Day 47

"I cannot believe you actually bought one." Said Linda, as we walked back into our apartment.

I gave a quick smile as I placed down the big box on the nearby coffee table.

"Seriously! I thought you were just joking when you said you were getting that!" Continued Linda as I sighed, sitting down on a chair near her.

"Why the hell are you so mad anyways?" I asked her, opening the box as I pulled out a case.

"My 'Problem', is that you spent cash that we don't exactly HAVE right now, on a goddamn guitar!" Said Linda, pointing at the Guitar case I was now holding.

"Hey, at least I actually know how to play it!" I said in defense.

"Do you actually?" Linda asked, not buying it.

"Uh, yeah, I do." I said, feeling a bit insulted. "I learned it during the summer before my last year at high school."

"You went to high school?" Asked Linda, eye raised.

"...Well, I MAY have dropped out before October…" I said. 'For reasons that were out of my control, mind you.' I thought, before continuing outloud. "But I did get lessons in the summer."

"That still doesn't change the fact that you spent money that we didn't have!" Shouted Linda.

"Hey, it's not MY fault no one wants to hire me right now!" I shouted.

"Actually, it probably is, sorta." Said Linda, grabbing a copy of my resume and slamming it down in front of me. "What kind of dumb*ss do you need to be, to ACTUALLY WRITE DOWN YOU WERE A MEMBER OF ASIC, ON YOUR GODDAMN RESUME!"

"...Well, to be fair, it's always good to put all past experiences on a resume." I said, hands quickly being raised up, as Linda gave me a death glare. "Okay fine, I get it! What the hell do you want me to do?"

Before Linda could say anything, she stopped and opened her cell phone messages. While she was distracted, I moved over to the refrigerator, grabbing a can of soda from the fridge. The label: Doc P. on the side.

'It's actually absurd how much this sh*t is on the black market…' I thought to myself, opening the can and taking a quick sip. 'Like, holy crap. I only got this stuff because I thought it would be good leverage against MAGES. since, you know, this IS MAGES. I'm referring to.'

"So good news, you're off the hook for now." Said Linda, as I placed my can on the countertop.

"Oh?" I asked, taking another sip of my drink before walking over to Linda. "What's the occasion?"

"We're going to help Trick capture the CPU Candidates of Lowee." Said Linda.

"Trick… Trick… Trick… He's the Pedophile, right?" I asked, snapping my fingers as I faked thinking back on my… old boss. I'll be honest, Trick… well, Trick was literally THE MOST UNCOMFORTABLE CFW to be around. Sure, Judge was a pain to deal with since, I dunno, rage swings much? But no… Trick was downright DISTURBING.

And of course, that IS to be expected, the dude's a god damned PEDOPHILE for god sakes… I think I don't need to explain much else there.

"Yeah. Him." Said Linda, as we shared a look of utter disgust, before she continued.

"However, he's not the one actually paying." Said Linda, at this, I raised an eyebrow. "Some weird lady is apparently asking us this."

I sighed, rubbing my temples. "So what, we going to Lowee?" I asked.

"Apparently, yes, we are." Said Linda. "So hurry up, and get your uniform."

"Seriously, I need to wear THAT crap again?" I asked, sighing in frustration. "Fine, I'll go put on the freaking thing."

Day 48

So we were now in Lowee, and as it currently stands, just sorta waiting to for a perfect opportunity.

"Any news?" I asked, on the opposite side of the room from Trick, as Linda nodded.

"Yep. Turns out the twerps are going over to the newly opened theme park." Said Linda.

"Wait… Wasn't it something like… Super… Retro Land?" I asked.

"That's the one." Said Linda as we turned to the CFW in the room.

"So, got any ideas?" I asked.

I sighed aloud as I, along with Linda, moved coins in a straight line to Trick.

"This is the dumbest plan ever…" I said, sighing.

"I think some of YOUR plans top this." Said Linda.

"No, that was due to unforeseen issues. THIS, this is just a stupid plan." I said. "Honestly, I'd be surprised if they fall for it."

'They will, but that's not the point…' I thought to myself.

I quickly moved back to where Trick was, as we waited. And waited. This continued before we heard the sounds of footsteps and voices.

"... -A rare item!" Said a young sounding voice.

"Here we go…" I said, readying myself for what was to come.

"That one too." Said a more reserved sounding voice, I assume this is Rom.

"Oh, and that one too!" I looked over at linda, seeing a smirk on her face, before looking over at Trick, to end up seeing him practically drool.

'Note to self: When the CPUs come after Trick, distance yourself as much as possible.' I thought to myself.

"They're all reptile coins!" Said Ram. "But, uh, I think I've had enough."

"Let's take some back for sis." Said Rom.

"Good luck with that." I muttered, loud enough for Linda to hear, which caused her to snicker.

"Why bother?" Asked Ram. "Not like She bothered coming."

"Yeah, but…" Rom replied.

"Fine…" Said Ram. "Let's take a whole lot back for sis."

"Okay!" Responded Rom.

"Hook, line and sinker…" I said, backing up a bit.

"Lick…" Was all Trick said, before grabbing the two Candidates, muffling their screams with his hands.

I quickly heard the sound of footsteps, as the sound of the other candidates voices' entered.

"Rom? Ram?" Asked Nepgear, before turning to see Rom and Ram being held in Trick's grasp, along with Linda and I standing next to him.

"Ah-kekekekeke!" Trick let out a disturbing laugh, as Nepgear and Uni got out of their surprised stupors.

"Rom! Ram!" Nepgear said in concern, before Uni stepped up.

"What's the meaning of this!?" She asked, before her face was quickly covered by a glob of webbing, courtesy of myself.

"Do us a favour and shut up, would you?" I asked, before Trick launched his tongue out like a damn rocket, slamming it into the two candidates as they fell to the ground.

"Post-Pubescent hags need not apply!" Said Trick.

"Looks like it went off without a hitch, guys." Said Linda as she turned to me and Trick.

"Yeah, although…" I began, before webbing up Nepgear's mouth as well. "One for the road as well."

I then checked that I left them able to breath, before returning to the matter at hand.

Trick let out a laugh. "Our delicious banquet of fun has only just begun!"

As we turned to walk away, or in Trick's case, bounce, I turned back to Nepgear and Uni and gave them an apologetic smile, before continuing on.

'...I don't think webbing their faces gave any brownie points…' I thought to myself, before sighing as I looked on as Trick's tongue moved around in the general area of the two candidates in his grip.

'...Yeah… I am DEFINITELY betraying this d*ckhead…'

I sighed as I leaned against the wall nearest to the door with my headphones on. I was currently trying to block out everything in the room right now, as of course, standing in a room with Trick is about as fun as it sounds.

I was saved from my boredom as Linda walked back into the room.

"Trick!" Said Linda, as I took off my headphones. "I called them and delivered our ransom demands."

As Linda finished this line of words, she turned her attention to what I was blocking out all this time.

"Wait, what are you doing!?" Asked Linda.

"Healing them, of course!" Said Trick. "My saliva is a miraculous panacea that cures any ill!"

I was currently slamming my head into the nearest wall at this sentence.

"Th-that so?" Linda asked, as I just took a deep breath.

"I'll have you two feeling better lickity-split!" Said Trick.

"That's it!" I suddenly said, pushing off the wall. "I need to get some air."

I quickly made way away from… whatever the f*ck was going on in there, Linda following me as well, probably for the same reason.

As I got away from Trick, I stopped turning to Linda.

"Okay, I'm going to level with you." I said. "I am PROBABLY going to lead some CPUs to Trick."

Linda looked at me like I was insane. "Are you crazy!?" She responded in kind. "You DO know we're only getting paid via the ransom right?"

I put my hands up. "YES, I realize! However, you've seen him. I am LITERALLY not spending another goddamn second just standing by while he 'heals' children!" I said, a disturbed expression on my face. "There's a line I won't cross, and I'm afraid I've been pulled past that line."

"...Look, whatever. At least leave, and let me take care of it." Said Linda.

"I didn't think you cared that much." I said. 'So she DOES have a heart.'

"Oh no, I don't." Said Linda.

'There we go.' I thought.

"I just don't want you screwing up my paycheck." Said Linda.

"...Well, best of luck to you." I said, walking away from her.

As I moved out of view, I found an air vent of sorts and crawled inside it.

"Okay… now to get back to Trick…" I said quietly, wincing as it echoed a bit.

As I made my way over to the room Trick was holding Rom and Ram hostage at, I heard the sound of something slamming into the ceiling and being launched away.

'Linda's blasting off again!' I thought, chuckling to myself, before continuing on my journey.

As I reached the room, I found that…

"Why is this place freaking empty!?" I quietly questioned, before leaving the vent and slowly descended to the floor with the help of my left webshooter.

As my feet touched the floor, I quietly moved to the open hole in the wall.

"...I'm not going to ask." I muttered, looking out to see White Heart taking out Trick. "About time…"

I sighed, before looking back at White Heart to see her turning to Rom and Ram.

"At least things ended up okay…" I said, a slight smile on my face.

...I really shouldn't have spoken.

It turns out, White Heart has some… good hearing.

I learned this when she snapped her focus onto me after I said this.

"...Aw crap baskets…" I muttered before turning around to see Green Heart right in front of me. "Also not good for me!"

"Where exactly do you think you're going?" Asked Green Heart, as I felt the wind behind me pick up.

"...Anywhere but here." I quickly said, activating my causality gauntlet, as I sprinted away from Vert and Blanc, jumping out the hole as I continued running away from them.

As Effect snapped back in place, I quickly turned a corner, panting.

"That was too close…" I said.

"Where did that bastard go!?" Asked White Heart.

"Found him!" Shouted a voice next to me, as I turned to see Neptune standing there with a coy smirk on her face, winking at me.

"HOW THE HELL DO YOU KEEP DOING THAT!?" I exclaimed, before feeling a sense of dread as I quickly jumped to the side, avoiding the business end of a battle axe.

"Stop running!" Shouted White Heart.

"Yeah, f*ck that!" I shouted, webbing up her face as I web zipped into the air. "Gotta find a way out…"

I quickly swung around, before finding another unfinished attraction of sorts.

And just in time.

As I found the attraction, I felt myself start falling, as my webline had been cut. I looked up to see Black Heart over top of me.

"Oh come on!" I shouted, once again activating my causality gauntlet, my body stopping at the ground without feeling any normal fall damage as I ran inside the attraction.

As I entered, I quickly shut the door, Cause and Effect snapping back into place.

I looked down at my gauntlet, finding that there was a warning sign, basically giving me a cool down I had to worry about.

"Sh*t!" I muttered, looking out the window to see the four Goddesses looking around for me. "Why all four of 'em?" I questioned, before looking back at the attraction, finding… familiar looking go karts.

"...Oh… so this is…" I muttered, before gaining a smirk on my face. "Okay, this'll be fun."

(Play Deja Vu - Initial D)

I quickly started up the go kart engine, as the kart burst to life. The sound reverberating throughout the area.

"Got to hurry…" I said, hopping into the Kart, not grabbing a helmet. "Seat Belts… check." I said, clicking the seat belt into place.

"I heard it from over here!" Shouted a voice that I recognized as Nepgear.

"Sh*t!" I quietly said, doing a quick check over the kart. There wasn't really anything out of place.

"The door's locked!" Shouted a voice, as I heard the sound of something heavy smashing into the door. "Second time's the charm!"

"It's go time!" I said, slamming my foot on the gas as the kart drove onto the under construction course.

The wind instantly blasted my face, as I drove onto the pavement of the track. I looked behind me to see Green Heart, Black Heart and Purple Heart look at me before giving chase.

"Why did I think this was a good idea…" I thought to myself, before swerving to the right as I avoided an attack from Black Heart.

"Pull your vehicle over!" She shouted, before getting a good look at me. "Hey wait! You're the guy who-"

I quickly fired a web shot at her face, before turning the wheel to the right, and then instantly turning it to the left as the kart started drifting around a tight corner.

"YEAH!" I exclaimed, as blue sparks started forming around my rear tires. "That doesn't look good…"

I looked to my left to see Green Heart charging me. I quickly turned the steering wheel to its neutral position as the kart quickly gained a burst of speed as I dodged the CPU.

"What the hell was that!?" I asked myself, before coming up to what seemed like a ramp upwards. There was one problem with it, it wasn't completed.

I looked to the left, finding a large pole next to it.

"Please don't screw this up…" I said, shooting a web line to the pole, before webbing the line to the side of the kart.

As the Kart drove over the incomplete ramp, the speed and momentum carried into the web line, as I felt my body quickly being shoved to the right as the kart quickly gained air.

"Oh crap oh crap oh crap!" I exclaimed, cutting the line as I went spiralling into the air.

As the kart started slowing down, I saw that I was on a direct collision course with, guess who, Ram and Rom, because why not? Let the universe crap on me right now.

I quickly grabbed both of them with some webbing and through them forward, causing me to just sail on past them.

"Sorry!" I shouted to the candidates, as the Kart hit the ground and I picked up speed.

As I sped up, I saw what I assumed to be Purple Heart in front of me by a few feet. Quickly thinking, I entered another drift, quickly turning to the right as blue sparks started forming.

"Deja vu!" I quietly shouted, as I drifted that corner. As I exited the drift, I looked up to see the gate to the park in front of me. "Got it!"

As I approached, I heard a loud bang and then a weird green beam quickly smashed into the top of the exit, the area starting to crumble.

"Son of a-!" I quickly gained speed as I approached the exit. As I reached the exit, I barely cleared the gate, as the gate crumbled behind me.

"Yeah, I'm not stopping right now." I said, keeping my pace up as I drove into Lowee.

(Stop Music)

As I reached Lowee, I quickly disembarked from the Kart, running over to whatever transportation I could get to Planeptune.

As I boarded what I assumed to be a train of sorts, I quickly slumped against the seat, looking out the window to see Purple Heart, Black Heart and Green Heart following the train a bit away, as to not look suspicious.

"...Might as well sleep for now… We don't arrive till morning…" I muttered, closing my eyes.

Day 49

Only to open them to find that it was now day and we were slowing down.

I looked out the window to see some familiar landmarks, and some guild members… and guards…

Ah crap…

I quickly stood up, making my way to the back of the train thing as I attempted to get as far away as possible from the opening.

As the Train thing stopped, and the entrance opened, a lone figure stepped inside.

"Sorry about any issues this may cause with scheduling, but the guild has been told there's a danger to the nation aboard this train." Said a female voice I almost instantly recognized as the one and only IF.

"They flatter me, and also make things SO much worse for me." I muttered, slowly opening an emergency exit.

I wasn't very quite.

"Hey you!" IF shouted at me, as I quickly opened the exit and sprinted out of there.

Only to find a group of guards waiting for me.

"Now is NOT the time for this!" I shouted, looking at my gauntlet to see it was ready to be used. "Sorry!"

I activated the gauntlet, as I pushed past the frozen guards. I quickly ran into the main streets as cause and effect snapped back together.

"Okay, plan b!" I shouted, firing off a web line and launching myself into the air, before going into a swing as I looked behind me, seeing the Guards and IF, who was on her motorcycle, attempt to make chase.

I looked forward just in time to see something purple before something crash into me and send me, along with the thing I crashed into, hurtling towards the ground.

As I approached the asphalt, I felt myself slow down before being dropped to the ground. It wasn't a fatal drop, but it was going to make me sore later.

As I tried to regain my senses, I looked up to see Purple Heart pointing her sword at me, a bunch of Basilicom guards around us.

"I'd recommend you stop resisting." Said Purple Heart.

"...Well… sh*t…" I said, raising my hands into the air as I was quickly taken into custody.

...God... dammit.