Chapter 61 - IF the follower

IF stood, silent and apprehensive, in front of a certain door. It was a door that Nico had said through his text message was something that she would like, as a means of 'paying her back' for what happened with Neptune that night. Her guess was that he still felt responsible for what happened, for not pushing Neptune away from him like his instincts had told him to. 'That idiot, I'd already forgiven him for what happened, same with Compa. She knows that Nep is the aggressive type, its not his fault that she did that. There's no need for him to go this far…' She thought to herself.

Apparently, Nico still felt bad for what happened when Neptune literally tried to seduce him, and they walked in on it. Admittingly, she understood that Nico wasn't the one at fault, even as the event took place. He was hardly to blame for the incident since it looked clear that he was the victim and not the other way around, which was a rarity in situations like that. And while a part of her brought up the fact that Nico had shocked all of them when he lost it like that back there, but that part was quashed down by everything else that happening. In hindsight, what happened with Nico was… kind of small on the grand scheme of things.

Still though, it was flattering to know that he cared about them enough to still try to repay them. As to the method of repaying them, that was for debate. Why had he told her to go to this 'Vert' person? She can only assume that was the name of this room's occupant considering the sign on the door being so… personalized. It didn't seem to be a typical standard, plus it had a distinct charm to it that standard, formal signs didn't have.

'Well, no use just standing here like an idiot. I guess I should go inside.' The brunette thought with a reluctant sigh. Hopefully, she got something good and wasn't being trolled by him. Nico did have a hidden prankster side to him as Neptune had experienced the hard way. She still chuckled over how he woke her so long ago, as well as the pranks that followed. 'Still can't get over that whipped cream one…'

With a small smirk on her face, IF opened the door and walked inside. "Coming through…" She called out as she entered, so if anyone was on the other side, they knew she was coming. Part of her hoped there wasn't, so she could just continue her day and train her abilities more. She was so close to mastering a new mutation for her wings, she could feel it.

Just as she entered however all thoughts to do with training, mutations, anything for that matter, stopped dead as she saw that there was indeed someone else in the room. The sight made her stop just as she was taking a step, meaning that she stood on one foot with the other frozen in the air and a hand on the door. A young woman, and an attractive one at that, slept on her bed. Or rather, she had slept, until her call woke her up judging by the groggy gaze that her eyes sported. "#Yawn# Hmm…?" She clenched them tight when she felt rays from the sun land on her eyes. "It's so bright…"

The woman sat up straight while rubbing her eyes, clearing the sleep out of them before she placed them on the ground. Wetting her lips with her tongue, the woman opened her blue eyes and saw that she wasn't alone. "Who are you? Bothering me when I was nice and cosy here."

Her words were enough for IF to snap out of her stunned demeanor, and her face quickly morphed to one of panic as she began to back away just as quickly. "Oh, I'm sorry, I'll be on my way now…" she began to say, trailing off as she made to leave the room. Her panic temporarily made her brain slow on the uptake, which was to be expected since the brain reacts slower when it is in that type of mindset.

However, one last glance to her made an image she had seen on her CPU's blog appear in her mind, and once again IF froze as she gaped in shock at the woman. She looked just like the image she had on the Goddess Blog, down to the tiniest detail, she realized. This could only mean one thing, and one thing only. "Whaaaaat?! L-L-Lady Green Heart?!" she shrieked, her voice raised to an octave that rivaled the Banshees.

'Was this why Nico told me to come here?! That I'd meet the CPU I worship?!'

At first, the blonde woman frowned at the brunette, thinking she was one of the workers that sometimes bothered her while she was sleeping. That is, before her eyes widened as she realised that it wasn't a masculine voice that she had heard. "Oh my," she began, a hand to her lips in a ladylike manner. "A girl's voice?"


"Oh my, I can't believe that such a cute girl came to visit me! This is truly a wonderful day for me!"

"Huh? Me? C-Cute?"

After they managed to calm down and assess the situation, IF and the woman who she realized was the CPU of Leanbox, were now seated on her bed, drinking tea. Or rather, she was drinking tea, while IF was holding hers in her hand while shuffling nervously. She didn't know what to think anymore, here she was, sitting next to the CPU she worshiped, admired for so many years. However, it was tainted with the knowledge of Yvoire's scheme, something she didn't know how the CPU would take.

In addition, another fear popped into her mind, how would she take a BOW following her? After all, people can seem nice at first, but once you know them for a time they start to show their true colors. It was basically masks and reflection, people putting on a facade to hide their true selves within. An image of Ganache when he both trapped them in that abandoned factory, and when he whooped their asses at Lastation, appeared in her mind when she thought that. True, Lady Green Heart seemed nice right now, but what would happen when she learned her inhuman secret? She said when, not if, because it would be inevitable that she would learn it knowing her rotten luck.

"What is your name?" Lady Green Heart asked, a kind smile on her lips as she sat on her bed, hands on her lap and looking like the elegant CPU that IF had come to admire for a long time. She expelled an aura of maturity and fertility, to her qualities that a Goddess needed to earn the love and devotion the Nation could give to her to sustain her.

However, this didn't mean she was fully prepared to speak right now, in fact IF still had been trying to regain her mental composure when the question was asked. She shuddered and shuffled uncomfortably for a moment, before she tried to form a reply through her stuttering. "Y-Yes! M-My name is I-IF!"

In her mind, she cursed the fact that she didn't sound as confident and cool as she usually did when with her party. But, can anyone even blame her? She was literally sitting in the same room as her idolized Goddess holding a cup of tea, and talking to her directly. Not only was this a huge honor for her as a follower, but it was also something that hadn't happened in a long time.

Her research had led to the uncovering of a few details that had concerned her, as well as Nico when she told him about it. Not long after her return from Celestia, Lady Green Heart had locked herself inside her room, and refused to come out for anything. She would spend her days laying games according to the sounds that passing by workers heard from her room, and whenever visiting hours were done, none of the visitors got to see her face-to-face, instead they were talked to through a screen on the side of the door.

It had concerned the female Guild Agent, for many reasons, as this behavior wasn't something that she was known to do. It worried not just her, but everyone who supported her. Perhaps this was why the Overlord Momus cult had made such headway in gathering followers in Leanbox, people were giving up on their Goddess for this new deity that filled the with false hopes and dreams. Well, it wasn't confirmed that they were fake, but IF's instincts told her she wasn't wrong. Who had heard of a deity that grants people's wishes in the forms of merchandise while also carrying around Monster Disks in the form of merch? Odds were, that this Deity had a close connection to the monsters in her opinion, since it generated Disks that made them.

Her thoughts were broken when she heard the CPU of Leanbox gush at her name, oddly resembling a certain pudding-loving idiot she knew. She didn't let this stand for long though, as she calmed herself down… by pinching her forearms. That had to hurt, IF assumed with a grimace. "IF, is it? Such a cute name, it fits you well." She complimented, showing no signs of physical discomfort.

'CPUs must have natural endurance…' IF thought with a sweat drop. She couldn't help but wonder what kind of training she'd have to go through to do that without flinching, maybe she could disable the nerves around her forearm, so she didn't feel it, even though the pain would still be there. It just went to show how useful her BOW status was. Nevertheless, IF kept those thoughts hidden from the CPU, or to be more precise, they were overshadowed by the dreamy glee that was coursing through her system, spreading over her face and shining from her green orbs. "L-Lady Green Heart called my name 'cute'…"

While the brunette felt like she was about to faint if not for the screeching and howling of her inner fangirl, Vert tilted her head as her smile widened into a pleased grin. "My," she began, placing a hand on her right cheek while leaning her head into it, her gaze full of joy and affection. "Your blushed face is just as cute to."

At this point, IF felt like she was hyperventilating. Not only was she complimented once, but TWICE by her favored CPU. She felt like she was in a dream, a blissful dream where nothing could go wrong. Despite herself, she lost all her previous thoughts of logic and surrendered herself to the joys of being within the presence of her favored Goddess, something that nearly made her swoon. But no, IF does not SWOON, she does not squeal and act all girly, it wasn't the kind of person she was!

"Well, since you came, why don't we talk for a bit?"

Now THAT caught her attention as well as break through her delusions as IF snapped back out into reality. Her eyes widened in comical disbelief as she pointed a finger to herself, the finger quivering slightly as she tried to get out a firm sentence. "W-With m-me?!" however, it came out as a nervous stammer, something that did NOT do her any favors for her reputation. She was only glad nobody else was around to see this.

The CPU nodded, and much to IF's astonishment, her smile dropped into a sad frown, her eyes now full of displeasure as she pointed towards the door that the brunette had entered through. "Yes. I only have the elder men here to speak with, so I am a bit bored." She explained, and then a small spec of light returned to her eyes as a wistful smile formed on her features. "Though, I did get to meet someone I always wanted to meet for a while now, so today is more bearable than the others."

IF hummed in thought, her eyes becoming pensive as she lost herself in thought, rather akin to a certain Spec Ops Agent. "That's true. I hardly see females working at the Basilicom." She remarked. It was the same with the previous 2 Basilicoms that she and her friends had visited, they were usually greeted by a man worker, there were hardly any female workers in their ranks. The higher the position, the older they were as well. IF found that honestly quite odd.

Her eyes then flashed with realization as she caught on to a part of the CPU's words. "Wait, you said you met someone you wanted to meet, right?" she questioned, before taking the phone she got a message from Nico on, and flipped it open. "A friend of mine directed me here, so could that mean…?"

"Why yes it does, Miss IF." Lady Green Heart replied with a knowing smile. "Your friend Nico, or rather DEATHSTROKE as his colleagues call him, came by here not to long ago. I brought him here after he helped me with a little something." Her eyes glazed over slightly as she hummed in nostalgia. "He was so manly at that moment…"

With the knowledge that it was indeed Nico's intention to bring her here, IF at first felt angry and betrayed, both at the male for meeting the CPU before she could. She had been desiring to meet her in person for ages, and he just goes and gets what she wanted before her! However, the fact that he had guided her here meant that Nico had considered how she felt about the CPU of Leanbox, and had granted her, her greatest wish. That thought had diminished the previous feelings for ones of satisfaction and, if she were honest, a little flattering.

Was it just her, or did her heart just skip a beat just now?

Then, another spark of knowledge hit her, and IF gave the CPU a dubious stare. "Wait, you know Nico? Could you by chance happen to have a Username called Lady GH?" she questioned, getting an affirmation from her in the form of a nod. This made the brunette sigh as she held her head. Nico must have known her, or rather unknowingly known her, that was so weird to think about but somehow it fit to her, for a long time. He had every right to meet her just as she did, considering. "So… are you two, you know… close?"

For some reason, IF didn't feel so good at the possibility that her Lady and friend were that close to each other. She felt like her stomach was twisting in an uncomfortable manner, and considering she was a BOW that could possibly be very likely. She did have full control over her body's workings thanks to that. But, somehow, she felt it was a… different kind of twisting, something that she didn't know the cause of.

Nevertheless, she forced those uncertainties aside, so she could hear the answer to her question. Lady Green Heart hummed in thought, an index finger on her chin while her eyes rolled upwards, as if trying to look at her brain. "Hmm… I believe you could say we are indeed quite close." She replied, before elaborating when she saw the look on IF's face. "I mean, we first met during a raid on Four Goddesses Online. It was one of the more hectic ones, which caught me by surprise, so I couldn't really talk to him or pay him much heed. It was only after the battle that I learned of his feats and challenged him to a duel. Unfortunately, I, who was more experienced in gaming, was promptly defeated by him in an ironic twist of fate. Ever since, I tried to get him to join my Guild or at least become my in-game husband." At the end, Vert's eyes narrowed as she childishly puckered her lips. "Though so far, he has been playing hard to get."

If she was expecting something she could understand, then IF had been sorely mistaken as her jaw feel open, unhinged thanks to her shock overriding her brain's motor controls over it. This happened as she tried to process what her Lady had told her, that she had been essentially trying to make Nico hers…. At least virtually. It just threw her off completely, CPUs don't show such interest in mortal affairs, hell just ask them why they ruled in Celestia, a world separated from Gamindustri. Though, times were slowly changing something that had been ever so visible in the way things were being run. The CPUs had returned from their land of Celestia and were now assimilating into Gamindustri for some unknown reason.

She wanted to ask more, but before she had the chance to open her mouth, IF had seen how the woman had stifled a yawn, her eyelids quivering like they were being held open by sheer willpower. Immediately, her previous thoughts vanished into the metaphorical winds as she quickly leaned towards the woman, catching her by her shoulders to stop her from falling over. "You look tired, my Lady. I really should leave so you can get your rest." She stated with an urgency in her voice. Despite what she heard, she didn't wish ill upon the Goddess. Such a thing was blasphemous in her eyes.

Raising her head, despite the fatigue that was hammering away at her body, the CPU shook her head and gave a gentle, reassuring smile as she straightened back up. "Oh, not to worry. I only just woke up after playing games all last night. I was sleeping to get some time in before I would play another game of StarCraft." She answered, giggling merrily as she recalled playing some StarCraft all night. That game's achievements were addicting, more so than many other games she'd played. It may not be an MMO, but it had elements of it and it stood up as a great experience. She could understand why someone like DEATHSTROKE found it to be more entertaining than Four Goddesses Online.

Her words however, did unintentionally cause a wave of nostalgia to pass through the brunette, her eyes widening at the information. 'Wait, did I just hear that right…? Please say it isn't true…' she pleaded with her own mind. Hoping for clarification, IF couldn't help but speak with anxiety and nervousness combined with uncertainty in her voice. "… Games? Does my Lady play Videogames?"

Much to her despair, Lady Green Heart gave a beaming nod, there were practically stars around her head as she responded to her new friend. "Why, yes. I enjoy games, Anime, Manga, and any sub-cultural pastimes." She explained, before she sighed wistfully. "Although I do muss my Guild back in Four Goddesses online. I do make sure to make plenty visits to check up on everything, though. It is childsplay for a Gaming Goddess such as myself to maintain these two games."

After hearing her response, IF gave a tired groan, holding her face with her hand as she absorbed the information. She bit back a scream of outrage at the humiliation that was draping itself over her like a cloak. 'Ugh, no matter how humiliating it is, I gotta face facts. I've lost a bet… to Neptune. Oh, she will never let me live this down, I can almost hear her childishly calling me an idiot...' Something told her she would be needing a therapist to get over this humiliation. "Th-Then that webpage that was hidden in Lady Green Heart's blog…?"

"My!" Lady Green Heart Gasped as she covered her mouth with her fingers in surprise. She figured out what the brunette had meant nearly instantly, and showed ample shock about the subject. "Did you find my hidden page?"

IF frowned, her eyes becoming depressed. Was her Lady angry with her? She only showed surprise, but IF knew people put things private in their diaries, and she had just read the diary of her CPU. Said CPU even had the gracious intent of talking with her, something she had been dreaming about for years! Now she had potentially ruined any and all chances of earning the Goddess's favor, she felt. Nevertheless, she lowered her head and gave a nod, ashamed and embarrassed. "Y-Yes…"

She figured that her Lady would be furious at her for looking at something she kept private, however that was soon thrown out the window of her mind. The reason? Lady Green Heart squealed like a schoolgirl hearing some exciting gossip (You boys in high school know what I mean… #shudder# so loud, loud I tell you!) She then proceeded to hug the girl like she was the last person on the planet, jumping up and down repeatedly. "Yes, most excellent! Most excellent indeed!"

This lasted for a full 5 minutes, before she pulled away beaming brightly, as well with a gleam of determination on her face while pulling from within one of her Skirt's pockets a Phone… one that very similar to the one that Nico gave her back in Planeptune, making her unconsciously rub her closest hand against it. "Oh now we MUST become friends! Yes, let's be friends!"

While Lady Green Heart was practically shining right now, IF on the other hand did several spit takes as she had to ponder what she said in her head for a moment. She was unsure if she heard her correctly, as what she said sounded exactly like a dream to her. "F-F-F-F-Friends?! M-M-Me, friends with my Lady?!" she shrieked in shock. Though deep within the recesses of her mind, her inner fangirl was playing the marriage soundtrack while walking down the isle with a mini Lady Green Heart in a tux.

Unfortunately, that illusion shattered when she saw how dejected the CPU became from her response. IF quickly realized what happened, as her response could have been taken negatively, and it seemed that it had. "You don't want to…? I suppose such a close relationship with a Goddess is intimidating." She remarked in a dejected manner.

Normally, people don't usually get to talk to the CPUs like this, especially during the Console War. The Goddesses were held with high regards after all, since they were practically the world's leaders. Thus, did the unintended con crop up like a monster hiding under the bed of a scared child. They didn't get to have many friends, people they could grow close to, so they often got quite lonely. Lady Green Heart was better off since she had her games, but she wasn't sure how the others came about it.

It was why she was so excited when she learned that Nico was the one she had been gaming with, and had met her face to face IRL. Despite almost losing it and taking him right then and there (wasn't that how marriages were consummated?) Nico convinced her that they should become friends IRL first. Though she suspected that he had not wanted to lose his virginity just yet for some reason, and when she asked the male was reduced to embarrassed splutters.

Despite his serious, albeit mildly humorous demeanour, Nico had little experience socialising with girls outside of his job. That included Lucy and Raven, whom were both Spec Ops Agents like him so he usually dealt with them with professionalism, unless Lucy tries to make a move on him. It was only when he met with Compa again that he began to get surrounded by girls so much, but he had some time to get used to the idea by now.

Still, he'd little experience with women like Leanbox's CPU, the only two other people he could think were similar to her would be his mom and Lucy. It was like he had a weakness to older women or something.

Her ponderings were stopped when she heard IF frantically trying to assure her that she wasn't right about her assumptions, the girl's face was red with how flustered she was as she flailed her arms in a panic. "NO! NO-NO-NO-NO-NO! On the contrary, I'm truly honoured!"

Hoping for what she said being the right thing to say, IF awaited the response she sought. It was true, she was honoured to be her friend, she'd gladly do so. She had already seen the previous two CPUs, though she did struggle with the fact that one actually was a CPU with her personality. Then again, like with that witch woman, you can't judge a book by its cover. Only this time she had the contents to judge as well.

However, she did get the right response as Lady Green Heart gave a positive 'hmph' which, albeit unintentionally, made her breasts bounce up and down, something that DEFINITELY caught IF's eye. One could see at least one reason why IF looked up to her if you know what I'm saying. "Very well. Then we are now friends, Iffy."

Iffy, the Nickname she had been given by Neptune of all people when they first met in that Dungeon. It seemed like so long ago with everything they'd been through. Hearing it come from the lips of her favoured Goddess though, made it have an entirely new impression on the brunette's mind, which was why she became a stuttering mess when she heard it. "I-I-I-Iffy…?!"

The CPU gave an affirmative nod, once again making her chest bounce somehow. She likes her boobs, doesn't she? "Yes, with friends, nicknames are needed. You can call me "Vert"." she explained, like it was almost natural.

IF, despite her flustered demeanour, quickly figured something out when she noticed an… affection when she pronounced that nickname that could only come from when someone uttered their true name. So, she just HAD to clarify with her. "I-Is that your true name, Lady Green Heart?"

"Yes." She replied with confirmation, before continuing. "Or you could perhaps call me Verty, or Ver-Ver… Even though my Nick refused to give me any nicknames, meanie…" he woman pouted at the end, crossing her arms like a rude child. It was almost universal for girls to like to be given nicknames, yet Nico didn't do it for her. Why was that? Maybe she could find out the next time they met.

"I-Iffy… V-Ver-Ver… #FAINT#"

"I-Iffy?! Oh dear!"


Deep within her mind, IF floated on her back, her eyes closed while her form remained motionless. There was nothing but silence in this void, nothing that would disturb her silence. The silence she craved, the silence she needed after all the hectic stuff that she had happen to her today.

Nevertheless, something compelled her to slowly open her eyes, allowing them to take note of her surroundings. "Huh… so this is the setting where Nep and Nico said they encountered Histoire…" the woman mused, humming in thought, though there was slight eagerness in her tone as well. She often get jealous, though she hid it well, of the fact that only Neptune and Nico had the opportunity to talk to Histoire in private like this. Despite the Key Fragments allowing her to speak with them for a brief moment, Histoire still could talk to those two freely, likely due to them being both a CPU and a DPU.

When she learned of the DPUs existence, she couldn't help but find it amusing, despite the powers that the DPU possessed. The idea of one existing sounded oddly almost like a Chunni's idea, even though it wasn't. It may have been similar to a Chunni's ideal, but there was a difference between fantasy and reality, and this was reality that it existed in. Nevertheless, IF did indeed respect the power that a DPU wielded… but yet, something was telling her, every time that she saw it, that the power of a DPU was still manifesting, even now. She could understand why, given how most of the times Nico transformed, he displayed new abilities that he hadn't used previously. That Berserker Mode seemed to be the most recent addition to his arsenal.

'Although it does come at a price…' the brunette bitterly thought, biting back the urge to chuckle. She didn't know what the point in that was, considering how she was practically by her lonesome right now, but perhaps she'd done it so much now that it was a habit. Whatever, since she was in here, IF felt that she could get her thoughts in order.

Now, the first order of business was… Yvoire. IF grimaced as she tried to shake a disgusting aftertaste from her mouth, born from the very thought of that conniving geezer. Just thinking about him and how he wanted her to kill off two of her friends made her want to just break something with an Axammer. Nevertheless, she refrained since there was nothing here.

'Now I know why Nico hates him so much…' she had to admit to herself. Nico certainly was justified now in his apparent hatred for the Basilicom Elder. From the first moment they met he had been acting hostile towards him, though he hid it well from the others. IF doubted the others picked up on it like she had, but now IF could understand why.

In addition, she had done ample research into his backstory, and had found that he had a deep prejudice against the Spec Ops Programme, born from his family background actually. While it was interesting to learn how his ancestors originally opposed the development of the Spec Ops Programme back when Abnormals first came out into existence, it was still no less aggravating. Apparently, they had bee well into the idea that one day, Lady Green Heart- no wait, she said to call her by her name so Vert, would descend from Celestia to battle the Abnormals in their place.

At first, they had the full support of the governing body for Leanbox, but as the Abnormals kept growing in strength, and there were no signs of Vert returning from the Console War, eventually their opinions were outweighed as more and more people realised that since the Goddesses were too absorbed in their little conflict, they would have to face this problem themselves. While it spread like wildfire amongst the other Nations when they found out, the Spec Ops Programme still was politically bound and restricted, with limited members and their equipment heavily monitored under the notion of 'these people are too dangerous to walk around with this equipment unchecked'. This felt worse than the discrimination members of the Guild got for believing a Goddess of a nation aside from the one they were born in.

People like Yvoire were what made IF respect the Spec Ops Agents, despite their. womanizing ways. To willingly throw your faith aside and stand up for yourself, without relying on the Goddesses to protect you, was something that took both guts and courage to do. People could be pretty fanatical when it came to their beliefs, that was a lesson IF had learned all too quickly, so to see people still toss that aside and face the discrimination of practically the entire world was something that was to be inspired.

Then, there was Vert. Just by hearing about her made IF suspicious about her desires to kill Neptune with poison. In fact, she was pretty sure Vert was unaware of the plot Yvoire was concocting, he did say that he would rather not 'taint her' according to his words. IF quickly figured that to be a load of fucking bullshit. She doubted heavily that Yvoire was even sticking to the rules at this point, thinking that he would have unquestioned power over her with the knowledge that she worshipped Vert yet wasn't of her nation.

Plus, meeting with Vert like this, it made her realise something: killing Neptune and Nico in her name like this would just be… wrong, in so many different ways. Not only would it be disrespecting them, but Vert as well, plus her own beliefs would be called into question. It didn't seem like her to want Neptune dead like this, no, if she did want to kill her, she would have sensed Neptune's power enter her Landmass and would have isolated her in a Dungeon to take care of her herself. Vert always preached to her followers that one should use their own strengths to solve their problems, and this wasn't something that adhered to that belief.

But, could she tell her about this? That an assassination plot was taking place right within her very own home? It did seem like something Vert aught to be aware of. If it was even the lowest ranked worker doing the deed, Vert would have to be notified by anyone with any sense of loyalty towards her. It would be even more important if Yvoire was behind it, since he had a high ranking position within the Basilicom.

"…y."

Yes, she had to tell her. She had to let her know what was going on. As a devotee of Vert's, IF couldn't let this slide. No, not just that, but as a Spec Ops Candidate and a FRIEND, she couldn't let this injustice come to pass. This had to reach the CPU's ears, so they could put it to a halt before anyone got hurt. She had evidence in the form of the Vials of poison, and also, what Yvoire failed to realise was that she had been recording the entire conversation on one of her phones. Plus, she had so many right now that even if he knew she was recording him, he wouldn't know which phone she was using to make it, therefore hindering any attempts to retrieve the evidence.

"…fy."

'… Huh? Is someone calling my name?' IF wondered, her brow twitching as she heard a small, distant voice calling out from within the void. It sounded distinctly feminine, and as it kept repeating itself, it sounded like it's owner was getting closer and closer to her, louder and louder all the while. In a few moments, IF found that the voice soon became clearly audible, and VERY familiar.

"…ffy… Iffy… IFFY!"


#GASP#

With a sharp intake of breath, IF's eyes shot open, although this wasn't really the best thing to do as they almost burned with all the influx of colors they got from the surroundings. She groaned painfully as she closed her eyes tight, trying to get the aching to go away. She did sit up, holding the side of her head as a concerned, feminine voice asked her with a worried softness to it. "Are you alright, Iffy? Did I scare you there? I must apologize for that, I didn't intend to do that, I swear!"

Slowly, her vision returned to her, and IF soon opened her eyes once more, the aching having mostly subsided, but enough for her to make out her surroundings. She quickly looked and saw Vert kneeling beside her, eyes filled to the brim with worry for her well-being. She had her gloved hands on her shoulders in a way that assured her that she would have balance and support should she fall backwards.

IF was slow at first, but eventually the haze in her mind was ebbed away by her powers as a BOW. She quickly flashed back to the events that happened before her fainting, Vert calling her by nicknames and her allowing the brunette to do the same. Afterwards, she looked down and saw that she was on the CPU's bed, which made sense in her mind given where they were sitting beforehand. Looking back at the worried Goddess, IF chuckled sheepishly, rubbing the back of her head awkwardly. "Yeah, I'm good. Sorry, I just kind of swooned there, lost myself in the process…"

"My, please don't strain yourself like that." Vert gently chastised the brunette, letting go of her shoulders and placing her hands on her lap. Her eyes still showed worry, but right now, joy had began seeping into them as she continued speaking, a slight raising of her octaves indicating her relief. "I personally am so happy to have spoken with you for so long, Iffy." She then turned her head to the side, her eyes becoming glazed as she cupped her Chin. "I only could have talked with Nico a bit more, then this day would have been perfect."

'Wow, Lady Vert must have some extreme fixation with that guy…' IF thought with a sweat drop as she saw the CPU she worshiped fantasizing about her Companion. 'If this was what Fan-girls are like, then I'm glad I'm not one of them…' she thought, which was ironic considering her recent activities. Nevertheless, she couldn't help but smile widely, almost like a child meeting Santa Claus on Christmas day. "I'm happy as well, Lady Vert."

"Say, there's something i'm curious about."

When she heard her CPU's topic change, IF snapped to attention in an almost military-like manner. "What is it, Lady Vert?"

Clasping her hands together, the woman hummed as she pondered her question. She did this... for a few seconds, before finally asking her question in a rather blunt, and direct, manner. "What are your thoughts for Nico?"

"... Huh?"

IF blinked, surprised and caught off guard by her question. Fortress Iffy had been hit with a wrecking ball, allowing the army of thoughts to invade and dominate her mind. Where the hell did that question come from? More importantly, she had to answer truthfully. It was her CPU after all. "Eh? I uh..." She tried to say, only to notice something... off.

Her mouth wasn't moving.

'Wait, why isn't my mouth moving?' IF wondered, she tried to say that they were colleagues, they were comrades and friends, but for some reason her mouth refused to move to utter the words. For some reason, she started to frown on the thought of them being friends. This uncomfortable sensation settled on her chest, stopping her from saying those words. What the hell was going on here? What the fuck was happening to her, was she sick or something? It shouldn't be possible considering how her BOW powers stop her from getting sick.

Frustration slowly swelled within her chest, born from her inability to give her CPU a clear answer. An image of a smiling Nico appeared in her mind, and she started feeling weird, like her face was heating up inside an oven. What the hell? When did she start getting a stroke thinking of the male? This hadn;t happened before, so why was it happening now?

Eyeing the brunette in front of her, the older woman saw the indecision flashing through her eyes. 'Oh? So, it looks like this one is on the fence about her feelings... and it looks like she's only now beginning to question them.' She thought, mentally frowning. It looked like her friend might also be a rival for her in the future, ad while that may seem like a bad thing, Vert still felt compelled to help her, as one woman to another. "Its alright if you can't give me an answer right now. It appears you are quite fond of him, and that's enough for now." she told her with a soothing, gentle aura around her.

"...If you're sure..."

IF answered that with a humbled, nervous tone in her voice, eyeing her lap like it was the most interesting thing in the world. Truthfully, she wanted to think about anything else than what had just happened. She had no idea on what had just happened, or why it did at that moment. Was it something Vert said in passing? Why did she react that way when she asked her that question? Confusion and frustration swelled within her chest at the thoughts in her head. One part of her told her that it was just an illness, that it would pass soon enough. However the rest of her told her something else, something...

With that out of the way, Vert gave IF a look over after a moment of silence. She glanced down at her body structure, and noticed a lack of tension in her demeanor compared to before, when she asked the question. It looked like she was going to think on it later, and had thus relaxed herself for the time being. This made her smile in glee, putting her hands together in front of her mouth as she spoke. "My, you were quite nervous a while ago, but it seems that you've gotten used to me. That makes me one happy Vert."

She had to admit, Vert had a point. When she first met her, IF had been exactly like how she had described. However, as time passed, she felt herself calming down in her presence, like she was just another person she had met on her journey. She also felt… more at peace with herself, like she had gotten answers to unasked questions. "I'm surprised too, honestly." IF admitted, chuckling sheepishly as she scratched her cheek awkwardly. "Still, I'm a little nervous yet." It wasn't everyday she met her idolized CPU like this, so IF was right to feel a little anxiety still.

"Oh now, we're friends at this point." Vert gently chastised the brunette, though a giggle of amusement did escape her lips as she smile fondly at her. "There's no need to be any more nervous around me." She looked like she was about to say something else, but then Vert's eyes widened as her expression morphed into one of surprise, shock and realization all at once. Hastily, she pulled out her Phone and began pressing buttons with an urgency that IF hadn't seen from her since their little talk began. "Oh, that's right! I forgot to exchange Emails with you!"

This threw IF for a loop. It was one thing to talk to her idolized CPU in person, but to get her Email address and possibly her other contact details wasn't somethings he thought would happen today… no, ever. "Really? With me? Is that okay?!" she shrieked. Her words perfectly expressed her disbelief over this event, also evidenced by how small her eyes were.

"Of course." Vert replied, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world to her. "Exchanging Emails between friends is quite normal." She remarked, holding a hand out for one of her phones.

Slowly, IF's arm acted of its own will, taking out the Phone that Nico had gotten her and handing it over to the blonde CPU. She took it gingerly, her glove-covered hand wrapping around it as if it were a holy relic. This was ironic, considering what she was and what the brunette was, or rather, what Vert ASSUMED she was: a normal human girl. Even with the progress they had made, IF still didn't feel like revealing her true identity as a BOW was a good idea.

Then again, she was indeed grateful for this blessing in her life. Perhaps one day she could share with her favored Goddess her secret, but for now she had to keep it on the down low. There was no telling what would happen if she learned of what she truly was right now, since she DID kill monsters for a living… while managing a Nation.


Finally, she had done it.

It had been a long, tedious journey to get to this hellhole, this place that didn't exist on any map in Gamindustri's history. She had been hard pressed to find any concrete information about this place at all, and considering what this place was along with its purpose, its secret existence had been hidden well. The previous CPUs truly were more competent than their successors it seemed. A twisted irony, it seemed. Whereas the newer generation was meant to be the better of the older generation, it appeared that the opposite had been the case here.

How utterly pathetic.

That was what the woman known as Conversation thought to herself as she walked down the stands of what looked to be a stadium. A stadium not unlike that of the Colosseum that many Gaminustrimen use to train and compete with each other to prove they are the best. This place, this place that had been so concealed from history to conceal what lay within. It was one of the few legacies that proved the existence of the once all-powerful deity race: the Demon Patron Units.

The Crucible.

It was a special Colleseum used in the days of the DPUs golden glory. According to what she had discovered, the Crucible was where the DPUs honed their skills, skills they trained by getting beset by legions and legions of demonic entities created by the DPUs themselves. It worked by sending the user into four stages with 25 enemies each, and each stage was much worse than the last. She at first had thought this place a mere myth, but through preservation and follwoing whatever leads she could, she had finally found out where this place was.

Who knew that the Crucible would be imprisoned in the dark, forgotten lands below the heavens?

After navigating through this crucible, dodging countless traps and trying to solve equally countless puzzles, Conversation panted heavily as she stood in the center of the large coliseum-like Arena. She couldn't help but feel proud of her accomplishments, as even if she hadn't made it as far as she did without some… willing volunteers from the masses that worshiped the Overlord, she knew that many would have perished just trying to get to this unholy place.

What stood before her, was a long, black tree, shaped like a skeletal human arm. It's 'hand' was shaped like it was holding something round, and within that hand, was a large crimson orb, an orb containing the thing that will ensure Neptune and that DPU's demise. a wry grin escaped her lips as the woman radiated a crimson glow, a glow that matched her eyes as well. 'fufufufufu... Looks like I can use this as my trump card after all...' She thought to herself as she made the preperations.

Prepare, world of Gamindustri, for your days of reckoning have finally come.