How inconsiderate can you be? I know you're a peasant, but there must be a line!?"

Fuuin only sighed and turned away himself. "You're right, it was a dumb question."

Gohan looked up. "What's a club if anyone doesn't mind me asking." Everyone in the room fell silent before a loud laughter rang out. Heads turned to Neptune.

"You don't know what a club is!?"

Laughing even harder, the small petite held her stomach and fell onto her back, kicking her legs back and forth and letting out loud joyful cackles. Gohan only blinked as he rose his head from the table as others appeared bored of Neptune's display.

"I'm even more shocked you know what a club is." IF stated flatly.

"What!?" Neptune's laughter was cut sharply. "Come on, I can be mature!" She sat up and pumped two fists in front of her chest, puffing her cheeks out. "I've been womanly before."

IF smirked cheekily. "Oh really? Have you done womanly things before?"

A mad blush came across the girl's face. "Well, um, I've..." She looked away before shaking, aggravation coming upon her. "YES!" she shouted loudly. "YES I HAVE!"

Garland blinked several times. "You don't have to prove anything, Lady Neptune..."

Neptune pointed a fast finger to the soldier. "You be quiet!" she turned back to IF, "I know things! Techniques you couldn't imagine." And with a huff, she crossed her arms and looked away.

"Care to prove it?" IF tilted her head with a challenging smirk. Neptune looked at her.

"Do you know womanly things?"

"Psh." IF waved a finger. "I know things, yeah, what girl my age wouldn't?" She crossed her arms and looked away with a slight blush herself.

"Oh really, then show me." Neptune mocked. "Heh." A smug smile. "I bet you have to practice in front of a mirror because of your flatty flat chest, huh? Practice really hard I bet..." she lifted a fist to her face and stifled a "khu khu khu" kind of laugh. IF's eyes widened.

"Nah-ah!" she lifted her hands to cover her chest. "No way, I didn't practice! What about you, that's some fancy talk coming from your mouth, you washboard!"

"Maybe so," Neptune closed her eyes and looked down in victory, "but I can just transform and put the sexy on whenever I want." A loud gasp escaped IF as she took a step back. If one listened hard enough, they could have heard lightning strike. "I am both cute and sexy all in a can of bad ass." she chuckled to herself.

"Y-y-y-y-you..." IF muttered.

Fuuin blinked with wide eyes as Garland looked away with slightly clenched teeth.

"This is a very uncomfortable conversation." the seeker said.

Garland nodded. "I agree."

IF and Neptune continued to bicker, Nepgear's name being thrown around, causing said girl to jump and shake in embarrassment. Gohan only slumped back down onto the table with a whine. "My food..."

;-;-;

"So, I managed to get a hold of my guy..." Yuuna said. All nine of the teens were gathered around the main eating table, IF and Fuuin standing further from the boy than others. Garland, Noire, Nepgear, Fuuin, IF, and Histoire appeared notably interested. Neptune was smiling like a bird on a cool breezy afternoon and Gohan appeared more pathetically starved than before. "We'll be going to Libidine Stipes, it's a club ran by a sort of group of the mob, so try not to cause any trouble there."

"Mob?" Garland leaned back. "I guess we're best not going in any kind of uniforms, huh?" Yuuna nodded his head slowly in agreement.

"Only dirty people come to this place, it is a bit off of the radar, and also shady people like corrupt cops and things like that will be around, you could get mugged or cheated over there. Try not to stand out so much if you're coming along." The boy's violet eye narrowed sharply. "Remember, I'm not responsible for your well-being, anything coming onto you or against you is your own damn fault or problem, got it?"

Nods came from other members of the table.

"For one thing, I and another two individuals can go meet this guy, I don't want to spook him, and we don't all enter at the same time, got it?"

"Sure, sure." IF waved a hand. "What about us?" She propped an elbow onto the table and leaned forward. "Is it going to look strange for girls to enter too?"

Yuuna lowered his head slightly and slanted back. "Not really, aside from the CPU's if they even come, girls come into this place all time. Some like to experiment and others maybe wanting to get laid too. Girls get in for free, men have to pay."

"Wow, that sucks." Garland expressed. "How much?"

"Well, this is an outright sex club. Some is even pretty public, the more intense things are done out back in private rooms."

Noire straightened herself out and crossed her arms. "How the hell do you know so much about this place anyway, Yuuna?"

Yuuna cocked his head back and smiled, a shadow coming over his upper face. "I done in a couple of people out in the back. It was quite a mess, but all too quiet." A purple haze came over Fuuin's face as his eyes widened. Noire blinked, stooped.

"I-I see… I'm sorry I asked." she looked away.

"It was your Basillicom's orders. Don't worry, they were just some thugs and shit, they were scum of the earth." he waved his hand as if it was just a common thing. "Anyway, we'll be meeting this guy at nine sharp tonight, so we need to get going."

"Wait a minute!" Gohan suddenly screamed, sitting up. "Nine! What about food!? I gotta eat! I'm hungry, I really am!"

"Relax." Yuuna lifted a hand up, demanding him to silence down. "That's why we're going now. We need to appear casual, it'd look strange if we just showed, met with some random guy and then left. Plus we're also paying to get in, so better enjoy a show, yeah?"

Gohan growled. "I am not interested in a stupid lap dance, I want food and I want it now!" he slammed a hand down onto the table, bouncing numerous items up once. Histoire was more than shocked.

"Okay, Mr. Isie, you've made your point." She looked away shyly, "maybe we should have just let him eat before this whole conversation began in the first place..."

"We'll be eating out." Yuuna took to his feet. "You girls need to get dressed into a more streety style, especially you three." he pointed a finger toward Noire, Neptune, and Nepgear respectively. "Wear some hats, coats, loose clothing, that sort of shit. And don't cause… any… trouble…"

Noire nodded. "Alright then, you know what's best, Yuuna." Noire gave the group her back and started off into the hallway. Garland stood up beside the table and watched as the women in the room all left to get put on a new set of clothing. "So, how expensive is it to get into this place?"

"Well, the sex is essentially free, save for tip, after you pay the entry fee, which is around a hundred or so zen."

"A HUNDRED!?" Garland shouted, looking terrified. Yuuna only nodded.

"I'd advise staying away from the women, there's a high risk in catching a disease. These sluts are experts at what they do, but they've just about done any motherfucker that's come through their doors. I'm talking old perverts, shemales, crooks, some monsters even..."

Garland couldn't help but cringe at the thought of it all.

"You may want to get changed too. It'd be very awkward if a soldier of all people were to walk into a club."

"I guess you're right." Garland pinched the collar of his vest and lifted it up. "Especially one from Lowee." The soldier started off and Yuuna looked to Fuuin and the slumping Gohan.

"You two should be fine-" Yuuna's eye widened as he could see the other blond's ever growing malcontent.

"Food…" he mumbled lowly.

Yuuna blinked a bit before turning to Fuuin. "You staying or leaving? A shit like you probably shouldn't come on this trip."

Fuuin narrowed his eyes. "Say's the damn cyclops…"

"What'd you say?" Yuuna lifted up a fist and growled. "I got two eyes, you idiot. My other one was injured in a severe accident, but I see better from the one than you do with both of those!"

Fuuin turned away. "I was raised in the kind of environment we're going into, this is nothing new to me." he crossed his arms. "If anything, I know exactly how to be in this kind of situation, but you seem kind of out of it."

"I'm not going for the fucking sluts, you idiot. We're going on business." Yuuna furrowed his brows.

"Wasn't it you who said we needed to appear casual?"

"A couple of lap dances won't hurt, just watch where you stick your nose, you damn dog." And with that, the elite walked away. Fuuin growled and clenched his own fist, shaking. Gohan rose his head from his arms and looked at Fuuin with a sleepy gaze.

"Are we leaving yet?"

"Yeah, we'll be going shortly." Fuuin's fist shook slowly before he finally relaxed. Gohan watched him with slight interest before turning forward into the kitchen.

"I'm starving..." he sighed before letting his head fall once again.