Chapter 18 A Blogging Goddess and, A Challenger Appears?!

"Iffy, whatcha doing? Playing single player chess? Single-player rummy, if you wanna play a game, you can ask me and not be a Noire about it." IF gave the girl a perturbed look before replying, "Oh shut it. I'm checking the goddess's blog for information."

Ragna came over with Compa behind him, with a raised eyebrow, he asked, "Uh, the hell is a blog again?" Neptune almost looked like she was disappointed in the Reaper, while Compa sweatdropped as Ragna growled at Neptune's look, "What? I barely know how to work a damn cellphone, let alone understand all the extra that goes with it."

"It's pretty much a site run by a person or small group; they're used for conversations and, information updates, this one, in particular, is ran by Lady Green Heart of Leanbox." IF explained, not looking away from the cellphone.

Ragna nodded along, not aiming to get a computer lesson while Neptune asked, "Do all of the goddesses have one?"

IF shrugged before responding, "As far as I know, Lady Green Heart is the only one."

Neptune sighed in disappointment before muttering, "Aw, I wanted to mess with Noire with her entries."

"That's mean even for you, Nep-Nep." Compa chided Neptune.

Ragna's eye caught something as IF scrolled down the page of texts warning of monster appearances and, the cursor had changed to a hand for a split second, he remarked, "Just wondering, what does it mean when the arrow you're moving around turns into a hand?"

IF replied, " Well, it happens when the cursor touches a link or certain games can cause it to change also. Why?"

Ragna then told her, "A little ways back, I saw it change for a moment."

"That so, like a hidden link?" Neptune commented, sounding interested.

Before quickly moving next to IF and told her, "IF go back, let's see what we can find!"

IF rolled her eyes, saying, "Oh come on and, give me back my cell Neptune. Lady Green Heart isn't a goofer like you; there's no way there could be a...huh there is one?!" Neptune gave a cheeky grin as she quickly found the hidden link, while IF's eyes went wide with slight worry.

"Welcome to my hidden page, and I will be posting my private diary here." Neptune read out the title of the page the link sent them to out loud.

IF responded with a stutter, "L..Lady Green Heart's diary?! Y..you shouldn't read other people's diaries!"

Neptune just kept her grin teasing IF, "Sure Iffy, you want to save it for the trip, right? Wanna have Ragna read it to you while snuggling upon him as we rest on the tram hehe."

Ragna groaned in annoyance as IF fumed at Neptune, Compa commenting, "Uh, it couldn't have anything too bad in it i..if Lady Green Heart's comfortable with posting it."

"Now, let's see..."I bought six new games. My backlog is getting too big..." IF gave a look of surprise, while Ragna raised an eyebrow as Neptune continued with, "I can't wait to get my [Tsundere Otaku Eyeglasses Set]." Neptune then had a shocked expression, saying, "Wait, that's the limited edition released by the Otomate branded company!"

At this point, Ragna had become completely lost as IF let out a small noise of despair. Neptune kept reading, "Hmm...Can't play Four Goddess's Online with the server error :(" After she stopped reading again, Neptune said, "So, I guess Lady Green Heart's a gamer? What's 4 Goddess's Online anyways?"

IF's face had become dread-filled, she crumpled to her knees, muttering out, "My image...of Lady Green Heart...it's crumbling with every word."

Ragna scoffed at IF's reaction, telling the girl, "Get up squirt, whining over your image of Green Heart. If things turn out, even somewhat close to what went down in Lastation, you would have found out eventually and, been crushed harder from it being in person."

"Mr. Ragna, that isn't a nice way to put it." Compa commented while silently elbowing him in the side; it didn't hurt at all, and he rolled his eyes as Compa went into comfort mode, telling IF, "It's okay Iffy, maybe she has this to help keep a better public image?"

That small glimmer of hope let Iffy bounce back instantly, replying, "Your right, Compa! My Lady Green Heart would never be this much of a gamer; she probably has a basilicom worker post these to give her a more relatable persona!"

"I wouldn't get your hopes up to high there IF," Ragna thought while looking at the goddess currently in the room. If Neptune and, not to mention, Ribbons are any example, the other two were more than likely just as unsettled.

After Neptune and, IF created a wager on if or if not that Green Heart was a gamer, the group headed out.

(Several hours later)

"So, this is Leanbox's basilicom?" Compa questioned while admiring the buildings designs.

Neptune followed up with, "Hope we don't get treated like back in Lastation."

A small scowl appeared on Ragna's face, thinking back on how that last guy acted pissed him off slightly. IF noticed this, commenting to the group while looking at the Reaper specifically, "It should be fine, and even if it isn't no gutting anyone, please?"

"Tch, I won't go that far, a few broken confessionals at most," Ragna growled out in response, adjusting his jacket's collar.

IF rolled her eyes going back to her phone, making Compa ask, "By the way, what is Iffy looking at anyway?"

IF replied with a confident look, "Lady Green Heart's blog, it was just updated, so she must be here."

Neptune laughed, commenting, "Nah, I'm pretty sure someone else is updating it for her."

Afterward, IF began grumbling at Neptune irritated at her for continuously damaging her mental image of Green Heart and Neptune being who she was, didn't relent for a moment. This facade went on for a good minute before finally, Ragna was going to tell them both to shut up.

"Oh, Nep-Nep, stop teasing Iffy already. I think 's getting impatient; we should get inside." IF took the lead of the group, an enthusiastic feeling to her steps following behind was Neptune, leaving Ragna and Compa walking in the back.

Compa chided the Reaper silently, "Mr. Ragna, you should be next to Iffy right now, you know,"

Ragna arched an eyebrow at her before replying," Rather let her have some space, especially after Lastation."

"Mr. Ragna, I think because of Lastation you should be next to her," Compa told the Grim Reaper with a look of dissapointment.

Ragna rolled his eyes, replying, "Are you going to start with this teasing crap too?"

Compa's eyes turned serious, whisper yelling at Ragna. "I'm not messing with you, ; I'm serious when I say that Iffy wouldn't mind staying close to you is all."

That's when the group heard an older voice, "My oh my, what a lively group we have visiting the basilicom today." Ragna was the first to react, gaining a slightly peeved look at the man dressed in fancy butler-esque attire, dropping it while the man introduced himself, "My name is Yvoire. What brings you all here today."

Neptune responded, "We came to meet the CPU."

Yvoire gave a strange look before telling the group, "How amazingly unfortunate. Meeting time with the CPU is done for the day."

"Aww, really? She's still here, though, right? Can we please have a peek, a little small one can't hurt right?" Neptune whined at the older man who didn't seem like he'd budge on the matter.

IF looked at Neptune and told her, "Nep, it's our fault for being late. We'll come by again tomorrow."

Neptune looked at IF, inquiring, "Give up? But, weren't you all over that goddess?"

IF flushed at that two seconds from getting into it with Neptune for teasing her, as Ragna shook his head, going to take a seat thinking, "This is gonna take a while."

(A small-time later)

Ragna twitched at the feeling of something poking him, having dozed off as the girls talked with Yvoire. Cracking an eye open, it was Compa who had a slightly embarrassed look just past her was IF holding her hand over Neptune's mouth with a rather unhappy look.

"Um, , we need to get going because, well." Compa had an embarrassed look on her face.

Ragna sighed under his breath, replying, "I think I can guess why." So, the group left the basilicom empty-handed, with Ragna having to wonder if this was another part of his shitty luck.

(In town)

After leaving the Basilicom, the group started to wonder about the town, till out of boredom, Neptune asked, "So, what do you guys wanna do first?"

Compa shrugged and, Ragna replied by saying, "doesn't matter long as we're not stuck working for an evil ass company."

"How about this cafe I heard about? It's in a nearby town, and I heard they sell sublime scones." IF said while trying to cover up that her stomach had made a light grumble.

Neptune gained a small dribble of water run down her mouth, saying, "Scones sounds good, not as good as pudding but, it'll do for now."

Compa followed up with, "If Iffy says so, it must be good. I want to go there."

IF then smiled, opening her phone while saying, " It looks like there's a carriage that should take us there." After finding the carriage, IF gave an annoyed look to the carriage driver, saying, "Huh? What do you mean the carriage isn't running?"

The driver replied, "With all the monsters clouting the roads, we can't send any of them out."

"Um, is there another way to get to the town then?" Compa asked the driver.

He scratched his head, before responding," Hm, the only other way there is through a dungeon area."

Compa seemed to deflate while muttering, "Oh, no.."

The driver then apologized for the bad news and went off to do more work, leaving Neptune to ask, "So, what do we do now that we can't get a ride there?"

Ragna responded with a grumble, "the same thing we've done for most of the damn trip." While he was more than familiar with walking everywhere he went, the trams to and from the different contents had made him hungry for actual transportation.

"Oh, don't worry, it's not that far of a walk." IF reassured them.

Compa replied to her, "I guess so. Speaking of, Iffy, you know the way there, right?"

IF's expression became concerned and, she muttered, "Oh, that's right... Let's ask around and see if we can get directions."

Neptune gained a look of confidence, telling the group," Leave it to me! My positive demeanor will get directions in a jiffy!"

The short goddess then skipped off and, Ragna sighed, looking at the other two girls telling them, "You two stay here, I don't trust that girl not to get in trouble."

Just catching up, Ragna looked at how Neptune was conversing with someone, and he approached while calling, "Hey Nep...whoa!" After just getting next to Neptune, the girl she was talking to made a small noise of fear, before going to deliver a blindingly fast punch, Ragna caught the blow just as quickly with ground slightly cracking below him.

"Whoa, I don't know what's more awesome, how fast Tekkan threw that wicked punch or how Rags caught it without budging." Tekken herself was caught off-guard; she wasn't expecting the man who had approached them to catch her punch.

Ragna looked at Neptune while letting go of the girl's fist, asking," You have the directions, Neptune?"

she nodded before saying, "Rags, you won't believe it, but Tekken, here is from another world like you."

Tekken has dark grey hair that reached half-way down her back, soft red eyes and, a slightly tan complexion. She's slender with an ample bust size and two silver necklaces holding a Tekken charm spelled in all caps.

For clothing, she had a red and black strapless sports bra. On her hands, she had matching colored fingerless gloves that had silver spikes on the hands. She was also wearing blue gi pants with a flame pattern design at the bottom of the left leg, while the right half was torn, only covering the mid-thigh and exposing some of her blue and white striped panties.

The pants are tied to her waist by a black and red martial arts belt. She doesn't have any socks or shoes on with a silver bracelet on her left ankle.

"Think I've found the one outfit that could expose more skin than Makoto's." Ragna thought before running a hand through his spiky hair, telling Tekken, "That so, the name's Ragna," he looked at his arm before complimenting her strength, "That was a hell of a punch for just a reaction. You should try hold though; you'd kill a normal person with that sort of swing."

Tekken seemed just to let out a few shy murmurs and play with her fingers. Ragna didn't mind though, turning to Neptune he told her, "Alright, let's head back to the others, lord knows the squirt's gonna get pissed if we take to long."

"Heh, your right about that Rags, it's was nice to meet ya Tekken!"Neptune called out, Ragna also gave a good-bye saying, "See ya."

However, just as they took a few steps, suddenly Tekken called out to them, " Wait!. " she quickly grabbed Ragna's left arm, almost crushing it in a hug, squeaking out, "I want t..to fight you!"

"The hell do you mean you want to fight me!?" Ragna scowled out, his look sharpening at the girl clasped around his left arm.

Tekken shivered for a moment at Ragna's sharp tone but replied with her voice steading, 'Y..you caught my pu...punch, n..noone's ever done that be...before. N..not even the Ne...Neptune of my world."

Neptune then blinked before saying, "Oh, I get you; the fact that Rags caught your means he's going to be a good opponent for you."

Tekken looked at Neptune doing a nod before returning her eyes to Ragna's face, and her shyness had changed into a gaze of determination as she told him, "Just the aura around him screams powerful, and so, S...Sir Ragna, I would like to fight you to see how far my training's brought me."

"Tch," Ragna clicked his tongue before growling out at her, "We've got places to be, I'm not going to waste time picking a fight for no reason, done enough of that already. Also, it's Ragna, not Sir Ragna or some shit. "

Tekken's eyes grew teary, and she whined out at him, "Please, it's only one little brawl, we can go out of the way and everything."

Ragna showed his stubbornness by nodding no, going to walk away as Neptune suddenly cried out, "Hold it! I've got an idea do you have anywhere to be Tekken?"

"No, n..not at the moment," Tekken muttered out while still trying to use crocodile tears on the Grim Reaper.

Neptune replied with a smile, "Then why not come along with us, that way, you'll be able to fight Ragna eventually and, it'll give us a new party member."

Tekken seemed to take a moment to think, saying with a smile, "Tha...that sounds nice Neptune, sure I..I'll come along."

Neptune did a small cheer while Ragna grumbled about one more idiot to deal with, before growling at Tekken, "Now will you let go of me already damn it!"

Chapter 18

Reviews

ArmantusCumPinnae- Sorry about the fights, such scenes aren't my strong point so I hope you can understand that. In terms of actual area damage, I feel if I were to elaborate on that, we wouldn't have Gamindustry to play with. Don't worry; there will be much fluff for Ragna.

Robloxx - Yeah, that was mainly due to me being half done with the second chapter by the first one's release. I won't deny that there might be a harem in the end, but it won't be a big one if it happens.

M. Touhou Magicus - Thank you for pointing out these errors, and to let you know, I will guarantee Blanc is a part of the fluff-filled fun later on.

Kerrowe - Thanks for the advice and examples. It is visible, just covered by her clothing. The gem sits just above where her chest(would be) is and makes her hugs seem warmer than usual.

Wilyman2009 - I'm glad you enjoyed Ragna's way of dealing with Neptune.

RedBurningDragon - I mean, when your brother's primary calling in life is giving you a killer cold shoulder, I think anywhere with snow would be the last place where you want to go.