I had fun writing this chapter! :D

ON WITH THE SHOW!

Neptunia Guild Files: Fate/book one

A Hyperdimension Neptunia Fan Fiction

by Derald Snyder

Section 38: Dinner Date

*3 1/2 years after Clyde's fateful visit...*

Sharon grinned as she sailed down the steepest hill in Grafx Town on her high-end bicycle... Sure, reading was nice, but so was feeling the wind in her hair! What she really wanted was one of those motorcycles that could match a car's speed, but her uncle didn't make enough from his job to afford one of those, so she had to make do.

The woman who would one day be known as 'Rider' had really filled out her figure in the years since she'd moved in with Clyde and Chrona, turning quite a few heads... she'd gone on a few dates, with her one rule being 'hands off my body or else'. One pervert who failed to heed this had gotten his nose broken and left alone with the bill, but thankfully he had been the exception.

But on this day, Sharon Kuiper would have an encounter that would completely alter her life's trajectory... as she sped down the road, she suddenly saw a blond man crossing from the sidewalk, right in her path! Fortunately she had learned from her crash-hello with Shirou, hitting the brakes and turning her front wheel so that she stopped right in front of the stranger.

"Whoa, you okay?" she gasped in relief... getting a closer look, she saw how handsome he was, smooth pale skin with red eyes, dressed in a gold-yellow suit that was perfectly pressed... (Whoa, hot stuff!) she couldn't help but think.

"Why, hello there," the man greeted smoothly. "Seems even in this backwater town, the ladies are just naturally attracted to me..."

"You wish," Sharon snarked. "Just a coincidence, that's all."

"Of course. Well, let's get off the road before a vehicle approaches..." This they did, Sharon dismounting and walking her bike onto the sidewalk. "So, you live here?"

"Yeah, for a little over three years now," Sharon nodded. "Uncle Clyde and Aunt Chrona got custody from my deadbeat dad..."

"I see... well, you seem to have grown into a lovely flower," the blond man complimented, making Sharon blush. "To think I would find a precious treasure here of all places..."

To the present-day Rider, that choice of words would have been a red flag, but Sharon only blushed deeper at hearing this. "Um, but why would someone like you come here, sir?"

"Gil, please," the man introduced himself. "Well, sometimes you have to leave the big city, get a breath of fresh air and recalibrate yourself... That's important when you're as busy as myself. No one can say that I just sit on my wealth like a lazy bum!"

"Good for you!" Sharon nodded. "Oh, I'm Sharon, by the way. Sharon Kuiper."

"Well, nice to meet you," Gil took her hand and kissed it gently. "Perhaps we could meet again sometime..."

"Um, sure... I go biking this way about the same time every weekend, so..." Sharon stammered, certain her face was beet-red now.

"Then I shall be certain to meet you again," Gil bowed from the waist. "Until then, Miss Sharon..."

*And so, a few weeks later...*

"You're going where?!" Clyde asked his niece.

"Bits & Bites To Eat," Sharon answered. "High-end restaurant in D-60..."

"Darkness-60. Just the name alone should tell you that it's a wretched hive of scum and villainy," Clyde stated sternly. "It used to be an an auxiliary base for ASIC operations, you know..."

"Ugh, look, Gil's sending his personal limo to take me right over there," Sharon sighed. "I'll be perfectly safe, just go there, eat dinner, and come back."

"Are you sure that's all this Gil wants?" her uncle asked critically.

"He's always been a gentleman!" Sharon protested. "Worst he's done is kiss my hand, that's it! Look, I told him I just wanted to try the food there, and he was fine with that. You worry too much, Uncle Clyde!"

"Somebody has to worry..." Clyde sighed, realizing his niece would not be dissuaded.

"Just be safe, Sharon..." Chrona spoke up. "I've already lost a daughter, after all..."

"I'll be careful," Sharon promised.

*That night...*

(Wow, he wasn't kidding, this place is something,) Sharon though in awe as the limo pulled up to the restaurant, the building being at least two stories tall and elegantly designed. Thanking the driver, she opened the door and got out, walking up a short set of stairs to the entrance proper...

"Excuse me, this establishment is by invitation only tonight," the bouncer stepped in front of the door.

"I-I'm with Mr. Kamesh," Sharon stammered.

"Kamesh?!" Pulling out a tablet, the bouncer quickly checked it over... "Ah... Ms Kuiper, I assume?"

"Sharon Kuiper, yes."

"Well, that explains it..." the bouncer muttered under his breath, putting his tablet away and stepping aside. "Go on in. Your table is next to the railing on the second level."

"Thank you sir," Sharon bowed slightly in gratitude, entering through the center set of double doors...

The interior was even more impressive, with bling and art pieces everywhere... Sharon was almost afraid to touch the polished brass railing as she ascended the steps to the second level. Making her way to the far end, she noticed that most, if not all of the current patrons were men. That would have been another huge red flag for present-day Rider, but Sharon just shrugged it off, soon finding the table in question and sitting down.

"Hello, Miss Kuiper," an NPC waiter walked up to her. "I'm afraid your companion is a little delayed... would you like an appetizer while you wait?"

"Sure," Sharon nodded, the waiter promptly handing her a menu. Cracking it open, her brow furrowed in confusion as she read the list of items... "Um... how about the mushrooms?"

"Stuffed mushrooms? Right away, madam," the waiter nodded, bowing and presumably heading to the kitchen.

And so Sharon waited, sipping at her water, and occasionally munching on a stuffed mushroom... Just when she starting to think she'd been stood up, she spotted Gil's distinctive blond hair making his way through the tables. "Ah, hello there, Miss Sharon. Sorry I'm late, but I had to deal with an uncooperative client for my business. He was quite stubborn..."

"The business world can be cutthroat, huh?" Sharon mused, remembering her stepmother's words from years ago.

"Indeed, especially in a city like this," Gil concurred as he sat down. "Ah, so you ordered the stuffed mushrooms?"

"It was the only thing on the menu I recognized," Sharon admitted in mild embarrassment. "Aunt Chrona's a pretty simple cook..."

"Don't worry about it," Gil waved her off with a smile. "We'll get what I usually order. Sound good?"

"Sure," Sharon agreed.

Sometime later, the two of them were eating and chatting away... while Sharon couldn't tell exactly what food her date had ordered, it was quite delicious.

"So," Gil set down his fork, "let us get down to business, shall we?"

"What business?" Sharon asked confusedly.

"We've been seeing each other for a while now," the blond man began. "I've brought you here tonight so that you would consent to become by bride..."

"Wait, what?!" Sharon recoiled in shock.

"I rather dislike repeating myself," Gil said with a sinister smile. "You should rejoice that I have counted you worthy. It's not everyday that somebody from a backwater town becomes betrothed to one of the most powerful men in Planeptune..."

"Whoa, wait a minute!" Sharon stood up. "I agreed to come here to eat dinner, that's it! You're getting really creepy here!"

"Creepy? I thought I was suave and handsome," Gil chuckled. "Are you suddenly getting cold feet, Miss Sharon?"

"Cold feet my ass! I didn't agree to this! I'm going home!" Sharon yelled, angrily grabbing her purse-

"Gentlemen," Gil snapped his fingers, Sharon stopping as every single denizen got up from their tables, turning to face the couple, the waiters quickly departing. "I'm afraid leaving is not an option."

"What the hell?!" Sharon backed up, realizing that several of the men were packing heat... then it dawned on her. "Oh my goddess! You're a mob boss!"

"Mob boss? How vulgar," Gil scoffed as he stood to his feet. "I told you I was a powerful man, did I not? You don't get to my position by not being willing to crack some skulls, so to speak. Perhaps you see how hasty you're being now?"

"Shit... this is one of those offers I can't refuse!" Sharon squeaked, gripping her purse like a lifeline, for all the good it would do.

"I suppose you could say that... but unlike some of the offers I've made to others, this one is quite generous," Gil chuckled as he closed the distance. "How about we seal the deal with a kiss...?"

"Get away!" Sharon screamed as she swung wildly, Gil easily ducking the attack! Sharon then ran to a nearby table and threw a glass of water in his face!

"Hey! You bitch!" A nearby thug drew his gun...

"Wait, WAIT!" Gil held up a hand, even as he covered his wet face with the other. "You pull that trigger and the dogs pull your corpse apart, mongrel!"

"S-sorry, boss!" the thug immediately raised his gun up, another one handing Gil a towel to wipe his face off.

After he had dried off, Gil turned to face Sharon once more. "Heh... see, this is why I was attracted to you in the first place, Miss Sharon. It's not often I meet a woman who doesn't immediately submit themselves to me," he slowly approached again. "But even you must see that, to borrow a cliche, resistance is futile. And don't expect any superheroes to come crashing through the skylight at the last moment to save you..."

All Sharon could was squeak as the mob boss gently, yet firmly embraced her. (Oh, Uncle Clyde, why didn't I listen to you...?!) she thought as Gil went in for a kiss...

But before his lips made contact, the skylight suddenly shattered, a large object falling through to the lower level below! The thugs down there immediately opened fire on the object, only stopping when it was clear it wasn't moving anymore. "What is that?" Gil demanded to know.

"It's... a mannequin?" one of the thugs replied, baffled.

"A mannequin...?!" But while Gil and the others were looking down, a smoke bomb sailed through the broken skylight, detonating and enveloping the boss's thugs around him and Sharon! "What the hell?!" And then, someone swung down through the skylight on a rope and landed next to them! He had short red hair and black eyes, a black mask over his face with his mouth exposed, a skintight black shirt and pants, and a red jacket! "The Red Archer?!" Gil cried in shock, allowing the new arrival to pull Sharon from his grasp! Archer then pointed something in his face, but instead of firing at him, it fired two arrows in opposite directions, one sticking in the nearby wall, the other flying down and embedding itself just above the entrance, a sturdy string attached to both bolts!

"Hold on to me," Archer ordered, Sharon wrapping her arms around his neck as he raised up what was now revealed to a rappelling construct, the duo lifting off the floor and sliding down the string to the double doors, Archer kicking them open with his feet! Landing safely, he only stopped to throw another smoke bomb down to cover their escape!

"...Me and my big mouth," Gil said in dumbstruck awe. "...What are you mongrels gawking at?! Bring her back to me!" The thugs on the lower level immediately shook off their stupor and gave chase...

*To be continued...*

Yay! Shirou to the rescue! But will he and Sharon escape Gil's goons?! Find out next time!