- Balarch (?)
The chase went on, between the fleeing sisters and the CPU on her mecha. With the speed of the mecha's rocket thruster, it should have caught up to them long ago, but luckily, it was slowed down by the constant bumping around the narrow alley walls.
Despite having a slight advantage in speed, there was one more thing for them to worry about...
"Fire!"
Bullets sprayed out of the mecha's mighty guns, piercing through everything in its path. The girls were struggling to dodge them all, though fortunately, they managed to turn at another corner, briefly escaping from the mecha's sight. This was not to last, however, for the mecha quickly caught up to them, and continued its pursuit.
"Just run!" Uni screamed, even though they were getting exhausted from their long sprint.
"How can we lose it?! That robot is too fast!" Nepgear shouted back at her, panting.
"I-I don't know! There's gotta be some way for us to take it down!"
Sprinting on the dirty pavement of the alleyway, they heard more whining from Balarch's CPU, who had not stopped complaining, ever since the start of the chase.
"Ugh! Stupid idiot!" She groaned. "Keep turning your guns, every time you shoot!"
The mecha responded with a mechanical vibrating noise, as if it was somewhat embarrassed by its own forgetfulness.
"Fine!" C-Grass grumbled. "Use your cannons, instead of those pathetic gatling guns! Jeez..."
Because of their slow turn speed, C-Grass had now lost sight of their targets. Her mecha was scanning the surrounding area, calculating the whereabouts of its target, and the shortest path to their current location.
As it was busy calculating, C-Grass began to manually pilot her mecha through the messy alleyway. They had to smash through piles of junk that clattered the path, but at least it was not as bad as the constant bumping around the walls.
A minute later, the mecha finally picked up their location, and gave her the coordinates through its HUD.
"Ha!" She smirked as she makes a turn, out of the alleyway. "Gotcha!"
The Candidates dashed out of the alleyway, and found themselves back at the marketplace. Their expressions were one of pure horror as they looked into the massive crowd, but they still had no choice but to squeeze their way through.
"S-She'll catch up to us, if we get stuck in the crowd!" Nepgear cried out in fear.
"Can't we just fight that thing?!" Ram complained, which was met with a firm "N-No!" from her twin sister.
"Just blend in with the surrounding! This place is too crowded for them to find us."
"Oh goodness.." Nepgear sighed. "I hope so."
Right at that moment, something smashed through the wall behind them, which took them and the crowd by complete surprise. As the smoke cleared, they found their worst nightmare back, staring straight into their eyes.
"Here's C-Grass~!" The CPU mocked, standing above her almighty mecha, "Did ya' miss me?!"
"O-Oh no.." Uni murmured. "Run!"
"E-Excuse us, please!" Nepgear was sweating up a storm, as they pushed their way through the crowd.
"Jeez! Get out of the way!"
Panic seized the market, and the citizens began to run for their lives. It was a total mess, as the crowd fled in every direction, constantly bumping into each other, which made it even harder for the sisters to stick together in the midst of the chaos.
"Great, all these troubles, just to catch those idiots!" C-Grass sneered at the fleeing crowd. "Hey! Lift us up, and go get 'em!"
Following her order, the mecha stood still, its rocket thruster turning towards the ground. Charging up its engine, it started to hover in the air, before tilting its thruster slightly forward, and speeding towards the targets.
Now catching up to them, the mecha simply floated above the sisters as they made their desperate escape. Yet there was still a serious problem for C-Grass.
"Damn it...There are too many people around here. I can't just mow them down with my guns!"
Her mecha responded to her in a soft rumbling tone, which gave her an idea.
"Hmm, that's actually not bad..." She said. "Alright, do your thing!"
Something opened on its hull, revealing the barrels of a hook gun, with metallic rope attached to its back. Carefully aiming the barrel towards them, the mecha ejected the hook out of the gun at a high velocity, snatching up both Rom and Ram in one swoop, and starting to pull them towards the mecha.
"Wah!" Rom cried.
"Hey!" Ram yelled angrily, as she struggled to free herself. "Let us go, you bully!"
"You dare call me a bully?! Who do you think you're messing with, huh?!"
"Hey! Let go of them!" Uni demanded.
"Try me! Surrender now, and you'll still have a chance to survive my mecha's rampage!"
While glancing around their surroundings in a panic, Nepgear caught sight of something. She ran into one of the stalls, and grabbed a tool—some kind of metallic bar with small hooks on both ends.
"Really? A crowbar, Nepgear?"
"T-That is the only weapon I can find!" She yelled back at Uni in embarrassment.
"A crowbar? Haha!" C-Grass laughed mockingly. "What are you going to do with it? Smashing crates?"
Before they could fight back, something took all of them by complete surprise. Bombarded by several smoke grenades, both the sisters and the CPU were engulfed in a thick fog, their vision completely obscured.
"W-Wah?!" The sisters screamed in surprise. "What's going on?!"
"Who's behind this mess?!" C-Grass complained.
"Now's the chance!" An unknown voice shouted out to them.
Someone grabbed Nepgear and Uni from behind. They struggled wildly in a panic, trying to break free, but the grip was too strong, and they could not see the person in the midst of the fog.
Meanwhile, the CPU felt something breaking away from the hook. Her mecha flew higher, lifting them out of the fog, and, looking down, she noticed that hook was cut off, leaving only the rope swaying in the wind.
"Oh come on!" She let out an exasperated cry.
Screams continued to erupt from around the marketplace; the crowd was in full panic, and even the surrounding streets were getting swept up into this chaos. With all those people running around, they had completely lost sight of the sisters.
"Don't just stand there!" C-Grass barked at her mecha. "Find them!"
- Lowee (?)
With how populated this city was, it might very well be the largest settlement in the entire nation of Lowee. Many shops stood alongside the main road, together with regular houses; several of those were multistory buildings. Despite being built with incredibly outdated materials, such as wood, brick and paper, the city was still a fascinating counterpart to the Lowee of their own dimension.
As the wagon made its way through the crowd, Blanc and Vert glanced out from underneath the sheet, completely awed by the beautiful architecture of the city, despite its obsolete technology.
"My~! What a lovely city we're in!" Vert commented in a sing-song voice.
"It's… actually beautiful. Even though everything around here looks so old..." Blanc said, before she remembered something, and turned towards the man driving the wagon. "Hmm? Where are we at right now, sir?"
"We're now inside the capital city of Lowee, ma'am." He informed. "I'll drop you two down, once the road is clear."
"I see. Please hurry up. My butt is getting sore..."
"Have some patience, will you, Blanc?" Vert sighed. "It's not like we are going to spend another hour in here or something."
"Good for you, but how the hell could I actually be comfortable, sitting inside this tight wagon?" She groaned.
The horses slowly moved through the crowd. It was just a regular day in the streets, and everyone was wearing their traditional outfits, like yukata, kimono, and haori. Most were peasants, wearing clothes that were dull, but practical and comfortable, carrying on their daily work as usual.
After exiting the tight streets, they finally emerged into an open area. The man stripped the cloth off the wagon, and gestured for them to get down.
"Alright, you should now be safe, as long as you don't wander too far away from the city. Best of luck to you two!"
"Why thank you~!" Vert smiled. "We are truly pleased to meet a fine gentleman like you."
"Great, now back off, thundertits." Blanc nonchalantly said as she hopped off the wagon, and started stretching out her arms. After sitting in the wagon for a whole hour, it felt so good to be out in the open again.
"Oh, and if you want to meet the CPU, go take the road at the right. You'll find the castle, surrounded by lots of fancy merchant dwellings."
"Sure thing." Blanc nodded. "Thanks a lot."
"You're welcome!" He smiled before hopping back onto his horse, and driving the wagon away.
"Let's go, Vert." Blanc said. "We should meet her first, before we explore this place."
"Huh? Alright then, Blanc...?" Vert shot her a puzzled look, before following her onto the road.
- Outside the castle
Right in front of the large castle was a plaza, where merchants and well-to-do city dwellers gathered in groups. The castle's architectural style was similar to that of most buildings, but it was more beautiful and lavishly decorated, towering above the rest of the city.
The entrance was guarded by a few men, armed with long spears, wearing only minimal armor that made them look more like militia than actual guards. As the girls walked to the entrance, the men held up their spears to block their way.
"Oh, excuse us! We just wish to meet the CPU." Vert gave them a nervous smile.
"Lady Ivory Heart is not in the castle right now, so she can't hear any requests from the people. Sorry."
"Ivory Heart?" Blanc scowled, unable to recognize the name.
"She must be busy fighting the Console War..." Vert speculated. "Maybe we should take a walk around this beautiful city, while we wait for her to return?"
"Uh, sure."
Leaving the castle, they returned to the busiest sectors of the city. Most of the buildings were heavily decorated, built out of wood and stone, and the street signs were written in traditional calligraphy. The majority of the people were wearing black and white clothing—nothing too unique.
"Where are we going, Blanc?"
"Don't know. It's not like I know anything about this huge town. Where should we even start..."
"Ah, you must be tourists, visiting this land?" A smooth feminine voice came from behind them.
They turned back, and saw a tall, pale lady standing in front of them. She was wearing a red kimono dress, with a decorative obi carefully tied around her waist. Her pale-brown hair was bundled up in a knot, held together by a wooden rod, and her eyes were closed, though, for some reason, they felt like she could still see them.
"Where is your guide, though? Are you unable to find one?" she asked.
"Uhh, y-yeah. We're just touring the place, but we don't even know where to start." Blanc stuttered.
"Oh, how unfortunate. But worry not. I shall be your guide then."
"My, aren't you being a little too kind to us?" Vert sweatdropped.
"Mhm~! Don't be so embarrassed about it." She chuckled. "Besides, I have plenty of free time, for I live around here!"
"I-I see..."
"Well then, let me introduce myself properly, before our tour." The lady cleared her throat. "Ahem, my name is Famika, and I'll show you all the fascinating views in the city, as well as introduce you to Lowee's rich history. Are there any questions?"
"I do." Blanc raised her hand.
"Mh? What is it?"
"Do you know where the CPU is at, right now?"
Awkward silence seized the air as Famika stared at them, with a shocked expression on her face. She finally calmed down after a few seconds, chuckling weirdly to herself, while the girls looked on, completely bewildered.
"Uh?" Blanc asked. "Is there something funny about my question?"
"O-Oh no! Not at all!" She stuttered. "Y-You'll see the CPU, sooner or later..."
"Okay then..?" Vert frowned, still quite confused by her behavior. "Anyway, where shall we start our tour?"
"Just follow me, and you'll see!" Famika smiled.
So began their tour, the girls following closely behind Famika, their new guide, as they strolled through the streets leisurely. Famika gestured for them to stop and listen, in front of a common market.
"Lowee has been populated by humans in ancient times, even before the CPUs came into existence. No CPUs had set foot on this land, however, until the birth of our own ancestral CPU, during the First Console War."
"First Console War?" Vert repeated the three words to herself.
"Back then, it was a very chaotic time. Too many CPUs were born during that generation, which led to numerous battles. Only the strongest can earn the right to survive."
"And...what happened to your ancestral Goddess?" Blanc asked.
"Of course, she never made it..." Famika frowned. "I was born, right after her death. It was a very tragic loss, for the people of Lowee."
"O-Oh...I'm very sorry to hear that..."
"It's fine! Things have changed for the better, after the daughters of the ancestral Goddess inherited her throne."
"Daughters? As in, more than one CPU?" Vert noticed the unusual choice of words..
"Indeed. Two of them, to be exact." Famika pointed towards the distant castle. "Her daughters now rule over Lowee. Since technology has become so advanced in the outside world, they've decided to modernize Lowee, in order to improve the livelihood of their people. The land has always been this…traditional, for a long, long time."
"How fascinating..." Vert pondered, intrigued by the story. "But do her daughters have the same title? Are they both called 'Ivory Heart'?"
"Nope." Famika shook her head. "They have separate titles."
"But where's the other one, then?"
"Away from Lowee. This land is currently watched over by one of them, who decided to stay behind for their people. The other, meanwhile, has left her land, to find a better way of making Lowee prosper. The pair don't exactly see eye to eye with each other, when it comes to major decisions about their nation's future."
"Why is that so?"
"Many, many disagreements. Mostly about whether they should sacrifice their tradition for modernity, and vice versa. That's why the other sister left the nation, and seek to expand Lowee all on her own."
"That's rough..." Blanc sighed.
"The truth is..." Famika kept talking, with a wistful look in her eyes. "They have been like that for many years, ever since their childhood. Even the old folks around here know that they don't get along."
As they leisurely toured through the busy streets, Blanc and Vert noticed that people seemed to stare at Famika like she was some sort of celebrity. Whispering in awe. Stealing a few glimpses of her as the girls walked past them. This was...very strange.
"Does everyone here know you, Famika?" Blanc asked.
"Why, I've been living here for years." She simply responded with a cryptic smile. "It really flatters me, how they still admire my beauty~!"
"So you're like an idol then? You really do have a reputation around here, huh?"
"Oh please!" She chuckled. "You've only just met me!"
"Anyway." Vert waved at her. "Where are we heading now?"
They soon reached a large town-square, stretching into the horizon, almost half a kilometer wide. The ground was made of simple stone bricks, placed in a delicate pattern, framed by wooden tiles. Sakura trees around the square were at full bloom, their bright pink flowers soaring high above the girls, in all of their magnificent beauty.
"This is the old Fusajiro town-square." Famika explained. "One of the oldest structures in Lowee, constructed by the people who lived here, a few centuries ago, before the birth of the first CPUs. It has been around for so long, it's almost a vital part of the people's culture by now. Lot of old folks like to walk around here, to commemorate the past."
"For a centuries-old town-square, it sure looks gorgeous!" Vert said in awe.
"Yeah, the people have been blessed by its archaic beauty, for many years. Even our Goddesses like to stroll around here, once in a while."
"Hey." Blanc called out to her. "What are those people doing?"
She pointed at a pair of old men, playing cards on their table. The patterns on the cards were somewhat different, and it didn't look like a typical poker game.
"Oh, that? They're just playing hanafuda cards!" Famika almost looked a little mortified. "Those cards are quite popular around here. Have existed for a long time, as the game of choice for old folks—even I don't understand their popularity."
"Is Lowee always this traditional, or is it just out of touch with the outside world?"
"Huh, what do you mean?" Famika frowned. "Lowee has always been the least advanced nation in the whole Gamindustri."
"You said that the CPU doesn't wish to modernize her nation, right? Why's that so?" Vert asked.
"Well uh-"
Before she could answer, a shrill scream erupted nearby, and they turned back to see a young boy, being held hostage by a group of criminals. A robbery. No, kidnapping. People could only helplessly watch the boy getting dragged away by the thugs, who were threatening the bystanders with their swords.
"H-Help me!" The boy cried.
"Oh, shut up already! We're just gonna get some quick credits, from your rich father."
"P-Please..." He whimpered. "Don't hurt me..."
"Well, if you don't wanna get hurt, then shut your mouth, and be a good boy!"
"Oh dear..." Famika sighed as she stepped forth, taking a deep breath.
"Don't worry, Vert and I can-"
"Please don't..." Famika shook her head, and gestured for them to stay back. "I'll be handling this situation."
"But Famika! It's too dangerous!"
"Just watch, my dear tourists."
As she approached them, she extended her hand, and suddenly, something materialized in her palms—a beautifully decorated naginata. Holding the glaive-like weapon, she swung the huge naginata around her in a magnificent, steady stance, without breaking a single sweat.
Blanc and Vert could not quite believe what they were seeing. The thugs, however, immediately started trembling in fear, the moment they caught sight of her.
"I-Is that...?"
"Can't escape now! May as well try and kill her!" The leader shouted, as the group let out a roar, and charged at her.
They were almost right in front of her, their blades held up high in the air. Before they could even touch her, Famika struck at their legs with a single swipe, knocking all of them down.
One of them attempted to ambush her from behind, which was easily blocked by her naginata. She then struck his head with the blunt end of the polearm, and he slumped to the ground in a heap, unconscious.
Now it was a one-on-one battle between the leader of the thugs, and Famika. Still holding the boy hostage, with his blade placed on the boy's throat, he shot a murderous glare at her.
"Come on! Move any closer, and this boy will be dead!"
"Hm, how peculiar..." She sighed.
Famika was seemingly deterred by his threat, until she suddenly struck at the ground with her naginata, sending waves of dirt and debris into the air. Each swing was strong enough to create a rolling wall of dust. Everyone nearby was caught inside the fog, coughing and trying to shield their eyes from the dirt.
"What the hell's going on?!" The leader screeched, as he blindly swept at the air with his arms, temporarily letting go of his hostage.
As the dust cleared, he suddenly realized that Famika had disappeared from his sight, much to his surprise.
"What the hell?!" He cried out in alarm. "'Where the hell did she-?!"
His cries were quickly cut off by a hand-chop to the neck. Famika stood behind him, in complete silence, as he went limp and collapsed onto the ground. The boy, once he recovered from the shock, started bawling his eyes out.
"Waaahh!"
"Oh, hush now, my dear child..." She knelt down and hugged the boy into her arms. "You're safe now. I won't let anything happen to you."
The young boy continued to cry, burying his face deep into her chest. Famika kept comforting the crying child, smiling and gently patting him on the back.
"Now, now." she smiled, "I'll take you back to your family."
Lifting the boy up from the ground, she let him sit on her shoulders as she started asking him about the location of his house. Blanc and Vert had only barely recovered from their shock, after witnessing her flawless fight against that group of thugs.
"How…How did you do that...?" Blanc opened her mouth in awe.
"Aww..." Famika pouted, in an almost child-like, whining voice. "Could've kept my little secret a little longer, if these thugs didn't appear out of nowhere..."
"Huh?" Vert frowned. "What secret?"
"Alright. It is really rude of me to conceal my true identity from you." She sighed, and straightened her back. "I am Famika, one of the twin CPUs of Lowee, Ivory Heart."
- Lowee (?)
IF, Compa, and their new friends had finally reached the capital city of Lowee, with Origin guiding their horse through the streets. Stopping at a suitable stable, they stepped down from the saddle, and onto the ground, before grabbing their stuff from the bags hanging at the horse's side.
"Here we are!" Origin proudly exclaimed, after she had finally found what she was looking for, inside her extremely messy bag. "The beautiful crown jewel of Lowee, the capital town!"
It was the first time that IF and Compa had actually seen the city of Lowee in this dimension. The aesthetic of the buildings were quite...medieval, yet something about them still bore a vague resemblance to the Lowee of their home dimension. Much like most of the snowy nation, the large city was very calm and peaceful, despite the crowd swarming the streets...not as fairy-tale-like as their Lowee, though.
"Woah..." IF glanced at the shops in awe. "This is way different than what I expect Lowee to be like..."
"Hmm, what do you mean?" Origin asked. "Lowee has always been like this, throughout the years."
"I'm just going to assume that you have never set foot in Lowee before." Sir-Tech scoffed.
"Still don't believe in me?" IF glared at the magician.
"I digress."
"Now now, Iffy!" Compa sweatdropped as she tugged on IF's sleeves, sensing the tension between them. "We've come here for the Basi—I mean, castle, right...?"
"Yeah, I know. It's been a good ride with you two."
"Why, yes." Origin smiled. "Well, I still have plenty of time, before the blacksmiths close their doors. Farewell, my sweet compeers!"
"And I'll be heading off to Fusajiro for the contest. It's going to take a while." Sir-Tech simply stated, as she packed up her magical items and departed from the stable.
"Okay!" Compa smiled. "Bye, Origin and Sir-Tech!"
IF and Compa waved the pair goodbye, and the two parties went on their separate ways. While Origin and Sir-Tech were simply off to pursue their interests, IF and her friend, on the other hand, had something more important in mind. They needed to find a way back to their home dimension.
"Guess they're right after all." IF shook her head in disbelief. "Everything looks so…bizzare around here. I don't remember anything in Lowee being this old."
"They're kinda old, but they still look beautiful!" Compa smiled, as she stopped by the side of the road, to adore the serene view of the town.
As they strolled around the streets, they quickly discovered that everyone was wearing some kind of historical clothing, which made their own unusual outfits stand out like sore thumbs in the crowd. They were unfazed, however, as they moved on, ignoring the weird looks they got from the pedestrians.
They eventually reached the busiest part of the town. The marketplace was bustling with sounds and smells, with all those vendors preparing sushi, ramen, and other cuisines. Compa was quite fascinated by this place; she glanced at the market one last time, with a sad look on her face, as IF pulled her away, prompting her to focus on their mission.
- Outside the castle.
In front of them stood a majestic castle, which was probably also the home of Lowee's CPU. IF and Compa's jaws dropped as they looked up at the towering structure, shaken to the core by its magnificence.
"Wow!" Compa's eyes sparkled in amazement. "It looks so beautiful!"
"This is the place." IF said. "Come on, there's no time to waste."
IF was in such a hurry that it took Compa by surprise when she grabbed Compa's arm, and rushed towards the entrance gate. A heavily fortified wall of stone bricks encircled the castle, and numerous men with spears could be seen, standing atop the watchtowers. Must be the CPU's guards.
They almost made their way through the gate when they were suddenly stopped by a group of guards, holding out their spears and blocking their path.
"Hold it right there." The guard captain pointed a finger at them. "What brings you here, to the home of Lady Ivory Heart?"
"Ivory Heart?" IF frowned.
"We just want to meet her, that's all." Compa smiled at the guard.
"I'm sorry, ladies. Lady Ivory Heart is not available at this moment. She hasn't returned to the castle yet."
"Oh, I see..." Compa lowered her head. "Do you know where she is, right now?"
"Somewhere around the Fusajiro town-square." He informed them, scratching his head. "She's probably taking a leisurely walk, but I don't think it would take her this long..."
"Just where Sir-Tech is right now..." IF said, remembering the magician's words. "Do you know the way to Fusajiro?"
"Yeah, just keep on walking to the right, and you'll see the large town-square ahead. Can't be that hard to find, since it is the most popular tourist site for foreigners."
"Alright, thanks." IF nodded. "Come on, Compa. We could find her there."
"O-Okay, Iffy, but!" Compa stuttered as she ran behind IF, having a hard time keeping up with her speed, "P-Please slow down! You're in such a hurry today!"
Determined to waste no more time on the road, IF made a beeline for the town-square as her friend trailed behind her, trying her best to keep up. Watching the duo disappearing into the crowd with a deadpan expression on his face, the guard captain soon returned to his post.
"Typical foreigners..." He scoffed. "Idolizing our Goddess, like total maniacs..."
After a lot of backtracking, IF and Compa had finally arrived at the town-square. However, as they spotted a certain magician in the crowd, they also saw the chaos she was currently staring at. Many had fled the scene, while others were cowering in fear. They had no idea what was going on, but it must be bad. Really bad.
Arriving in front of the square, they saw even more onlookers, clustering around the center. They still couldn't see what was going on, since there were too many people blocking their view. So, they just headed straight towards the familiar figure in hooded robe.
"Sir-Tech!" Compa called out to her. "Thank goodness you're okay!"
"Well, yes." She shrugged. "But our contest is cancelled, thanks to this incident...How very devastating and unfortunate."
"You surely have your priorities straight..." IF sweatdropped. "Still, what's going on over there?"
"Waaahh!" A young boy cried out.
Pushing their way through the crowd, they could barely see what is going on at the other side, but they caught a few glimpses of a young boy being comforted by a lady, hugging him into her arms and gently caressing his back.
"Now, now." The lady smiled. "I'll take you back to your family."
"Wow.." Compa could hardly look away from her, mesmerized by her elegant appearance. "Who is that beautiful lady?"
"Oh, her? That's Lady Famika, the CPU of Lowee." Sir-Tech nonchalantly informed them.
"T-That's her?! I thought the CPU would be more-"
"Wait a sec, Compa..." IF squinted into the crowd. "Did you see these two, over there...?"
She pointed towards two girls in the distance. One of them was wearing an oversized white coat, the other in an elegant green dress. The short girl with the white coat also had big, fluffy hat on her head, and the golden linings of the woman's dress made her large breasts stood out even more. Their expressions were as shocked as IF and Compa.
"L-Lady Blanc and Lady Vert?!" both of them gasped.
Meanwhile, Blanc and Vert were completely bewildered, their mouth agape and at a total loss for words. They didn't expect Famika to be the CPU, just an ordinary human who was quite popular with the crowd, until she revealed her identity through her flawless fight.
Single-handedly bringing multiple foes to their knees, while saving the abducted child...Now that the duo had lost their ability to transform, she really wasn't an opponent they wished to go against.
"My son!" A woman pushed her way through the crowd, panting in exhaustion as she ran up to the young boy. "Thank goodness you're okay!"
"M-Mom!" The boy cried, and ran straight into her arms.
The mother pulled her son into a tight embrace, while the boy kept on crying, his face buried in her chest.
"Thank goodness you are okay!" A tearfully smile appeared on her face, as she turned towards Famika, who was standing right next to her. "Lady Ivory Heart..."
"You have nothing to fear now, ma'am." She simply smiled. "I am more than happy to see your reunion with your son."
"Thank you..." She gave Famika a deep bow. "Thank you for saving my child...!"
"Happy to hear that! Just keep a closer eye on your son, next time. Something...shady seems to be going on lately, in the city..."
"I will." She nodded, before walking away with her child.
"That's really her?" Blanc murmured. "I never thought she would be this calm..."
"And gentle." Vert smiled. "She really is a fine, lovely CPU! I expect her to be a lot more scary, based on what the tavern-keeper had told us.."
"Maybe she's always like this, but only to her people." Blanc speculated. "She might still be dangerous for us, though. Better keep our heads low."
"Hm?" Famika perked up, as she moved closer to the duo. "What are you talking about?"
"Uh, n-nothing!" Vert sweatdropped, "We just want to say how exquisite you are, as a fighter! It must be hard for anyone to keep up with your pace, right?"
"My~! That's just how I do things!" She cooed, quite pleased by the compliment. "It is part of my style, as a proper CPU."
"Lady Vert and Lady Blanc!" A familiar voice called out to them.
"Iffy?" Vert scanned the crowd in confusion, before she finally saw the two girls approaching them—a brunette wearing an oversized blue coat, followed by her pink-haired companion in wooly tank-top and red plaid skirt. Famika merely shot a curious glance at them, while Blanc and Vert immediately ran towards the pair.
"My! You're okay!" Vert joyfully exclaimed, as she gave both of them a huge hug.
"A-Ah!" IF yelped. "L-Lady Vert! Y-Your breasts are in my face!"
"Oh, I forgot." Vert quickly let go of IF, who was gasping for air. "I'm truly sorry, I'm just so happy to see you safe and sound!"
"We're okay!" Compa smiled, "Iffy and I are glad to be back with you!"
"Same." Blanc nodded. "Where have you been?"
"Got warped into a snowy forest, together with Compa." IF answered, still panting heavily. "We were knocked out by the fall, then we were saved..."
"By whom?" Vert asked.
"Us." a voice replied, from behind their back. It was Sir-Tech. "I and my friend found them in the forest, unconscious, so we brought them to our home."
"You two must be friends, right?" Famika chimed in, quite intrigued about those friends of Blanc and Vert, "Well then, you already know who I am, yes?"
"Yup!" Compa nodded. "Sir-Tech told us!"
"Oh, it is my pleasure to meet you." She smiled. "By the way, Sir-Tech, you came here for the competition, is that right?"
"Yeah." Sir-Tech simply nodded. "I'm disappointed, really. Hearing that it was cancelled, right after I got here."
"I'm truly sorry to hear that..." Famika frowned. "But no worries! The competition will be up again tomorrow. My guards are currently cleaning up the mess."
Caught in their conversation, the girls didn't notice that quite a number of guards had gathered around the scene. Right now, they were tying up the unconscious bandits on the ground, and carrying them into the wagons.
These guards were fully armed, with shortswords and daggers on their belts, wearing a full set of lacquered armor, durable enough to protect them against most blades. Most of them were samurais wearing scary Menpō masks, their katanas sheathed on their belt.
"Sir-Tech!" Another figure in armor emerged from the crowd. "I heard something happened around here-!"
It was Origin, her sword out and ready for combat, until she realized that the situation had already been dealt with, and sheepishly sheathed her sword. She ran up to her companion before she noticed the Goddess standing nearby, staring at her.
"Is she your friend?" Famika asked Sir-Tech.
"Yep." she nodded, "Her name's Origin."
"Oh. Thou art..." Origin came to a halt, as she saw the Goddess. "CPU of Lowee! Lady Ivory Heart!"
She quickly ran up to Famika, immediately kneeling down before her on one knee, like a true knight, lowering her head in a gesture of immense respect. Though Famika was as confused by this act of courtesy as the rest of them, she accepted the greeting with a small nod.
"It is a pleasure to meet you, milady!" Origin bowed to her, again, after standing up. "I've come to pay my respect, in thy regards!"
"Oh dear..." Famika chuckled. "You are quite the noble knight, hehe..."
"She's always like this, Lady Famika." Sir-Tech sighed. "You'll get used to it, sooner or later."
"I-I see..." Famika averted her gaze from the overly enthusiastic knight.
"So Lady Vert..." IF asked. "What have you two been up to?"
"Well, just like you and Compa, we find ourselves stranded in the wilderness." Vert answered. "Though fortunately, we didn't pass out, and manage to find our way into a village."
"Hm?" Famika raised an eyebrow. "You went into a village, without permission from the authorities?"
"Uh, n-no!" Blanc stuttered, nervously shaking her head. "You've misheard us, Lady Famika! We just walked right past a village, as we toured around the nation!"
"I don't recall any villages being that close to the city, though..." Famika pondered, with a pensive look on her face, and the duo were sweating up a storm.
"Uh?" Compa poked her on the shoulder. "Is there something wrong?"
"O-Oh, not at all!" Famika shook her head. "I just got carried away. Since you call them 'Ladies', are they your seniors?"
"Kinda, but not just our senior." The brunette blurted out, "They were also our CP-"
"No no no!" Blanc immediately cut her off, and put a hand to her mouth.
"Hmph?!" IF made a weird noise, as she was muffled by Blanc.
"Huh?" The CPU stared at them in confusion.
"Oh dear! She meant to say Cycling Patrons!" Vert chuckled. "We just love to drive around with our bikes back home, that's all!"
"Okay then...?" Famika still looked unconvinced. "Why make such a fuss about it, then?"
"S-She just loves to spoil our secrets, and we might have overreacted a little, hehe..."
"Can we talk to our friends for a moment?" Blanc asked. "Wouldn't take long."
"Uh, sure?" Famika frowned. "Go ahead...?"
Upon receiving a hesitant approval, Blanc and the girls quickly ran away, leaving a comedic puff of smoke behind. Origin was as confused as the CPU. Sir-Tech, on the other hand, did not seem to react to their strange behavior at all.
"IF and Compa have some odd friends..." Origin stared blankly into the distance. "And what is a 'Cycling Patron'? Sounds so weird for a cycling group..."
"I think we shouldn't be that bothered." Famika smiled. "Many people are into weird things, after all..."
Sir-Tech didn't even make a comment. She just looked on from a distance, her eyes narrowing in suspicion.
Stepping into a dark corner, where people would barely notice them, Blanc finally released IF from her iron grip. Compa had no idea what just transpired, and was just following them out of naive trust.
"Is there something wrong?" She asked, with an innocent look on her face.
"Yeah, a lot!" Blanc exclaimed.
"W-Wait..." IF stuttered, still panting from Blanc's hand. "What's going on?"
"Things could have gone really, really bad for us..." Vert sighed. "It's a good thing that Blanc stopped you in time, before the CPU could hear it."
"What? What's wrong with the CPU?" IF frowned.
"She is not who you think she is..."
"Same for every other CPU in this dimension!" Blanc added.
"Why, though?" Compa wondered. "She is so nice to us."
"Because she doesn't know we're CPUs!"
"Huh?" IF narrowed her eyes. "Don't tell me they're this..."
"Hostile? You bet." Blanc answered. "Apparently, in this world, Console War is still a thing..."
"Console War?!" Compa's eyes widened as she heard the word.
"That's what we've heard from a tavern-keeper." Vert explained. "CPUs aren't friendly towards each other, at all. Worse, we've lost our HDD form, so if she figured out our true identity…"
"Then we would be as good as dead." Blanc sighed. "I hope my little sisters would be okay..."
"Yeah, hopefully..." IF facepalmed, hard.
"Iffy?" Compa put a hand to her shoulder. "What are we supposed to do now?"
"Right now, we have to keep it a secret." IF suggested. "Until we've found a way to get Lady Vert and Lady Blanc's power back, it's best to keep our lips sealed."
"But how do we get our powers back?" Blanc questioned, which is met with a shrug.
"I-I don't know, Lady Blanc." IF frowned. "Lowee here is so different, I'm not sure if there is even a way..."
"Guess all my doubts are proven wrong." A voice came from behind them, and they nearly jumped in fright.
"Sir-Tech?!" IF and Compa yelled.
"Hey! Why are you eavesdropping on us?!" Blanc glared at her.
"I apologized for my rudeness, but what I've heard is truly intriguing. Fascinating, really."
"Huh? What do you mean?" IF asked.
"Do you truly belong in this world, or do you come from another one?"
"Of course we got sent into this dimension." Vert responded. "Some of our friends are still missing, so we have to keep looking for them."
"Hm.." Sir-Tech pondered. "If what IF said is true, and you really were sent here by the Hypercube, then it must be..."
"Hypercube? What's that?" Blanc questioned, not recognizing the term.
"Lady Odyssee's weapon, the Hypercube." She clarified. "I thought someone just cast a teleportation spell on you. I never thought the cube possesses such immense power, enough to tear a hole through dimensions..."
"So you're saying that this…Hypercube…sent us into your dimension? Wow, what a surprise!" Blanc sarcastically groaned.
"What I'm trying to say is, if you want to get your powers back, I think Lady Odyssee may have an answer for you."
"Lady Odyssee? Who is she?" Vert asked.
"Lady Odyssee is also a Goddess in this world, Lady Vert. She's the CPU of Magnabox." Compa smiled.
"Magnabox? Sounds like someone just ripped off your nation's name, Vert."
"My, I wouldn't mind that. It's just a silly resemblance." Vert chuckled.
"Eh, anyways..." Blanc continued. "Why should she trust us, if we're CPUs?"
"Lady Odyssee is different from every other Goddesses." Sir-Tech stated, and everyone listened carefully. "Her Hypercube contains a world-breaking power, which only she can wield. I'm sure her wisdom is as powerful as her weapon."
"You think that would work?"
"Considering the Hypercube sent you into another dimension, I am sure it will work." The magician nodded.
"Hey!" Origin's loud voice came from the other end of the street, "Are you finished with your talk?! Lady Famika and I are getting tired of waiting!"
"Hmph, it's your decision after all." She simply turned away, and started walking towards her companion.
The girls were left in the corner, staring at each other, unsure if they should trust her words. Could it be a trap? Out of the four people, IF seemed to be the most receptive.
"Hey." IF called out to her. "Where we can find Lady Odyssee?"
"Now you trust me, after doubting me for so long?" Sir-Tech rolled her eyes at IF.
"Yeah, I don't believe everything you said, about what was going on..." She sighed. "Sorry. I'm just as confused as my friends."
"Hmm. you really are the stubborn type, huh?"
"Hey! Who are you calling stubborn?!" IF complained.
"Doesn't matter." She scoffed, before going back to their original topic. "If you want to find her, Magnabox is your destination. Or, if you're lucky, she'll find you."
"Huh?" The girls stared at her blankly.
"Who knows? Not like I speak for her." Sir-Tech adjusted her glasses. "Anyway, we should go now. Origin must be getting tired of waiting."
"O-Okay then..." Vert nervously smiled. "I didn't expect it to take this long..."
"Same." Compa agreed.
"We've been blabbering too much." Blanc groaned, "Let's leave this place already."
"Right." IF nodded, "Let's go."
- ?
"Phew! That fight is whack!"
Linda wiped the sweat off her face, huffing. Not much was left of the Doggos that ambushed them, their slime splattered all over the trees and the ground. She lifted her slimy iron bar onto her back, then called out to her companion.
"Hey!" Linda yelled. "Are you done yet?"
"J-Just wait for me, chu!" Warechu panted in exhaustion, "How can you be so energetic? I can't feel my legs, chu..."
"It's been awhile since I give 'em some good beatings." A proud smile appeared on Linda's face. "Can't believe we got sent to this...whatever this place is. I sure hope that stupid cube is somewhere nearby so I'll break it like glass! Uh.."
Continuing their journey through the forest, the pair were casually strolling around the dirt path, and Linda seemed unconcerned that her jacket was still covered in slime. Everything seemed fine and dandy, until Linda suddenly noticed something, stopped dead in her tracks, and glared behind her.
"What's the hold up, chu?" Her companion asked, confused.
"I know you're hiding in there!" Linda yelled, as she pointed her finger at a tree. "Show yourself!"
A dark silhouette emerged from the shadows, standing on a tree branch before jumping down to the ground in one flawless motion, and revealing itself to the pair.
A pale teenage girl with black, short hair was standing in front of them, dressed in an unusually skimpy outfit, consisting of short jeans and a red tank top that exposed most of her midriff. She also wore a pair of black fingerless gloves and leather boots. Her eyes, however, was hidden behind black shades. Judging by her long muscular legs, she seemed to be an athletic type.
"You're so alert, aren't chya?" She grinned, giving Linda a thumbs up. "Real envy of ya', girl!"
"Just tell me your name," Linda glared at her, "and your reason for stalking us. Or I'll give you a good beating, as good as the one I gave to those stupid Doggos."
"Calm down~" She simply shrugged, with a smirk on her face. "I ain't no perverted sick freak-show. I'm just looking for a good deal."
"Good deal?" Linda sneered. "Get lost already! I don't have time for this!"
"Hey, c'mon~? Ya didn't give your partner a chance to chime in-"
"Back off!" Linda huffed in irritation. "Come any closer, and I'll beat you to a pulp!"
"O-ho ho ho!" She laughed, with a wicked grin on her face. "Trust me, ya' don't wanna know who you're messing with, pal."
"Oh yeah?" Linda smirked. "Then how about this!"
Linda immediately charged at her, with her iron bar out, ready to strike down her foe in one swoop. No mercy. A sinister grin flashed across her face.
But she did not expect her attack to be blocked by her foe's bare arm, who then kicked Linda squarely in the chest, sending her flying through the air.
"G-Gah!" The delinquent gasped in pain, as she crashed into a tree.
"L-Linda!" Warechu yelled.
"Nothing to worry 'bout, little rat!" The girl boasted, and shrugged at Warechu. "I ain't gonna kill your pal or something. Just giving her a little...knock."
"Tch..." Linda growled, as she picked herself up from the ground. "You think that's all?!"
"Still standing, huh?" She teased. "Surprise me more, 'Linda' gal!"
Linda had her iron bar in a tight grip as she stood up, and made multiple swings at the rowdy girl. She flawlessly dodged them all, before pushing Linda back with another kick. She managed to block it with her crowbar, this time, though the force still made her hands numb as she slid through the dirt.
"The hell are you?" Linda groaned.
"Huh? Never heard of the most famous gun-slinger in Gamindustri?" She taunted. "Oh wait, my bad, more like infamous!"
"What the hell are you talking about?! We don't even know you..."
"Hmph, must be a hell of a secluded life you're livin'. Alright, fine. I'll introduce myself to you." She cleared her throat. "Name's Nukem. Might be hella' weird name for ya', and people 'round here called me the Duchess. I'm livin' in the highs, as high as my reputation for committing infamous crimes throughout Gamindustri!"
"And you think that's a good thing?" Linda frowned.
"C'mon? What's wrong with being one of the biggest, baddest criminals 'round the world? Is not conforming to the rules of society that bad? Jeez, you must be fun at parties..."
"Just get straight to the point, Duchess!" Linda interrupted her. "What do you want from us?!"
"You, of course." She smiled as she walked around the delinquent, keenly eyeing her body. "Look at ya', all athletic and enduring, and your rowdy persona really spices it up! Suits my taste perfectly for the job."
"The hell, you're talking like a complete creep..." Linda groaned, again.
"A job?" Warechu peeked from behind a tree.
"That's right, you little rat~" Duchess winked at him. "Linda here is a perfect model for a runner, enough to join our greatest heist that shall forever put us on the pedestal of fame!"
"Hey!" Linda protested. "I'm not gonna be a runner! I ain't no coward! I can fight, like I did against you! Why do you think I'd be happy with such a stupid job?"
"You're really a hot-headed one, aren't chya?" She teased. "Besides~! We have enough accomplices to take care of the fighting. All you have to do is to deliver the packages to us, and you'll be showered with credits, after we pull it off!"
"But what if I don't?" The delinquent glared at her.
"Oh well...Guess I'll have to find someone else. It would be a waste, really. You got talents, and it makes you a perfect suit for our job." She shrugged.
"Tch, as if I'm some clueless idiot who would join this stu-"
"How much credits do we get out of this, chu?!" Warechu cut in, truly intrigued by the possible rewards.
"Well, by the roughest estimates...It would be 'round millions for your cut. There's a reason why we're doing this! It's probably one of the most daring heists we've ever planned in our lives!"
"Linda!" Warechu squealed. "You gotta join them!"
"E-Eh?!" Linda scowled in surprise. "The hell's wrong with you?!"
"Imagine having millions of credit in our pocket. We could buy ourselves more rich, luxurious goods than we would ever need!"
"I ain't sacrificing my loyalty of ASIC for that!" Linda retorted. "You really need to stay out of this stupid robbery thing..."
"Huh, ASIC?" Duchess raised an eyebrow. "Is that some kind of a criminal group? Never heard of that name, in the criminal underworld."
"None of your business! Ugh, come on, Warechu! We need to find a way to leave this world..."
"World? There's no lands other than Gamindustri!" Duchess said. "You lost or somethin'?"
"Lost? Nah." She shook her head. "We're in this…whatever this forest is."
"Just be honest." Duchess looked at her with a deadpan expression, "You don't even know where you're going."
"Shut up!" Linda complained. "I ain't taking advice from some old raggy woman like you!"
"Well, whatever you say~!" She teased, and threw up her hands in the air. "Not like I could force you into it."
"Ugh, whatever!" The delinquent groaned. "Come on, Warechu. Let's just get out of here..."
It was an awkward moment for both parties, as Linda and Warechu continued their walk through the forest, still unsure where they were heading towards. Duchess, meanwhile, just blankly stared at the duo, as they moved further and further away from her.
Sighing in defeat, she was about to leave when the radio on her belt started beeping.
"Hey!" An impatient voice called out from the radio. "You got the girl or what?"
"Nah, it was a rough start." Duchess grinned. "But I ain't giving up on her, just yet!"
"Ugh, come on! Duchess!" The speaker groaned. "Just find another one, then. What's so special about her?!"
"Cause' she got some real potential inside her." Duchess replied, a strange glint flashing through her eyes. "Now, I ain't have time for chit-chats, so I'll call you up later."
"Hey! We aren't done with this-!"
Immediately hanging up, Duchess proceeded to sprint after the duo, kicking up a dirt storm behind her. The delinquent saw her coming, and let out another groan.
"What the hell?!" Linda complained. "You wanna get beaten up this badly?!"
"Nah, just happened to head towards the same place." She winked. "Need some refreshment, from the capital city of Tari."
"W-Wait!" Linda yelled in surprise. "Tari?!"
"Yeah, what's up?" Duchess frowned. "You act like that you've never heard of Tari before..."
Before she could answer, a loud shockwave blasted through the sky, shaking the nearby trees violently. They all felt it—Linda and Warechu almost fell to the ground in their shock. Shadows started to engulf the sky, as more ominous noises came from above.
"What the hell is that?!" Linda yelled.
"O-ho ho ho!" Duchess clapped her hands in glee. "It's starting! The show is on! I wish I've brought some popcorn!"
"What's going on, chu?" Warechu eyed the sky nervously.
"Just watch the sky!" Duchess advised, as she climbed up a tree, to get a better view. "The show's getting started!"
The winds were howling, sweeping through the woods with enough speed and force to uproot a tree. Clouds started to swirl around the sky, which was getting darker and darker as the sun vanished behind the thick clouds. Right at that moment, two figures flew across the sky, engaged in a fierce battle against each other.
The brown-haired figure was holding a brown tesseract that hovered above her palms, while the white-haired figure also had an orb made of plasma floating around her, accompanied by two trapezoid-shaped rammers.
"It seems like you haven't given up yet..." The brunette spoke, in a soft voice. "You truly have a sense of pride and determination, glowing deep within you."
"Hmph! Of course I'm determined to fight against you!" The white-haired woman retorted, as she charged up the pulsating orb. "I shall not stop until Magnabox is sunken into the ocean!"
With a quick swipe of her hand, she launched the orb forth violently, causing the projectile to shoot towards her opponent like a jetstream, at a speed fast enough to break through the sound barrier. Even as this dangerous weapon was flung towards her, her opponent still has a tranquil look on her face, like she was not currently engaged in a deadly battle.
"As always..." The brunette sighed, aiming her tesseract at the incoming orb. "Your pride has blinded you to your true weakness..."
She opened her palm, and her tesseract flew through the air, at a speed so fast that the force created a wind blast around her. The tesseract and the orb were moving closer and closer towards each other, almost igniting the air in between them.
When the collision finally happened, a gigantic explosion erupted in the air. The force of this explosion was as powerful as a nuclear bomb detonation, capable of destroying anything in its immediate vicinity. Fortunately, they were so high up in the sky that the explosion didn't reach the grounds, but the massive flare of light was still visible from several miles away.
After the contact, the brunette was still hovering in the air, as calm and composed as before. The other woman, however, tumbled back from the recoil of the explosion, almost blown away by the violent wind.
"G-Gah!" She gasped in pain. "Damn you!"
She readied another attack, her dual rammers slamming towards her opponent, like spears flying at the speed of sound. It was soon deflected by the brunette's tesseract, however, and the rammers ricocheted off an invisible force field before they could strike their intended target.
"I have warned you before." She said, and stretched out her arms once again, allowing the brown tesseract to fall back into her palms. "You may have a grand dream for your people, but your ideal is far too destructive for the entire Gamindustri. I won't let your dream become a reality..."
"Tch..." The woman growled, as her rammers also hovered back to her side. "Mark my words! The day I bring you down, and reduce your nation to ashes, will be the day that Tari rises to rule over the entire Gamindustri!"
Throwing down one last promise of revenge, the white-haired woman flew away, into the distant horizon. The sky began to clear up in the aftermath of the conflict, and sunlight pierced through the clouds, once again. The brunette sighed, and right at this moment, she heard a chime, coming out of her tesseract.
"What?" The brunette stared at her weapon, slightly puzzled, before her tesseract let out another chime.
"Hmm. I feel something...or someone…intertwining with our world..."
Author's Note
Famika represents the game console as the Family Computer (1983-2003)
Duchess represents the game franchise as Duke Nukem (1991-2016)
Fusajiro town-square is named after Fusajiro Yamauchi, the founder of Nintendo.
A credit to u/Ryin_silverfish for once again, proofreading and adjustment of the grammars and wordings.