Another day, another chapter...

Neptunia Guild Files: Fate/book one

A Hyperdimension Neptunia Fan Fiction

by Derald Snyder

Section 20: Questioning Survivors

*Haneda City General Hospital, Visitor's Lobby*

"Remember, keep your mouth shut," Rider said to Nero as they entered. "I don't want us getting kicked out because of your shouting..." Nero silently nodded in response. "Good girl."

"Who are you here to see?" the NPC receptionist asked the quartet as they walked up.

"Miss Gray," Rider said, flashing her Guild member's badge. "We want to talk to her about her attacker..."

"The serial killer? This must be serious if they've called in the guild," the NPC muttered. "Well, I believe there was one other survivor, I assume you want her room number as well?"

"Yes, please," Rider nodded. "Nero, you come with me to see Miss Gray. Tamamo, Mordred, you go and question the other one."

The other three grunted in agreement.

*Gray's Hospital Room*

Nero did a double-take upon seeing Waver's partner lying on the hospital bed. It wasn't the bloody, bandaged torso that gave her pause, but rather the fact that she had almost the same face as Saber and herself, the main difference being her silver hair.

"Oh no... another Saber-face," Gray groaned upon locking eyes with Nero. "As if one wasn't bad enough..."

"M-mere coincidence, I assure you," Nero bowed, trying to keep her voice down.

"She's a new recruit," Rider said. "You remember me, Miss Gray?"

"Ah... Rider, wasn't it?" Getting a nod in response, she continued, "Did the professor call for you?"

"Not exactly... we came here for an unrelated reason," Rider shook her head. "But that's not important right now. Can you please tell us about the guy who attacked you?"

Gray's brow furrowed at the question. "Well, you see, that's the strange thing... I know I fought him, but I can't recall any details at all, other than the fact he wielded two knives... and that's only because of my injuries..."

"Y-you don't recall anything?! How can that be?!" Nero gasped.

"Hssst!" Rider shushed her. "Do you remember anything about the encounter? Anything at all?"

"...I remember it getting really foggy. It was late at night... that's when he usually attacks," Gray explained. "He always slashes the stomach and torso open, wounds anywhere else are usually defensive... Professor deduced that the killer was about my height, so I thought I could take him... As it was, I barely got away with my life."

"So the killer is somewhat short in stature," Rider nodded. "He must be using some sort of magic to cloud his victim's minds so they can't identify him, even if they survive..."

"It sounds like our best option would be to patrol the city streets at night ourselves," Nero mused. "But we should at least stay in pairs, in case we get caught off guard..."

"Not a bad idea," Rider concurred...

*Meanwhile, with the other survivor...*

"White hair! I remember that much!" Tekken said from her hospital bed, a grin of pleasure on her face as she rubbed one hand over her bandages. "It was such a fun fight! So much pain...!"

"Uh, what," Mordred sweat-dropped in disbelief. "You like pain?!"

"That's what we call a masochist, mikon," Tamamo sighed. "Might explain why this one survived..."

"O-kaaay, I'm out," Mordred grunted in disgust as she turned away. "I'm gonna get some water..." She promptly left the room.

"Um, right... anything else you remember, mikon?"

"Uhhh... kinda short, and he used two knives," Tekken replied. "Actually, I can't remember if it was a he or a she..." She shrugged indifferently. "I hope we can fight again sometime, though!"

"Um, you realize this person's killed several other women, right?" Tamamo inquired.

"What?! I didn't know that!" Tekken reared up, only grimace in pain, her face segueing to one of pleasure as she sank back onto her bed... "That guy seemed so friendly, too..."

"R... right," Tamamo sweat-dropped, her stomach starting to churn slightly. (Time to follow Mordred's lead and get some water, I think...)

*Back in the lobby...*

"So, our suspect has white hair, is somewhat short, and acts friendly with his victims before he disembowels them. And he only strikes around midnight," Rider summarized. "Alright, so what we should do is head to the scene of the killer's latest murder at nighttime, split up into pairs and patrol the surrounding blocks..."

"Sounds good to me," Mordred nodded. "But maybe we should try and crash for a bit first, so we're not dead tired at night..."

"Good idea," Tamamo agreed.

"But where shall we stay? We haven't made hotel reservations or anything!" Nero pointed out.

"Ah, dammit, I knew I was forgetting something!" Rider groaned. "Okay, I'll get a hold of Agent Zero and see if he knows anyplace we can sleep..." She pulled out her cell phone, dialing...

*Haneda Magic Academy, Storage Room*

"Well, at least it's not cramped, mikon," Tamamo sighed, the group laying on the floor with nothing but blankets and thick hardcover volumes as impromptu pillows.

"Reminds me of this one time I was punished for misbehaving by being made to sleep in the garage," Nero sighed. "I was pulled from that foster home not long after..."

"Just keep it down so I can sleep," Mordred groaned.

"I've got the alarm on my phone set for 11:30 PM," Rider informed the others. "That should give us enough time to get around before we head out on patrol..."

"Well, I wish you all pleasant dreams then," Nero sighed, before turning over and closing her eyes...

Needless to say, it was a while before sleep came for any of them... and when the alarm went off some hours later, the quartet were quite sore and stiff...

*To be continued...*

Next, a confrontation with the killer! Will the Guild succeed, or become his/her next victims...?