Bethesda and Id are with a bunch of Lowean makers that were sent to help them secure the Mascot: Alphadream, NLG, HAL and Retro, they are in the city of Lowee
"So where do we have to go?" Bethesda asks
"It would be faster for us to take a boat. To the docks in the north of the city. I can get us one." Retro says
"Sure thing."
They head to the north of the city, as they approach the north, a distant noise of a crowd get louder and louder
"What is that's sound?"
"… A civilian unrest." Retro says
"It must be one." Hal follows "Lets just take a detour and avoid it."
"that's unfortunate, you arrived the day when there is a protest." NLG says
"Heh," Chuckles Alphadream "what do you think they protesting for this time? To reform the changers status or Chunists wanting revenge on them?"
Bethesda and Id who were walking with the Lowean makers looks at each other and look back in front of them
"Chunist?" Bethesda asks
Alphadreams looks back, in the direction of Bethesda "Oh, you are not aware of current state of Lowee politics?"
"I got other things to do."
"I will tell you when we will get on the boat since its quite a sensible subject so better not to talk about that in public." HAL says
"Okay, that's sound interesting."
They arrives to the docks, its next to a Fjord, They go to a small building written on it "Wave Slalom: Boat renting"
Retro "I'm gonna get us a boat, stay here." says as he enters the building
He head to a desk where a pretty old lady is standing behind
Hello can I help you?
"I need a boat, with enough place for 6 persons."
"We got a lot of model of boats I can give you a tour-"
Retro puts a stacks of credits on the desk "I don't have time to choose."
"I see..."
[Later.]
Retro comes back to the group
"You got one?"
"Yes, come with me."
They walk along the port, Bethesda looks at the water
"Considering that Lowee is land where there is almost always snow, that mean the average temperature is lower then 0°C but at this temperature the water around Lowee is also supposed to froze, why its not the case?"
"We got a chemical machines placed on the docks and in that prevent the water of the port to froze."
"I see, it must have something to do with molecules."
"You know how that works?" Id asks
"I have an idea for sure."
Retro looks at the parked boats next to the quay, she stops upon noticing something, a military looking boat with written on it "SMB"
"You see that boat?" Relic says while pointing at it
Everyone looks at it
"Yeah?" Alphadream responds
"This is this one."
They go on the catwalk at lead to it and get on the boat, before boarding it, Id looks at the marking, she just board it after
"This is a boat that I rented, leave everything in a good state okay?"
Everyone nods
Bethesda looks at Id "Are you okay? You seem to think more than usual." He says
"Oh. Its just about what's written on the hull of the boat." Id responds
"SMB?" Retro asks
"Yeah."
"It just stands for "Super Motor Boat."
"Oh okay."
Retro heads inside of the boat on the control room, she starts up the boat, NLG joins her soon after
"I-I think that would help you." NLG says while handing over to Retro a map
"Thanks." Retro responds while putting the map next to her
Alphadream put his hand on his chin "That's funny, I'm pretty sure that also stand for something else." he says will caressing his chin
"What is it?" Hal asks
"I forgot. But the S also stands for super."
"That seem oddly familiar. About that boat. It looks like a military one. Is that a demilitarized one?" States Bethesda
"Pretty sure this one, I think this was supposed to be a gunboat or a torpedo boat form the early-mid 1900s"
"Yeah, its actually goes back to the 29th Lowee-Planeptune war." Retro says form the interior
"Uh, how many war there was between Lowee and Planeptune?" Id asks
"Well, 29 wars."
"During their whole existence?"
"Yep. The rivalry between the two nations started after the fall of Tari, only to calm down after last war, The CPU then decided that Lowee will remain a neutral nation in Gamindustri. It never intervened directly in any conflicts that happened after and even with that tensions where still present, its only after great eastern war that it seemed to end."
"Planeptune was nearly devastated after that war so yeah I see why."
HAL sighs and he sit downs, and so does Id
"So anyway, since we are gonna stay together for a moment wanna talk about yourselves?" HAL says
"Sure thing. Character development is always a good thing." says Bethesda also sit down on the deck
"Not for me! I'm just gonna sleep inside of the boat." Alphadream says while leaving the group
The three of them are sitting here for a few seconds of silence
"He remind me someone that I fought with when I was a mercenary." Id comments
"Tell me more."
"He had the same attitude for sure."
"Who you fought for when you were a mercenary?"
"…" Id have a sweat drop "For some of people and organizations..."
"But that's weird… You are know to be one of the best monster hunter in gamindustri, why you decided to switch to being a mercenary in your career? And which organizations by the way?"
"Uh..."
"Don't say it." Bethesda thinks while looking at Id
Id have an eyes turned on Bethesda for a short second "That's personal." She then responds
Bethesda take breath
"And so you are now Bethesda bodyguard?"
"Ya."
"And about you Bethesda? Why you joined the struggle against the ASIC?"
"To make it simple and short, I shot some buckaroos who didn't want to turn down their music, these guys where apparently form the ASIC and the organization wants me dead now, they trapped me and captured me and some girl beaten the shit out of me, I barely survived with the power of the deus ex machina. So I live at Planeptune for the moment."
"That's unfortunate, but did you at least tried to call the police before?"
"The thing is that I did but they never really did anything because its not the first time I tell them to turn it down."
NLG joins them "H-Hey what you guys are talking about?" she says
"Backstories." Id responds
"Can I join in?"
"Yeah."
NLG sits with the others
"So… about you HAL?"
"I think you already heard of me."
"Now you say it, I think you passed on a tv game show about cooking."
"He didn't only did that." Id comments
"That's totally true, it was a cooking competition and I was the judge. It was called Master chief. But I also had my own show!"
"Which one?"
NLG raises her hand "I know, HAL vs Kitchens form hell!" She says
"Oh, now I remember it. It was funny." Id says
"I actually didn't have a lot of time to look at it. What the principle of this show?"
"I traveled around the world to search for the worst restaurants, and I improved them… At least I try to."
Bethesda chuckles "And what you think of Leanboxian restaurants?"
"The ones in showed in Kitchens form hell? Or globally?"
"Globally."
"They are decent for most of them. But there is also the one of the worsts that I showcased in my show. Only second to Planeptune."
"That make sense since 90% of Planeptune restaurants are fast-foods." Bethesda says
HAL and NLG Laugh to that information, Id just smirks
"How long you were working for Planetpune?" HAL asks
"3 or 4 years I think. I hope all of this will end soon. I miss Leanbox, I miss my friends there."
"You managed to get friends at Leanbox?" Id asks
"kind of."
"And about you?" HAL says staring to NLG
"Me? Uh… I was just very good at sports when I graduated and the guild offered me a post."
"And what you did?"
"I worked as a ghost hunter… I dunno why I accepted that since I'm scared of them."
"Yeah that's sucks but we all made an at some points crappy decisions without any rational cause."
"Like the moment you gunned down some guys in that warehouse?" HAL comments
"That's what I meant." Bethesda responds
Id looks away for a moment, NLG seeing Id, she looks in the same direction and they see a dock form afar
"I think we are arrived."
[Later.]
The gang is in a town, they are still heading for the dungeon
NLG looks at her map "We should be close form the dungeon by now." NLG says while walking
"Its starting to be late. Shouldn't we just sleep somewhere and restart the search tomorrow."
Its already the evening, they eventually found a small hotel in the town, they took 2 rooms for 3 person 1 for the guys 1 for the girls, they are not in their respective chambers yet, they are at the lounge right now
"Remember we wake up at 6AM. Set it up on your phones alarms. And don't talk about the objective until tomorrow."
"Why tough?" Alphadreams asks
"There might be ASIC spies." Alphadreams says as he looks to a janitor who is visibily just weeping the floor
Bethesda then weirdly looks at Alphadreams
"What?" Alpha asks
"Nothing." he responds "Dang, he is smarter than he looks" he immediately thinks after
"I think that's a bit paranoid. I mean what are the chance that there is a spy?" HAL says
"Some important people form Planeptune told me so, and you should have noticed it since the data leak the was about me."
"The what?" NLG asks
Bethesda looks at them for a few seconds "...They weren't aware about that? That's probably possible since they were called by the oracle so maybe they were too busy to looks at the news." He thinks "That's not important." He says
He then head to the stairs
"I'm going to sleep."
He moves up the stairs
[Later.]
The shower is running, a tall woman with a long dark brown hair is currently using it, she then turns it off and exit it, she looks at herself in the mirror, she can see hazelnut eyes reflecting, she grabs a towel, dry herself with it, she leave the bathroom with it on her
NLG was waiting next to the bathroom
"You are finished?"
"Obliviously."
NLG enters the bathrooms and closes it. At the same time the woman goes on her bed and sit on it, she quickly see Id tucked in a blanket watching the TV, the woman change herself and start to put some underwear
"You are not that bashful as I see." Id says
The woman continue undisturbed "Neither are you. By the way I heard a conversation between you and the others on the boat. What you were talking about?" she says
"We were just introducing to each others, expect the guy with the overalls he just want inside the boat to sleep."
"I see that."
"Want me to tell you what we were talking in details or..."
"No thanks I know everything."
"By the way, Retro what you were doing before being called?"
"I was just a bounty hunter of the guild, not much else."
"Really? And who you were hunting."
"Some traitors."
"I get it. What do you think about monsters?"
"Not much. Just some wildlife that I don't have a lot of consideration for. How about you."
"I hate them, and not a little."
"And about regular animals?"
"I like bunnies They are cute."
"That's sure that everything that's look little seem cute."
"Right uh? Well I'm gonna sleep. You want to watch the TV?"
"No. But thanks for that small conversation."
"Heh, you're welcome."
[The Morning.]
WILDERNESS OF NORTH LOWEE
MID OF THE MORNING
The group are walking trough the cold plain for hours…
"You are sure that its supposed to be here? I see nothing." Bethesda says
"Maybe I was wrong about the location..." NLG says
"Wait!" Retro says "I think its over here."
"What make you tell that?" Bethesda responds
"Virtual dungeons have a gate that seem to appears out of nowhere and look in front of us."
"Oh. I just tough it was some point less formation"
"I never seen a Virtual dungeon do you?"
"No..."
The group hurries up and are now in front of the gate, its quite a tall and wide structure that look like a portal. There is a power symbol shape on the top of it
"Well since you two visibly never went inside of it. It might look very weird."
"Meh its not like the world make a lot of sense anyway."
Retro goes in front, she put her hand in it, it disappears, she then fully enters in it, the others follow her until Bethesda is the last one left. He got a weird feeling about it, then he finally walks in…
A bright light blinds the Inventor for a few seconds, then it disappears. The landscape of the plains got replaced by some cubic structures and floating cubes of varying colors. Its like this was a parallel dimension
VIRTUAL DUNGEON
WORLD MAZE
He looks and see his pals in front of him, he looks back and the gate is not longer there
"So how we do to exit?" Bethesda asks
"Just walk back where you came form." Retro says
"Good to know."
"M-M Monsters!" NLG yells while shaking
Everyone looks, its just some pixelvaders and terits going at them
"You are kidding me? You are scared of these block things?"
NLG shake her head "Sorry!" She then summon her weapon… A vacum cleaner?
The makers summon their weapons, Bethesda, a revolver and a round shield he also put his helmet on him as usual, Id get her double barreled shotgun, Aplhadreams summon a big ass mallet, HAL, a frying pan, And finally Retro doesn't summon one, because her armor suit got an energy cannon integrated to the right arm
"We wreck them down and we find the Mascot!"
"YES!"
[A short fight scene later… No I mean really short no point to show it.]
The group of maker are progressing trough the virtual dungeon, they see a corridor.
"Look like we need to go here to progress further. Do you guys think its trapped?" Bethesda says
"There is chances that is it." Alphadream responds
"Well! Who want to go first?" Bethesda says to the group
No one responds
"Then i will use my superior inteligence to see if its trapped!"
"What you are gonna do?"
Alphadream throws is mallet trough the corridor, nothing happens
"That works I guess but imagine if there is the Mascot at the other side."
"Who's there?!" A voice cries at the other side of the hallway
Alpha rethink his action for a few seconds "…Oh shit!" He then dashes trough it
"HEY!" yells HAL and start to run after him
The group follows him as they reach the other side, circular structure and in the middle of it a pedestal where a glowing white disc is on it… Right next to Alphadream Mallet
"Who are you?" The Disc says
HAL and NLG bow in front of the Disc, Retro walk away
"Where are you going?" Id asks
"I'm gonna contact the Oracle to tell that we found it." Retro responds
[Meanwhile…]
Nepgear, Compa, IF and RED are inside of a military truck rolling on a mountain road, they are sitting on seats, in front of them, there is Lowee troopers wearing some fancy red and white clothing, they are also all woman, but there is also the Marshal of Lowee military: Intelligent system
LOWEE CITY
LATE OF THE MORNING
"So… Miss intelligent… You apparently already knew IF?" Compa asks
"Yes. She was the bodyguard of the Inventor." The marshal responds
"But why you had to escort him, I thought he was strong enough." Compa says to IF
"He is a very valuable person, he is a priority target for any enemies." IF says
"Especially since his invention saved many Lowean lives."
"The Med-pack?"
"Yes."
"What's is it? I never heard of it before." Nepgear asks
"Its something that he made, some kind of syringe that highly boost body regeneration." Compa responds
"That's amazing!"
"Well not that amazing. Some troopers who used it noticed that it also make them more vulnerable to disease. There is a soldier that was one of the first one that used it and he got a cough some hours after."
"That's still better than dying."
"For sure, but that's annoying for the soldiers."
"I remember that before we went to rescue Ge-Ge, he made an upgraded version that fixed some unwanted effects. I didn't knew what effects he was talking about but now I know why."
"So… Why the war was lost exactly?" Nepgear says
"We didn't lost it. Its just a cease fire."
The truck arrives to the city of Lowee, it heads to the north-east
Nepgear and her group hop off of a military truck, Intelligent system step down of the front and go to see them
"I hope the trip wasn't too bad." She says to Nepgear
"-Oh, that was fine." Nepgear responds
"Especially if we compare to the time we were in that Changers truck." IF comments while chuckling
"Anyway." Says Intelligent as she walks towards the tall building
Nepgear and her friends arrives to the Basilicom, the Marshal turns towards them
"As I told to you sooner, my task ends here. The oracle is inside and waiting for you. Farewell and good luck." Intelligent says
She then head back to the truck and mount back inside of it
"Oh! And I forgot, be wary of the Twins. They can be troublesome."
"We already know that..." Compa says
"Good, you didn't forget."
Intelligent then closes the door and the trucks rolls away, leaving the girls in front of the building
"Especially since that's gonna be difficult without our weapons." Compa continues
"We can still use our skills!" Red responds
"I doubt that will be very effective without weapons." IF comments
The girls head inside the building
"Here we are. Is there is anyone here?" IF says
A Woman shows up long sky blue hair with a red graduate hat and a robe also red and under it a white skirt
"Hello and welcome to Lowee basilicom…" She says, she look at IF "Oh I remember you. Welcome back. What's the motive of your coming with your friends."
"Actually we are searching for the Mascot."
"Uhm… So you must be the group that Bethesda told me about..."
"No need to explain. The marshal already explained what happened."
"Okay. Well then he wasn't lying at all. But at first, I want to know things about the Changers. And I'm giving you away the location of the Mascot"
"They found it?"
"I received a message that told me that they found the mascot earlier in the day."
"Uh do you mind us a second?" IF says
"Sure."
IF turns to the girls, the girls turns to IF
"Should we tell her the truth?" RED asks to the group while whispering
"We really shouldn't." IF says
"But why? They should know that by who we got saved."
"That's the point. Not sure that she will be happy to learn that the guy who saved us is a changer and not an average one but a formerly commander of their army and also of the ASIC."
"Formerly, but he is now fighting against them."
"… What do you think Ge-Ge?"
"Me? I think… That we should tell them."
"Geez that's was really one sided then, but let's still not talk about the condition he talked about."
"Sure."
The group then turns back to the oracle
"So..."
[Later.]
"I see. I have some extra questions tough. Who is the Changer that rescued all of you?"
"His name is Uran."
"Wait a minute… That a commander of the MOD."
"He was. Turned against them after the coup that was possibility made by the ASIC."
"But we also know that he was form the ASIC before the insurrection started. Why he would turn against them?"
"He said something about wanting that the Changers are not the puppet of anyone." Compa says
"That's easier to understand… But still strange."
"Uh, Lady I have a question, what the whole deal with the Changers?"
"… That's complicated. I mentioned why to one of your friends but it was very very very short summary of the situation. I might tell you more when you will be back here."
"Fine."
"Uh by the way, they took our weapons, can we have..."
"Spare weapons? Sure thing we might have some in the stockpile but don't forget to bring them back and in the state that you left it. Wait a moment I'm calling the captain of the guard."
[Later.]
The girls leave an elevator, they are now in a hallway, in front of them there is two guards standing by the door
"Sorry but this place is restricted." A guard says
"Let us enter old man. We got allowed form the oracle." RED says
"I'm only 24."
"What's the difference? Boys all looks the same."
The door opens, an older man pass trough it
"No, she is right, they are allowed to take weapons." The old man says
"Hum, are you sure letting foreigners get weapons is a good idea?" He responds while whispering
"Order form the oracle, don't question it."
"..." The guard step away form the entrance and opens the door of it
The girls walk inside of the storage, its gigantic and tall, it would be around 10 nep high (around 15 meter high which is 49 foot tall), there is rows of crates on typical storage shelf, the man stand behind them
"That's huge!" Nepgear says surprised
"It even larger than the one that we got in Planeptune" Adds IF
"Where we can find the weapons?" Compa asks
"On the left. 19th row." He says
"Thanks. Let's go."
The girls moves trough the rows of the storage until they reach on with written "19" on the ground
"It should be here." Compa says
They move into the row, there is crates and packages with weapon types specified on them, they look and look, IF found a crate with written "Claws" on it, she move it on the ground and opens it, there is effectively claws weapons inside of them, she grabs a pair of them and take a look: they are gloves that have blades they also seem to have hooks at the end of the blades
"Iffy?"A familiar voice says to the guild member
"Yes Compa?"
"I can't find any syringe."
"Its a special weapon. Its not a surprise that we can't find these here. Try to find something else"
Compa then looks for replacement for her syringe she can't decide on what to pick on weapons ranging form blunt weapons, to swords, to guns and laser guns and etc… she just take a random one…
On the same moment Nepgear is checking a crates with swords, she try to find one similar to her Beam sword but just take an arming sword, since she can't find one close to her futuristic sword
And about RED? Well she found some Nunchucks and she is playing with them
"Careful with that you are gonna hurt yourself." Compa says to RED
"No I'm doing finna good. By the way you found a weapon that suit to you?"
"Well..."
Compa shows a 9mm handgun
"You know how to use it?"
"I know how this works."
"Uh Compa? You are REALLY SURE that you know how to use it?"
"I can show you right now!" Compa responds energicly
She loads the gun with a single bullet she found on a ammo crate, she arms it and hold it with two hands and aim on a sign, she hesitate a bit, her arms shakle a little
BANG
POW
"Ouwie!"
As she fired her gun slipped trough her hands, slaping her face, the gun fell on the ground, she didn't even it the sign
"HEY WHAT'S GOING ON!" The older guard yells as he comes running
"I was just testing the gu-"
"OKAY! Whatever the oracle says I can't let idiots play with weapons, get your weapons and get the fuck outta here!
[Later.]
BAM
The storage doors get shuts and the group stand in front of it
"Congratulation! Great shooting skills." IF angrily says to Compa while crossing her arms
Compa starts crying
"Anyway let's get going."
[Back at Bethesda group...]
"Pardon us your excellence. We thought that the corridor that lead to you were trapped." HAL then forces Aplhadreams to also bow
"Not sure that was really worth it to launch a mallet like that. You know you dire the things would have got if you destroyed me?"
"We are terribly sorry!" NLG pleads
"Hang on, we know that you are doing an important mission but can you explain us of what it consist? If you said that it would be very bad if we destroyed you by inadvertence?" Alphadream asks
"Especially since there is the ASIC that wants you dead."
"I'm aware of that."
"And we came to prevent that, until the Planeptune candidate arrives for you to lend some of your power to her so she can rescue the CPU's that had been captured by the ASIC."
"The CPU's got defeated? Including Neptune?"
"You seem to personally know Neptune, which is weird since you are Lowee mascot."
"It was because I was actually one of the Planeptune Mascots previously. Neptune sent me there and told me to stay. Its because all Lowee mascot got destroyed."
"Can you explain more about that?"
"I'm here to ensure Lowee prosperity. And it requires me to stay at this place, unfortunatly if Neptune sister arrives, I couldn't go with her due to my mission."
"We are not asking you to come with her but just to lend some power to her."
"With current Lowee situation, such a thing won't be possible without damaging Lowee even further. And so about the important mission that you asked its about..."
"Ha! Ha! Found ya! You're mine Mascot!" A voice familiar to Bethesda says
The makers looks behind them, they see a Grey skinned girl with green hair wearing an opened hooded jacket and baggy pants, she have combat boots for shoes, the group of makers are confused… well expect one
The girl looks at the group of makers, she can recognize everyone since they are not randoms, but there is one person that she really DIDN'T expect to see here
"Who are you?" HAL asks to the girl
Bethesda clenches his fists
"What's wrong?" Id asks to Bethesda
Bethesda is fucking furious
"You… are not supposed to be here." The girl says
"Neither should you. Bitch."
"You know her?"
"Yeah and I hopped to see her again, so I can beat her up as she did on me back at Leanbox."
"That's her?!" Id asks surprised, her surprise quickly turns into anger
TO BE CONTINUED
It was quite a long exposition chapter but a necessary one, because in the next one there will be some heavy action.