- Lowee
"What were you girls talking about, back there?" Origin asked.
"Nothing." Blanc shook her head. "Just chatting about the weather, until that weird wizard friend of yours dragged us back. She sure likes to eavesdrop on people..."
"It's Sir-Tech." The wizard nonchalantly said. "And I'm not the kind of person who loves to listen to secret conversations. Usually."
The rest of the group were currently heading towards the castle, being guided by Famika. While Blanc was still quietly stewing in her frustration about the wizard's cryptic demeanor, IF broke the silence.
"So, Lady Famika. What brought you to Lady Vert and Lady Blanc?"
"I've met them in the middle of the town. Since they couldn't find their own guide for the tour, I decided to take up that role." She smiled. "Speaking of which, are you supposed to be with them, or are you on a separate tour?"
"It's a separate tour, milady!" Origin nodded. "Sir-Tech and I met them, a while ago. Maybe I should have offered them more guidance around the town..."
"Sounds great." IF replied. "But there's one thing we wish to ask Lady Famika."
"Huh?" The CPU turned to her. "What is it?"
"Well, uh…" The brunette scratched her head. "Do you know a way to Planeptune?"
"Uh, yes...?" Famika tilted her head. "Just head back to the dock, and the sailors would lead you there. Are you planning to leave already?"
"Not at all." Vert shook her head. "We would love to stay here just a little longer. Lowee is really serene and peaceful, with all the snow around."
"I'm happy that you like it!" She smiled. "I was worried that you were going to leave so quickly, you wouldn't even have the chance to..."
"Huh?" Blanc frowned. "What do you mean?"
"I'm thinking about bringing you girls to my castle, as special guests. We have a lot of fine cuisines that my maids can prepare for you."
"Ah, so that's why you're leading us to your home, Lady Famika?" Compa asked, with a big smile on her face. "We'd love to be your guests!"
"My, I'm very pleased to hear that. A-And I hope it would be enough to cheer you up, Sir-Tech. I'm deeply sorry about what happened to the contest..."
"Don't even mind that..." The wizard mumbled, and turned away to stare at a nearby wall.
"I-I see, then..." Famika let out an awkward chuckle.
Before long, they were back in front of the towering castle gate. As one of the men on the watchtower caught sight of their Goddess, he immediately shouted for his fellow guards.
"Open the gate!" The watchman exclaimed. "The Goddess is back!"
The giant gate slowly swung open, revealing a squadron of samurai on the other side of the gate, standing in a neat formation. When the gate was fully open, an elderly man in decorated armor immediately barked an order to his men, and they all bowed to their Goddess.
"W-What?" The girls stared at them, bewildered.
"Welcome back, Lady Famika." The elderly samurai approached her, and made a deep bow. "We've been waiting for you, since that…unexpected delay."
"I apologize for that..." Famika said to the man, lowering her head.
"There's no need to apologize, Lady Famika." The elderly samurai shook his head. "We've heard the whole story. I say it's great news for us that you've saved the little boy."
"O-Oh, how fortunate, haha..." She quietly chuckled.
"Mhm." He simply nodded, before shifting his gaze to the group behind her, "Who are these girls, Lady Famika?"
"My special guests, of course." She smiled. "As I tell my maids to prepare the cuisines for our lovely guests, would you kindly take my place as their guide, and give them a pleasant tour around the garden?"
"Well, I may not be a trained tour guide, but it's an honor." The man grinned.
"How lovely of you." Famika cooed, before she turned back to the group, "Well then, I'll be preparing a little surprise for you, so he'll be your guide for now."
"Yes indeed. Thou art truly a dutiful host, Lady Famika." Origin said in her usual noble voice. "Take thy time, then!"
Famika continued walking and disappeared behind the castle gate, while the elderly general gestured for them to follow him.
"Follow me, ladies." He said. "The garden of the CPU is a magnificent sight, perhaps even more gorgeous than the Fusajiro square."
- Garden
Pink, blossoming flowers, along with clean, soft grasses, swayed gently to the rhythm of the wind. Petals rained down from the sakura trees, covering the ground in a carpet of white and pink. There was a small river nearby, and a school of koi fish was swimming through the crystal clear water.
"Wow..." Compa's eyes lit up with amazement. "It looks so beautiful."
"Indeed." The elderly man nodded. "This garden has been constructed in the old days. Our ancestral CPU used to live here, and she loves strolling around this peaceful garden. Nowadays, Lady Famika continues to preserve the garden in its past state, as best as she could manage."
"My, what an interesting story." Vert smiled before something caught her eyes.
"Huh?" Blanc saw her staring, and patted her on the shoulder. "Hey Vert, are you okay or what?"
"He looks so adorable..."
"Wait, he?" The rest of the group asked, before they too saw the figure that Vert was looking at.
A young boy with short brown hair sat below one of the trees, holding a small handheld device in his palm. He wore a plain T-shirt and shorts, and his round, child-like face made it evident that he was in his pre-teens. He was completely absorbed in the device, until he noticed the girls.
"H-Huh?" He mumbled, looking quite spooked by the large group that seemed to appear out of nowhere.
"Why, hello there, little boy~!" Vert grinned, as she approached the young child, who immediately took a step back at the sight of her. "Who are you?"
"U-Uh, g-go away!" He stuttered, trying to hide himself behind the tree.
"Uh, Lady Vert?" IF sweatdropped. "You're scaring the little kid."
"Oh come on, don't be shy~!" Vert reached out to him, her arms extended like the wings of a bird of prey. "I'm not going to hurt you."
"N-No!" He yelled, and made a mad dash for the nearest building.
His escape was cut short when he immediately got caught in Vert's arms, and pulled into a crushing hug. He was struggling and flailing wildly, but it was of no use.
"My, you are such a cute little one, even for a boy~!" Vert snuggled up to her little prey.
"L-Let me go!"
"Huh?" A familiar voice came from behind.
It was Famika, holding an empty bowl in her hands. For a few seconds, she just stared at the ongoing shenanigans between them, with a dazed look on her face, until the boy finally broke free from Vert's arms and ran to Famika. Hiding behind her, he grasped onto her dress tightly as he peeked out at the girls.
"Mhhh..." He made a soft noise.
"My, my." Vert chuckled. "Don't be afraid. I'm just a friend~!"
"No!" He whined, as he withdrew further behind Famika.
"Oh dear..." Famika sighed. "You shouldn't be too hard on him. He's really shy in front of strangers."
"He looks cute though." Compa smiled, as she waved at the boy. "Who is he?"
"He's my little brother, of course!" Famika had a proud grin on her face, as she pushed the boy forward. "His name is Yokoi."
"Uwah!" He squealed, as her sister pulled him towards the crowd. "B-Big sis!"
"Come on, my little Yokoi~!" Famika patted him on the back. "Don't you think it's a little bit rude to run away from your guests instead of greeting them?"
"U-Uh..." He stuttered, before he took a deep breath, and briefly made eye contact with them. "H-Hi..."
"Hi there, Yokoi." IF greeted back.
"Praise to His Imperial Majesty!" Origin enthusiastically stepped forth. "It is such an honor to meet thee!"
"Uhh..." He did not seem to know how to respond.
"She means 'Hello'." Sir-Tech clarified, before she shot a glance at her noble companion. "I told you not to be so overdramatic."
"How's talking like a true knight 'overdramatic'?! It's basic courtesy!" She retorted.
"W-Wait!" Blanc realized something. "If he's your younger sibling, then is he...?"
"That's right." Famika nodded. "He's the CPU Candidate of Lowee."
"He's a CPU Candidate?!" Most of the girls yelled.
"Not a surprise." Origin shrugged. "There has already been fables and tales about the existence of a male CPU Candidate in Lowee. I'm truly happy to meet the fable in person!"
"It's no fable. It's common knowledge." The wizard sighed. "Seriously, can't you just be normal for once?"
"Hey!" She complained. "Art thou calling me a mad woman?!"
"Now now, girls!" Famika stepped in between them. "It won't help if you start quarrelling in front of him. He might get scared..."
"A thousand apologies, Lady Famika!" Origin blushed and immediately bowed to her. "It's never our intention to scare His Majesty!"
"Big sis?" The boy murmured. "Can you let me go already?"
"Sure, my little brother."
Famika released her grip on her brother, and Yokoi immediately dashed into the castle, like a scared fawn. The girls were left staring at the castle door, and they did not quite notice the concerned look on Famika and the elderly samurai's face.
"He really doesn't like meeting strangers, does he?" The man whispered.
"Oh please, don't say something like that in front of him..." Famika closed her eyes. "He's just a little shy, that's all."
"I don't mean it as an insult, milady. I just feel a little sad about the boy, that's all."
"Is he usually like this, Lady Famika?" Blanc turned back to her.
"No. Something really...changed him, back then."
"Huh?" Blanc frowned. "What do you mean?"
"Anyway, the cuisine should be ready by now." Famika deliberately ignored her question. "Thank you for guiding the guests."
"It's an honor to serve you, Lady Famika." The elderly samurai nodded in respect, then started walking towards the main gate. "I shall return to my post."
"So, shall I lead you girls into the castle?" Famika asked.
"It's your call, lady Famika." IF gave her a small nod.
"Of course!" Vert replied, with a huge grin on her face.
"Absolutely, milady!" Origin also agreed.
"Wonderful!" Famika clapped her hands. "Now, please follow me."
Gesturing for the girls to come closer, Famika led the girls up the steps, and they made their way into the castle proper. As they walked through the maze of corridors, Blanc was trailing far behind the group, with a scowl on her face.
"What the hell was that all about...?"
- Tari
The newly recruited duo glanced up at the factories that towered over them. Everything was built in bulky metal, with an almost futuristic aesthetic, and they could not help but let out a small "wow" as they made their way through the industrial city, guided by Duchess.
"Ah, the lovely city of Tari," She grinned, as she stretched out her arms in a huge yawn, "where power and wealth is of the utmost importance."
"What do you mean?" Linda asked.
"I'm saying that Tari is filthy rich, more than any other nations around Gamindustri." She shrugged. "We could do whatever we want against those shabby establishments, whenever we feel like it. But nah, they just don't appeal to our taste, y'know?"
"Then what's the purpose of your crimes, chu?" Warechu gave her a funny look.
"Great fame!" Duchess perked up, as she clenched her fists and raised her arms high into the air. "Money ain't worth a damn thing to our team. We are doing this for reputation! To establish ourselves as the biggest, baddest baddies on the streets!"
"I have no idea what that means. You are more nuts than I thought." The delinquent flatly replied.
"Oh come on~! It totally makes sense. Newbies like you just can't understand my wise words about the criminal underworld."
"Hey, we aren't newbies!" Linda retorted.
"Then what is it? Underlings?" Duchess teased.
"Whatever! Get to the point already!"
"Fine, then." Duchess scoffed, before she turned towards a soda machine. "Just let me grab a drink first."
Duchess tried to fish a coin out of her pockets, but all she found was crumpled receipts and dust. Sighing, she looked back at Linda.
"Hey, got a penny?"
"A penny? Nah." Linda smirked. "Watch."
Linda smashed her iron bar into the soda machine, shattering the glass and causing the entire stack of soda cans to flood onto the floor. This did catch Duchess off-guard, but soon, she started hollering like mad.
"Ha! Not gonna lie, I haven't seen anything this crazy in a good while. Guess my decision to hire you two is a great choice!"
"You think?" The delinquent smirked, as she picked up a can of soda and tossed it into Duchess's hands. "Here's your drink."
While the trio were gulping down their sweet drinks, a police vehicle suddenly grinded to a halt beside them, and multiple officers emerged from the car, their pistols out and aiming at the trio. There was a strange crest on the car door—must be Tari's flag or something.
"Hold it right there!" A female officer demanded. "You've committed vandalism against the city property. Surrender, in the name of the law! Especially you, Duchess!"
"Huh? They know you?" Linda asked.
"Like I said…" Duchess shrugged. "I'm pretty infamous around here, hehe."
"Put your hands up in the air, now!" The officer continued to shout at them.
"Well, guess I have to-"
"Just let me do the beating instead." Linda assured her, as she took a step forth. "If they're gonna be messing with me, then I'll show them who's the real boss!"
"L-Linda?!" Warechu yelled.
"You sure about that?" Duchess raised an eyebrow. "You are bringing an iron bar to a gunfight. Literally. What are you going to do? Play baseball with bullets?"
"Just watch, you idiot." Linda groaned.
Picking up a few cans of soda and tossing them into her pockets, Linda sprinted her way past the officers. Before the officers could take a shot, the delinquent hurled one of the cans into the air, and struck it with her iron bar, sending it flying straight into an officer's face. The man went down with a pained yelp.
Now they started firing back, and the street descended into pure chaos. People were running away in fright, and even the duo was forced to take cover as more officers opened fire. Linda, however, was having the time of her life as she narrowly dodged bullets after bullets, and pounded her foes into the ground with her sturdy iron bar. A slam to the chest. A bash to the skull. The mayhem! The euphoria!
"Damn, that's some good ass-kicking she's dishing out." Duchess applauded. "Is that what your partner does, every day?"
"Yeah, that's how she's like, chu..." Warechu wiped the sweat from his face.
Meanwhile, a few more bullets whizzed past Linda, as the more lightly armed officers struggled to block her swift blows. One of them attempted to bash her down with his baton, only to meet an iron pipe to the face.
"Want a piece of this?" She boasted. "Then come and get it!"
The female officer struggled to get up, as her companions fell one by one against the merciless beatings of the aggressive delinquent. She stumbled into her car, dialed up her radio, and started shouting.
"This is officer Koban! Our men are down, and we need back-!"
"-Up?" The car window exploded in a shower of glass shards, before Linda stabbed her iron bar through the opening, and pried open the door, with a wicked grin on her face.
"Guess we need to have one last talk."
"U-Uwah..." She shivered in fear, and the radio fell out of her hands.
The vehicle was rocking back and forth, as the delinquent started her "talk" with the officer. Her two associates were watching from afar, and the rat felt a chill running up his spine as he heard the loud screams.
"I never thought Linda could be a sadist, chu..."
"Hey, I'm not judging. But I feel kinda bad for the officer gal." Duchess frowned.
Linda finally emerged from behind the vehicle, and swaggered back to her gang. The street was completely wrecked, littered with the bodies of unconscious officers, and bullet holes on the nearby walls.
"So, how is it?" She smirked.
"That's how you play baseball? You're one wild girl."
"Knock it off..." Linda scowled as she put the pipe onto her back. "Man, did I want to give you a good one, back in the woods! Exactly like this one here!"
"Woah, we've only just met. Can't we have a few dates first, before you decide to get all hot n' steamy?" Duchess teased.
"W-What?!" Linda looked like she was going to explode from embarrassment. "S-Shut up!"
"Okay, fine, I'm just kidding." She shook her hand, as she glanced at the piles of unconscious officers on the ground. "Jeez. You really love beating people to a pulp, don't ya'."
"Hey, I tried to beat you up, too. You should've expected that." Linda retorted.
"Good point." Duchess chuckled. "Well then, their back-ups are coming. Unless you want another round, let's bail—and pick up some of those soda cans for my team, will ya'?"
"Your team, chu?" Warechu asked. "Who are they?"
"You'll see them soon. Be patient." She winked. "Now then, chop chop! It's time for the get-go!"
After dumping a bundle of soda cans into a spare duffle bag that Linda stole from the trunk of the police vehicle, Linda and Warechu glanced around one last time, then took off after Duchess, heading towards their unknown destination as sirens screamed in the distance.
- ?, Tari
Arrived in front of an old, dilapidated warehouse, Linda and Warechu hesitated a little as their guide gestured for them to go inside. They seemed to be on an abandoned street—not a single living soul was in sight, nor was there any vehicles. Poles and signposts were left rusting in the air, and the asphalt on the road was cracking apart, with grasses growing out of it.
It was quiet. Too quiet for the duo. Duchess, however, remained unfazed.
"Where are you taking us?" Linda had a deadpan expression on her face.
"There's something wrong around here, chu..." Warechu shot her an uneasy glance. "It's so quiet. I feel like we're being watched..."
"Haha, no worry, pals." Duchess assured them. "That's just how us baddest criminals work—in the shadows and out of sight!"
The gate creaked open with a loud groan, revealing the inside of the warehouse. It was completely empty, with only sunlight shining through the cracked windows. The metallic frames above them was coated in a deep, bloody red, as if they had been left to rust for several decades.
"Why do you bring us to this empty warehouse?" Linda glared at her. "And where's your team?"
"Where?" Duchess smiled, then spoke into her radio. "Hey, give us a lift, will ya?"
A loud crank suddenly came from beneath them, as the floor they were standing on began to slowly descend into the earth.
"W-What the hell?!" Linda exclaimed. This entire floor was an elevator all along.
"Hey, just get ready for the ride." Duchess smirked. "You'll meet them soon enough."
The platform made its way down into the dark abyss beneath. Fluorescent lights attached to the metallic shafts offered a few intervals of brightness as they moved past them.
They could hear the constant clanking of gears and pulleys, as they went deeper and deeper down, and the walls were replaced by rough, uncut rocks. The base must be very isolated from the surface.
The elevator slowed down, and finally grinded to a halt as it reached the very bottom. The trio stepped out of the lift, and onto the dusty rock ground. Lying in front of them was some kind of cavern, barely lit by fluorescent light bulbs dangling down from the ceiling. Linda and Warechu was rendered speechless by the sheer size of this underground hideout.
"Welcome to the bat cave!" Duchess extended her arms in a dramatic gesture of welcome. "It's not the most pretty hideout we've built, buh eh…good enough."
"This place is huge..." Linda said, as she glanced around. "Why the hell do you need a hideout this big?"
"Cause' we like to go about our business without people banging on our doors. Considering how deep we are right now, these officers won't be finding my team any time soon."
"Yeah, no kidding." Linda shrugged. "Anyway, the team?"
"Ah yes!" Duchess nodded. "Now, follow me to the meeting room."
The cavern was huge enough to fit an entire passenger plane inside. Stalagmites jutted out from the walls, and many stalactites were hanging above them. Linda and Warechu noticed metal wires all over the place—must have been put there by her team. After a long walk, they finally saw a large green tent in the distance, with a bright light coming out of its interior.
"That's the meeting place." Duchess smiled. "Let's hurry up and meet my crews! They really don't like waiting around."
- Tent
"How long will it take her to get her ass back here?!"
A girl with gray skin shouted as she paced around the tent, violently shaking her head. Hearing her heavily accented voice, a white-haired girl briefly glanced up, before she went back to gently caressing her shotgun, sliding her delicate fingers along its cold steel barrel with a smile on her face. The other girl did not even look up from the electrical gadgets she was tinkering around with her set of tools.
"It's only been 10 minutes. Are you really that low on patience? Come on." The blonde tinkerer rolled her eyes, and continued to toy with her little gadget.
"Easy for you to say. Duchess doesn't even explain what ze hell is going on!" The green-haired girl slammed her fists onto the table. "I still have no idea why she likes zat girl so much!"
"Huh, the girl with your hair color?" One of them raised her eyebrows. "From what I've heard, she's a good fighter. Knocked out a bunch of cops, with only an iron pipe."
"Are you really sure about zat?" She glared at the speaker.
"Pretty much." The brunette sighed. "Heard that from the radio. Thanks for the adjustment, Gordea."
"It was nothing, hehe..." The blonde tinkerer—Gordea—chuckled.
"But still, that's not the same as fighting through a truckload of monsters in a maze..." She sighed.
"Ja, would've been a breeze, with your experience." The green-haired girl said.
"Or worst, demons." The white-haired girl scoffed, as she adjusted her nun cowl.
"Seriously, what's with your strong hatred of demons?" The brunette asked. "That's all you ever talk about..."
"None of your business." The nun gave her an icy look.
"Considering you've been using your cut entirely for your 'faith', or whatever that is..."
"Knock it off, Ranger..." The green-haired girl shushed her. "You know ze motto."
"The free will of individuals always comes first in the A-Squad." The brunette—Ranger—recited the sentence almost on reflex, before letting out a deep sigh. "Gonna be honest with you, it's not the most catchy motto. But whatever."
The tent fell silent for a while, before the entrance opened, revealing their fellow team member, who swaggered her way to the table.
"It's about damn time, Duchess..." The green-haired girl growled.
"Hey calm, down! Feldmarschall Erich! You've been boiling with rage recently." Duchess teased, patting her companion on her back.
"Just call me Erich!" The girl smacked her hand away. "Mein title isn't zat relevant nowadays..."
"Fine." She sighed, "But really, that title of yours makes you sound like a total badass!"
"Enough with ze blabbering!" Erich cut her off. "What took you so long?!"
"Ah, about that..." She grinned. "Come on in, fellas!"
Two figures revealed themselves in front of the team. One of them bore an uncanny resemblance to Erich—the only thing different was their clothes—and the other was a rat-like monster.
"Ze hell are these punks." Erich stare at the duo in disgust.
"Hey!" Linda yelled back. "Who are you calling a punk?!"
"Oh really?" Erich smirked at her. "You have a problem with zat, punk?"
Linda lunged towards Erich, her iron bar out, but before they could exchange blows and turn this meeting into a full-on brawl, the others stepped in. Duchess and Warechu dragged Linda away from her, still huffing and puffing, while the other two girls held Erich down.
"Let me go!" Linda struggled against their restraint. "I'm gonna teach that wannabe a lesson!"
"L-Linda!" Warechu yelled, trying his best to hold onto her arm. "C-Calm down!"
"Jeez! You two surely act like twins!" Duchess commented.
"Get off me! Zat punk doesn't know who she's messing with!" Erich spat as she was pinned to the ground.
"How very typical of you..." The nun sighed, and tightened her grip.
"H-Hey! D-Don't just sit there! Come and help us!" Ranger stuttered as she called out to Gordea, who was still sitting at the table, absorbed in her tinkering.
Tension was high after the team sat down in their chairs, for Linda and Erich were still glaring daggers at each other from the opposite end of the table. Ranger and Gordea, who were sitting right next to Erich, exchanged an uneasy glance.
"So..." Duchess broke the awkward silence. "How's life, Erich?"
"Rough." She squeezed the word out between clenched teeth.
"Yeah, rough it is..."
"Are you gonna start the meeting or what?" Linda questioned the rowdy girl, who nodded at her, before she turned back to continue her staring contest with Erich.
"Well duh!" Duchess stood up, clearing up her throat before starting to speak. "Ladies, I want to introduce you to the finest recruits I've found around Gamindustri. They may be young, but trust me, they can still put up a good fight!"
"Yeah, we've heard that." Ranger replied.
"Oh c'mon, gals? Can't you be a little more excited 'bout that?" Duchess whined. "Anyway, that Erich-lookalike gal is Linda, and the rat is Warechu."
"Hello, chu." Warechu greeted the group.
"Sup." Linda scoffed.
"Why does she look exactly like Erich...?" Gordea squinted at their faces. "You two can pass for identical twins...Are you a fan, cosplaying as her?"
"Hey!" Linda cut her off. "I ain't got nothing to do with that freak! We just happen to look like each other!"
"Now that I think about it, she even acts like Erich." Ranger continued.
"Grr..."The delinquent growled. "Wanna test that with my pipe?"
"Heh, I wanna see you try zat on my dead skin, with your puny little toy." Erich smirked vilely as she leaned back in her seat.
"Fine! I'll accept your challenge!" Linda bolted up from her seat again, but Warechu grabbed her and held her back before she could start a fight again.
"Linda!" Warechu squealed. "Stop making the situation worse, chu."
"The little pal's right." Duchess winked at her, before putting a hand to her back. "I'll give you a glass of cold water, if you need to chill."
"Ugh, fine." She sighed.
"Good!" Duchess smiled before she called off her tinkering companion, "Hey Gordea, fetch us a glass of water, will ya?"
"Sure." The tinkerer nodded, before she left the tent.
"Oh yeah, the team!" Duchess put a hand to her forehead, as she realized that she had not introduced her companions yet.
"I want you to meet my pals for the heist. The brunette over there is named Ranger, that nun is Flynn, the girl who just left is Gordea, and that one girl who looks really like you is Erich."
Ranger was a brunette girl with an athletic body, even more muscular than Duchess. She was in light, thin clothes, colored in brown and white, with only small armor pieces strapped onto her limbs.
Flynn was unnaturally pale, and her dark nun outfit made her look even more unsettling. Her long white hair covered one of her eyes, her face an emotionless mask. If she was not gently sliding her fingers up and down on the steel barrel of her shotgun, with an odd fervency in her eyes, the pair could have mistaken her for a statue.
"One glass of water, coming right up!" The tinkerer, Gordea, came back with a glass of water, and set it down on the table.
Gordea's blonde hair had a tint of orange. She wore light clothes, just like Ranger—except she had a lot of belts strapped around her waist, and her chestnut-colored gloves and boots were coated in oil and metal dust. She was a lot more energetic and upbeat, compared to the rest of the gang.
And the person whom Linda was glaring daggers at, Feldmarschall Erich, had the exact same green hair, grey skin and cocky smile as the delinquent girl. She was much more scantily dressed, however. Her upper body was almost entirely nude underneath her grey overcoat, with only her breasts covered up by strips of bandage wrap, accompanied by long pants and combat boots. She wore an armband with unusual symbol on it.
Though both of them were nearly identical in terms of appearance and demeanor, she did not seem to favor the same kind of weapon, and had a large gun strapped behind her back instead.
"Heya'." Ranger waved her hand at the pairs.
"So, how did you met Duchess? Isn't she great?" Gordea smiled.
"Oh, I don't know, maybe a lil' too pushy?" Linda's voice was dripping with sarcasm.
"Pushy?"
"Heh, well, kinda..." Duchess scratched her head. "I might have been a little too eager to persuade them to join us. She just has so much potential, you know?"
"Which part of me screams 'potential' to you?" Linda rolled her eyes. "Oh, I know, is it the potential of running away like a pathetic loser?"
"No, not like that." Duchess pointed at her. "Something more than that, I tell ya. A girl who ain't afraid to fight against the whole world on her own, kicking their butts, landing a straight shot to the bull's eye."
"What the hell are you talking about?" The delinquent scrowled.
"She's saying that you're an expert fighter." Flynn's soft voice came out of nowhere, which was quite a surprise to the pair.
"The hell? If you need another fighter, why did you tell me you want a runner back there?!"
"Change of plan, I guess." Duchess shrugged. "I planned on hiring you as a runner, until I saw what you did to the cops. Maybe we can have both?"
"At least it's better than being a pathetic runner..." She sighed. "Anyway, what's the plan?"
"Ze plan of our heist, you say?" Erich turned to Duchess. "Give me one reason to trust these two punks, Duchess. One reason why they're more than some useless wastes of skin."
"Well, we can sell illegal game copies without—" Warechu boasted.
"Booooring!" Erich cut him off, which earned a displeased growl from Linda.
"Tch...you're one hell of a freak, you know?" Linda retorted.
"C'mon Erich, we're pals, aren't we?" Duchess assured her. "We've formed this great team back in the old days, together."
"And you've been slacking off lately, a stain to ze very reputation of our group. What ze hell are you trying to do here?"
"Since all of us have the same authority within the squad, let's vote, then. I say we let them in."
"Pshh, yeah, sure." Linda scoffed. "Like I'd ever trust some wannabe knockoff clones of myself..."
"L-Linda?!" Warechu squealed.
"Bah! This is why I don't trust those punks!" Erich stood up from her chair, ready to charge towards the delinquent, but she was pulled back to her seat by Duchess.
"C'mon, Erich?" Duchess, still holding onto her arms, asked in an almost begging tone. "It's a rough start, but I know things would get better afterwards. So, what do ya' say, old friend?"
"Tch...Hey you three! What do you think?"
"I think we should give them a chance." Ranger shrugged. "I know, I know, you two don't get along, but hey. It could work out in the end."
"Nein!" Erich slammed her fists onto the table, clearly displeased by her response. "How about you, Gordea and Flynn?!"
"Pretty much the same, to be honest." The tinkerer nodded. "We never have a runner on our squad. Someone who can both fight and run? That will give us an edge over our opponents."
"I'll love to, indeed." Flynn said, in her soft and tranquil voice.
"What?! You met them five minutes ago, and don't even bother to look at them! Now you are okay with these two joining our group?!"
"No." The nun shook her head. "But there's something more important."
"And ze hell is zat?"
"Him." She uttered a single word, and pointed her finger at Linda's rat companion.
"H-Huh? Me?" Warechu opened his mouth in disbelief.
"Yes, you." The nun shot him a vicious glare, as she slowly raised her shotgun and aimed it at the rat. "I always have the tendency to kill demons for my own pleasure, regardless of how eager they are to tear out my cold, dead heart."
"W-Wait..." Linda came to a sudden realization. "It's not what you—!"
"Seeing that you're just a weakling demon, maybe a newborn baby. I'll let you live a little longer. But don't ever let your guard down while I'm around."
The nun cocked her shotgun, as she stared at the trembling rat with her single uncovered eye, which was glimmering with the frigid bloodlust of a true predator.
There was nothing but awkward silence, as the whole gang looked at the bloodthirsty nun, with her shotgun still out and ready. Warechu was a trembling furball cowering behind Linda's back, who instinctively stepped forth to shield him, and beads of sweat could be seen on the other girls' forehead. Fortunately, Duchess hurried up to Flynn's side, and gently pushed the shotgun barrel down.
"Relaaax..." Duchess chuckled nervously. "Let just say…her companion happens to look like a demon, but is only a regular rat."
"Mein gott..." Even Erich looked a little intimidated. "I know you have this weird obsession with demons, but jeez. Chill out."
"Hmph, fine." Flynn scoffed, as she lowered her shotgun back onto her lap. "If my party doesn't agree, then I'd have to refrain from torturing the little demon to death."
"T-Torture, chu?!" Warechu let out a frightened squeak.
"Let's stop talking about demons, and get back to business!" Duchess cut in. "So, the majority of the team have no problems with our new recruits. Any second thoughts?"
Erich only let out a low growl, as she kept glaring towards the delinquent, before she finally sighed in defeat, and responded with a small nod.
"Fine! But they better not stay in the team for long!"
"Oh look, it's your lucky day!" Duchess teased. "They won't be in the team forever! We just made a dandy deal, which means their employment would be temporary. The moment they get the cut, we'll part ways."
"Good. Can't wait to work with those punks..."
"So, you gonna talk about the heist or what?" Linda was tapping the table impatiently. "I'm not exactly having a good time, right now."
"Shut ze hell up!" Erich yelled back, before she regained her composure. "So, yeah, about ze heist..."
"Our target is the central bank at ze heart of Tari. Billions of credits are stored inside its vaults, and even ze CPU herself has an account there. Really tight security, cameras, guards, constant surveillance by Tari's police forces...you get ze idea."
"But what about the CPU, chu?" Warechu asked.
"Off fighting somewhere. Which is a good thing." There was a vicious smirk on Erich's face as she continued her talk.
"Since ze Console War has started, we've pretty much monopolized ze business of raids and robberies throughout Gamindustri, thanks to ze CPUs—they only focus on their petty power struggles nowadays, eh?"
"Got that right." Duchess smiled. "Still, these guards are like, everywhere. And I forgot to mention that these peeps have their own custom defense system inside the bank, to stop us from taking their goodies."
"Ja, at least we have Gordea on our side. She'll deal with ze system, while Ranger will be ze muscle crew."
"What about her?" Linda pointed her finger towards the nun.
"I'll be on the lookout." She mumbled in a gloomy tone. "The bank has several floors, and I'm keeping an eye on things, just in case we need to bail."
"I and Erich will be taking off with all those hefty credits, while the guards are occupied." Duchess suddenly patted herself on the forehead. "I may have forgotten to prepare the disguises for this heist, though..."
"You what?!" Erich yelled.
"C-Calm down, my old friend! I've just been so hyped that some details slipped my mind, y'know? It could be the greatest moment of our lives that will forever go down in history!"
"Damn it, Duchess..." Erich sighed. "Well, thanks to your forgetfulness, at least our new recruits have something to do now. I'll have Flynn get the disguises ready."
The nun looked a little annoyed, as she stopped caressing her shotgun, and gave Erich a frigid look, which did not faze her at all.
"Oh come on, Flynn!" She threw her hands up in the air. "You've been slacking off since we started planning for this heist! At least do it like it's your household chores or something!"
"Fine." She murmured. "I'll start working."
"Good, now excuse me for a moment, while I go prep up my boomsticks." Ranger walked out of the tent.
"And I'm going to work on the devices we need for the heist, so see ya!" Gordea trailed behind her, and disappeared into the cavern.
"So… where the hell are we supposed to go right now?" Linda asked.
"Simple, follow your senior crewmate." Duchess said. "We have an armory at the back, that's where you'll get some better gears. Can't bust through the whole security with a plain pipe."
"I'll rather have my pipe with me, but I can appreciate a little sidearm." Linda smiled.
"Also, while you are in there, don't you dare touch my Maschinengewehr 42." Erich snarked. "I don't want zat beauty, ze land's greatest feat of engineering, to be dirtied by your grubby hands."
"...What?" Linda stared at her.
"Don't touch her gun." Duchess clarified. "I'll let you know which gun is hers, when we get in there."
Guiding the delinquent and the rat out of the tent, Duchess soon disappeared into the shadows. Erich was the only person left inside the tent. She grabbed a cigarette from her pocket, and ignited it with her lighter as she leaned back in her chair.
"Phew..." She inhaled, then blew out a cloud of smoke. "What ze hell does she see in these punks...?"
- Lowee (?)
"Wow!" Compa exclaimed. "It looks so beautiful!"
They were currently in the gorgeous guest room of the castle, full of sparkling, lavishly decorated furniture and fine silk screens. The interior was built in a style similar to what IF and Compa saw in Origin and Sir-Tech's house, only that everything was more luxurious—a grand display of power and wealth.
"I'm glad to hear that!" Famika smiled, then signalled for one of her maids to come forth. "Would you please go prepare some drinks for our guests?"
"Yes, milady." The maid bowed to her before leaving.
Famika guided her guests to the table, and gestured for them to sit on the red seat cushions. They were soft, nicely decorated, and very comfortable to sit on. Vert seemed especially enamored by their fine quality.
"My my." She smiled. "Where do these lovely cushions come from? I would really like to buy some for my home~!"
"They are handcrafted tribunes, woven by my people."
"I see. Your people truly have wonderful talents."
"Yeah, right." Blanc mumbled, still feeling a sense of unease.
While they were chatting, the girls noticed the little boy—Yokoi—peeking out from behind a sliding door panel, with a bashful expression on his face.
"He's back." Origin poked her wizard companion on the shoulder, before joyfully calling out to the boy. "Greetings, Your Majesty! Would you like to have a fine chat with us?"
Her response only caused the boy to withdraw entirely behind the panel. His older sister, upon noticing his presence, quickly ran up to him and gently patted him on the head in a gesture of comfort.
"Oh, dear little brother..." Famika sounded gentle as ever, but there was a hint of disappointment in her voice. "You shouldn't be afraid of our lovely guests. In fact, it would be quite an insult, to hide from them like that."
"B-But!" He whined.
"D-Don't worry about it, Lady Famika!" IF sweatdropped. "It's alright! Your little brother can go off and do his own thing. We are fine with it. Maybe it's a little too much for him, forcing him to come out like that…?"
"I see." Famika sighed in defeat. "Perhaps you're right. My dear brother has just been keeping to himself for so long, not wanting to talk to anyone..."
Famika glanced back to her little brother, who turned away from her, pouting. Letting out a nervous chuckle, she continued to caress him, until he finally calmed down, and hesitantly sat down besides the girls.
"So." Vert stepped in, "Tell us about yourself?"
"I-I, uhh..." Yokoi mumbled in an almost inaudible voice, his gaze still fixated on the floor.
"Well, he likes to play video games." Famika answered the question for him. "He always likes to play on his handheld console, even when we are travelling outside."
"My, is that so?" Vert's eyes lit up. "We do have something in common! If only you were my little brother, we would have so much fun playing video games together!"
"U-Uhh..."
"I see." Famika chuckled.
"It does sound like someone I know..." Blanc facepalmed, with a groan.
"Huh, you mean Neptune?" Vert asked.
"Well, duh! Who else likes video games so much that she'll slack off all day to play them?"
"Neptune?" Famika repeated the name, with a curious expression on her face.
"It's our friend back...home." IF answered. "She's probably coming for a tour, too, so we'll look for her when we get to Planeptune."
"Okay then." Famika nodded.
In the next few minutes, maids streamed into the room, setting down plates and plates of cuisines that Famika prepared for them onto the table. Bowls of ramen and sushi platters were the main course, along with cups of hot, steaming tea that filled the entire room with a fragrant aroma. The girls were fascinated by the dishes, and Vert was the first one to try out the tea, her favorite drink.
"Goodness, this is wonderful!" Vert exclaimed, after she took a small sip. "Its taste and texture is divine."
"Thank you, milady!" One of the maids bowed to her. "It is an honor to hear your praise!"
"Mm." Origin agreed, as she too started drinking from her cup. "Truly, it is!"
"The ramen tastes so good." Compa smiled, and picked up more ramen with her chopsticks.
"My maids are not only the greatest servants, but also the greatest cooks." Famika informed them. "They prioritize the quality of their ingredients, and only serve the best dishes for their master and her guests."
"Good to know." Blanc nodded, before digging into her bowl.
"Big sis'?" Yokoi asked. "Can I have some too?"
"Maybe later. Let our guests finish eating first." Famika smiled, patting his head.
While the girls were enjoying their delicious cuisines, someone knocked on the door panel, and called for the CPU. A maid opened the door, revealing an armored samurai. Famika quickly walked out of the room and into the corridor.
Their shadows could be seen on the paper screen—he seemed to be whispering something into her ears, but the girls and Yokoi could not hear their words. Then, she nodded, and dismissed the man, before returning to the room.
"Uh, is there a problem?" Blanc asked.
"No, not at all!" A small, demure smile appeared on Famika's face. "Can I get you girls some water? No?"
"Yeah." IF nodded. "The tea tastes great, though."
With a clap of her hands, her maids hurried away, and returned to the table a moment later, with porcelain cups in their hands. The girls eagerly drank the cool, refreshing water, the flavor of the fine cuisines still lingering on their tongues.
"Ugh..." Famika sighed, with a tired, distant look in her eyes. "You know, the duty of CPU is truly a heavy burden. Especially when you have two issues to deal with, at the same time."
"What do you mean, Lady Famika?" Origin asked.
"One issue is the ongoing Console War, where CPUs fight each other to the death, for the right to rule Gamindustri, and I have to remain here, just to protect Lowee." Famika continued. "And the other issue? Some intruders are now snooping around my land."
"Intruders?" Blanc frowned. "Who are they?"
"Everyone?" Sir-Tech set the cup down on the table, with a thud, and it almost looked like she was struggling to hold back a yawn. "Is it just me, or…doesn't the water taste a little weird...?"
"Oh, I don't know~?" Famika responded with her usual smile, but there was a sinister undertone in her cheerful voice. "Some CPUs who are hiding their true identities from me?"
"What...?" Blanc gasped, before a sudden drowsiness overcame her. "W-Wait...?!"
She collapsed onto the floor before she could finish her sentence, along with the rest of her friends. For a few seconds, they just lay there, stiff and unmoving. Yokoi was shaking as he stared at their limp bodies, with a dazed expression, like he was caught in a strange nightmare.
"B-Big sis?!" He ran up to his sister, and grabbed her by her sleeves. "W-What have you done?!"
"Oh, don't worry, my little brother!" Famika smiled, but there was a solemn grimness in her eyes. "It's just a weak poison, enough to put them to sleep. Of course I won't kill all of them. Most of our guests aren't even CPUs."
"K-Kill them?!"
Her maids started dragging the unconscious guests into the corridor, while the others began to clean up the table. While Famika was giving out instructions to her maids, Yokoi slowly stepped away from her, until his back was pressing against the wall. Unable to comprehend what his sister had just done, he could only stare at her smiling face, and there was nothing but pure terror in his eyes.
Author's Notes:
It's been a week as I couldn't have enough time to publish this chapter thanks to the on-going exams. Now since those were now over, I can go back working on the fanfiction.
Yokoi represents the handheld game console as the Game Boy (1983-2003), he is named after Gunpei Yokoi, the original designer of the same console.
Feldmarschall Erich represents the game franchise as Wolfenstein (1981-2019), her name is a shuffled word of Reich.
Ranger represents the game franchise as Quake (1996-2017)
Flynn represents the game franchise as Doom (1993-2016), her name is a reference to Doomguy's alias, Corporal Flynn Taggart.
Gordea represents the game franchise as Contra (1987-2019), her name is a reference to Contra (1987)'s boss with the same name.
u/Ryin_silverfish — Proofreading & Adjustment with the wordings.