Chapter 62 - Reflections
Finally, Vert had finished placing her Email into IF's contacts, sporting a beaming smile that was reflected by the brunette as she saw her phone being handed back to her. "Well, now we're Email friends too."
"This is Lady Vert's Email…" IF began, almost on the verge of fainting again. This time though, she kept her mind from falling to the sweet illusion of bliss as she took her phone with reverence. She would never look at this phone the same way again, after this. While it was special before thanks to receiving it from Nico, now it was more like a holy artifact which had her CPUs Email implanted inside of it. "YES!" she shrieked, fist bumping.
A shrill giggle escaped Vert's throat as she tried to express the joy she was feeling through her smile, joy born from having not one, but TWO new friends to talk to instead of the stuck-up boring old men in the Basilicom. "You can Email me whenever you like. I'll keep an eye out for every one of them."
The brunette nodded, her words quickly reminding her of the time. She had to head out soon, after all, Vert had shown several times that she was still tired, and the only way to remedy that was rest. But still, there were still so many questions she wanted to ask the blonde CPU, questions that were to do with Yvoire and her views on the Console Wars. These questions, she doubted they'd be fit for Emails that could easily be hacked into and monitored by the 'wrong' kind of people.
Inside her, a war raged between two sides of her, one side proposing they ask Vert about the Console Wars, her views and if she would use poison, while the other proposed they leave now and deal with this themselves. As a fan, IF wasn't one who would want to taint her favoured CPU with news like this, which was similar to Yvoire. They were both, as much as she hated to admit it, alike in that regard. Both wanted the best for their CPU, but the difference was that one wanted the death of another CPU, and the other well…
In the end, IF decided on her options.
"Um, before I leave Lady Vert, could I ask you a question?" IF asked her, hesitation laced within her voice. She shouldn't be doing this, every fibre of her being, her instincts and mind screamed at her to let Vert rest and to deal with this herself, but IF ignored all of them. She remembered Noire, and how she was changed by Neptune to accept their help in the battle for Lastation. Sher remembered Nico prepping in the shadows to help the people decrease their casualties from the Avenir attack. How could she be silent when remembering all of that?
If they could change a CPUs mind, then why can't she?
Vert, seeing her serious, yet hesitant, features hummed in confusion, forming a matching expression as she tilted her head sideways. "Hmm? My, what ever is the matter, Iffy? You look so serious, I might just have to pinch your cheeks to get your cuteness back." She said with a teasing grin on her features. Even with her fatigue though, Vert still noticed that IF refused to change her expression, causing her grin to fall into a frown instead. Whatever she was thinking of must have been pretty serious then. "What is it, my cute Iffy? Something troubling you?"
"You…" she looked to the side, now unable to hide the hesitation in her eyes. "Could say that, yeah." IF knew she probably looked pathetic, hesitating like this. But could anyone really blame her? What she was about to ask would make her step onto risky territory. It was like volunteering to clear a minefield, a risky, hazardous situation.
Vert though, just kept a calm air about her as she slowly walked towards her and placed a hand on her shoulder. IF had walked to the door at some point, so that was why. "Please, speak your mind, dear." She whispered softly, like a mother to her child. "Don't worry, I will listen to anything you have to say. We're friends, after all.'
'I only hope your right, Vert…' the brunette remarked reluctantly in her mind. Her heart pounded within the confines of her ribcage, and she felt nervous as all hell. What she planned to ask her wasn't something that could be easily talked about, some might charge her with treason for talking about stuff like this. But right now, IF knew she had to get those answers, find out where Vert stood in all this. "I wanted to know… about the Console Wars, what your opinion on it was, I mean."
Momentarily, Vert looked shocked, shocked that this human knew such a detail about the Console War. Even more shocking was that she was talking about it with her. She knew that normally, she would have left her room at this time, to go back to her Party, so this was indeed new to her. Nonetheless though, Vert didn't necessarily mind this topic, but first she had to know what IF knew about it. "My, how unexpected. I didn't think a Human would ask me about this matter, which is normally between us CPUs… How much do you know about the Console Wars, Iffy?"
"Well, only a little, but Nico knows a hell lot more than I do." IF replied honestly, rubbing the back of her head. "Nico learned of it from Noire, Lastation's CPU, but he was sworn to secrecy about it from her. The only reason I know about it is because of Planeptune's staff." She explained, though in her mind she also added something else. 'I get the feeling that scene was largely ignored or seen as just another lewd moment with that priest and all…'
Vert blinked owlishly, her jaw dropping slightly as she processed IF's words. "Noire? That hard-headed tsundere? I did not expect her to relinquish information like that so easily…" she mused, thoughtfully. "If what you say is indeed true, then it appears the wheels of change are in motion…" she began muttering things under her breath, so quietly that even IF's BOW hearing found it hard to keep up.
Even if she did hear it though, she wouldn't have understood a word she said.
Shaking her head, IF pushed her thoughts back on track before looking back to her CPU. "Anyways, if it's alright with you, I'd like to ask your opinion on it, and of the other CPUs, please, to be more specific Planeptune and Lastation's. I apologise if I'm, um, getting ahead of myself, but…" IF trailed off, nervousness now tightening its grip on her throat to make her stop talking.
She feared that she may have gone too far, that this was all a mistake. After all, a human shouldn't question a CPU about these things. It just didn't happen, something like this wasn't meant to happen according to their society. Humans were meant to believe in the CPUs and put their faith in them, not question their logic like she was. IF could only hope she hadn't crossed the already thin line she was treading on right here.
In the past, IF had heard rumours about various skirmishes humans have had with the Basilicom and the Guild, humans who had banded together and wanted changer in Gamindustri, who relied more on the 'old ways' that was the CPUs. She didn't know the details, but the bottom line was that people have questioned CPU leadership for a long time, and those who made those questions known publicly, well… the Basilicom handled them.
Fortunately, fate seemed to be on IF's side today, for Vert didn't show any negative reaction in the slightest. In fact, one could say she looked… relieved, giddy even. "Ah, it is good to talk to someone about this. Humans really don't try to meddle in our affairs too much, so it's rather difficult to find someone we can be open with… I guess Noire must find Nico as appealing as I then, if she's opened up to him like this." Vert admitted, sighing wistfully as she imagined talking to Nico about such topics. She had her arms crossed under her massive boobs and a slightly glazed look in her eyes, showing that she had lost herself in thought about the possibility.
After a few minutes though, she remembered that she wasn't alone in the room and looked sheepishly towards the brunette, quickly making an apology towards her for her actions. "I do apologise, Iffy dear, I was just lost in thought for a moment. #AHEM#." After she cleared her throat, Vert got her thoughts together. This was a sensitive matter, yes, one that she couldn't trust to a complete stranger. She may call IF friend, but even Vert wasn't that careless, as much as people would disagree.
She DID manage a Nation after all.
"Anyways, if you want my opinion, I'd say I've grown rather… vexed, about the Console War. It has gotten less and less important for me over the centuries, what was once an exhilarating rush was slowly becoming nothing more than a boorish chore. I eventually reached the point of no longer caring about the Console War, hence why I returned to the human world."
After explaining her thoughts, Vert moved on to the other CPUs. She hummed in thought as she wondered what to say, based off her own experiences. "Well, I'll start with Noire. She's stubborn, a hot-head, and always rushes into things. She honestly reminds me more of a tyrant than a leader, always doing things her own way and not letting anyone go against her."
Meanwhile…
Back in Lastation, Noire had just finished off a Monster that was treated as a threat by the local militia. It had been making packs and just sending them off to die to their hands, like it was trying to eradicate the local environment. Just after killing it, she felt something… off, and it greatly bothered her like an itch that refused to go away.
A scowl fell upon her lips. "Why do I get the feeling that I'm being dissed from somewhere… I swear, if Neptune's called me lonely one more time, I'll…!"
Her words cut themselves off as her mind showed her a brief image of a certain Spec-Ops Agent. "Right… Nico did say that irrationality was something I had, as much as I hate to admit it. If I had acted logically, maybe we would have met under… better circumstances…"
While thinking about her, now stupid, plan to attack Neptune while she had no memories of their former battles, Noire gasped when she realised her thoughts were soon changing from Neptune to Nico, somethings he had been finding happened a lot lately. 'What are you thinking, Black Heart?! Stop thinking about that guy! Even if he's strong, handsome, and good with planning, he's not someone you should be fretting over! You're just worried that he'll bit off more than he can chew, yeah, that's it!'
IF frowned at the words used to describe Lastation's CPU. So far, that opinion of her did seem to fit with Noire from the beginning. She remembered the first few times they fought together, and how crazy she went against that Nargacuga, Noire definitely liked to be in control of stuff, almost like a Tyrant.
Though, she didn't think Noire had been that bad, true she had been controlling back when they first met, but not to the extreme that Vert was describing. She didn't speak in her defence though, since Vert knew her a lot longer than she did. They fought each other for centuries after all, so their experiences with each other dwarfed hers by a wide margin.
"She isn't someone I could call a CPU, honestly… though she's a far better one than Neptune." Vert admitted, breaking IF from her thoughts. When she looked at Leanbox's CPU in the eyes, she saw just how troubled she was feeling as she cupped her chin, shuffling nervously.
Why would she be nervous about Neptune? Was she really so bad that she would hesitate to share her feelings about her? If so, was getting her memory back a good idea then? Because the Neptune she knew now… "Well, she was a battle maniac, pure and simple. She was more of a warrior than a leader, always challenging us to fights, as well as very arrogant. She always believed herself to be stronger than the rest of us, that she was invincible and that nobody could defeat her. She had this… coldness about her, that made talking to her more of a chore than Lowee's CPU, and that is saying something."
… Wow, maybe Neptune getting her memories back really wasn't a good idea. Sure, she seemed quite confident whenever they fought monsters, but not to the point of being arrogant about it, not like what Vert was describing. It sounded as if Neptune had been a bit of a, pardon her language, but a right bitch from the sounds of it. IF didn't know what to think about this, nonetheless. It seemed that these changes those two were going through, Noire's people needing her now more than ever, while Neptune had amnesia, was actually a blessing in disguise. They both seemed like they were a LOT better than what they used to be.
But still, from the way Vert was talking about them, it seemed that peace between the four CPUs may be a bit of a stretch. If the four really were like this, then chances were they would be up in arms as soon as they were in contact with each other. It probably didn't help that throughout the Console War, the 4 Nations have had plenty of skirmishes, ranging from small to large, and in those skirmishes lives were lost, many more ruined. There were some cases where Monsters and Abnormals got involved, bringing up the death toll even more.
Perhaps, peace may be an impossible dream, after all…
'No, don't think that, IF.' The brunette suddenly scolded herself, eyes steeling with resolve. 'Think about what Nep and Noire have been doing now. Nep's going about helping people, people of her own nation and others, no less. Noire's even making sure to correct her past mistakes and is even friends, though she won't admit it, with Nep and us. If those two idiots can change, then so can the rest. Things like this will require time, time and effort, but they can be done. It just needs to be kickstarted a bit, and we've already set the ball rolling.'
Watching IF, Vert got the idea that she had saddened the brunette somewhat, and her expression morphed into one of slight embarrassment. "Oh, but you need not worry about such affairs, Iffy dear." She gently said, her gloved hands wrapping around the brunette's head and pulling her in for a hug. IF almost eeped at the contact, her face red with her head pressed against the woman's melons. "Those are only affairs that a CPU is aware of. Besides, even if I don't have high opinions of them, I'm not going to outright murder them, it would cause too much trouble for the world. There's 4 CPUs for a reason, you know."
"Th-That does sound relieving, h-honestly L-L-Lady Vert." IF admitted, though it was more to herself than anyone else at the moment. Not only relief, the brunette felt anxiety and anticipation well up inside her chest at the thought of Vert and Neptune meeting under friendlier terms. The inner fangirl practically squealed at the thought of her friends, even though one was an idiot, getting along swimmingly.
Those thoughts would remain in her mind for the entire day.
After she FINALLY got out of Vert's hold, IF bid the CPU of Leanbox fair well and left her room. In reality, IF had come in there a conflicted, war-torn soul who faced the choice of choosing one best friend over another. Now? She felt more like a new-born infant, revived by the events that happened just now. It felt wonderful, way better than when she began to realise her powers as a BOW. IF doubted anything would have been better than this, especially for a believer like her.
The thoughts of Yvoire and his recent interaction with her were now contested with the thoughts of Vert and how she reacted to her, making a neutral state of mind for the brunette BOW. She now had a clearer mind, a much better idea of the grand picture that was being painted in front of her.
Now that she had met and consulted with Vert, the brunette knew exactly what she would have to do for this. The brunette reached into her Inventory and pulled out the two vials of Poison that Yvoire had given (read: FORCED) to her. She held them with great distain, her face crinkling with disgust as she regarded them.
'Sorry Yvoire…' she thought, her thoughts heavily laced with sarcasm and fake sadness to the point where she found it almost amusing. How much a fool she had been to almost even THINK of considering what she had been earlier. 'But I'm not going to be your puppet. You can take your vials, your petty beliefs about the Spec Ops, and shove em up your ass. I'm no pawn that you can just use and throw away.'
With that in mind, IF looked around, her eyes narrowing as she searched for the thing she wanted. She walked though the corridors of the Basilicom with a purpose. There was no sign of the uncertainty that had laced her footsteps before, as if it had never existed. That talk with Vert had strengthened her resolve, which had bee initially shaken by thee dark seductiveness of Yvoire's offer, as well as done something else:
Made her realise just WHY she supported Lady Vert in the first place.
In the past, IF never did get along with many people. She would admit to herself, though not to anyone else, that she had a distrust for practically anyone she met, always judging, always wary of others. This was how her father raised her, teaching her the ways of the Mercenary before he passed on. While she did miss her father, wishing they could have spent more time together as a family, what he had passed down to her was just as important: his teachings, his ideals and most of all… his Legacy.
When she first found out and met her mother, IF had been… less than pleased about it. Her mother had practically declared she didn't want anything to do with her, seeing her as nothing but a stain on her career as a fashion designer. IF hadn't felt anything like pain or hopelessness back then, rather a sense of disappointment, that someone who helped give birth to her was so vain, and so… well, stupid.
It was rather easy to cut her mother out of her life after that.
However, the following years after that were… in a word, lonely. She didn't talk to anyone, she didn't have many friends, mostly business contacts, and the few friends she DID make were either always busy with their own lives or not in the same vicinity as her, considering how she travelled from place to place throughout Planeptune.
But, that all changed when she encountered Leanbox's CPU for the first time. This happened nothing like face-to-face, but online. One day after a particularly harsh Quest, IF had been so exhausted that when she reached her temporary hotel room, she had practically flopped onto the bed, burying herself within those covers and gone onto the net. She had surfed it randomly for a while, at least a couple hours from what she could recall, and then she found an online forum.
It was a forum advertising this Leanbox MMO: Four Goddesses Online. IF hadn't played many games in the past, especially MMOs which required a PC or a Laptop, both of which IF had found impractical at the time. Now though, she wished she had done so, seeing as how some people in her party got close to the Leanbox CPU that way. Back then though, she ad only browsed through the comments, not really understanding anything about what was being discussed. She had been about to leave the site when a new message popped up, a message from Lady Vert herself.
At first, IF had doubts that it was really the CPU, since she was supposed to be fighting atop Celestia. She hadn't been seen down in the human world for centuries, so her suddenly participating in a forum like this didn't make sense. Nonetheless, IF decided to read the message, certain that it would be useless like the rest of them…
She couldn't have been any more wrong.
"True, Four Goddesses Online may be a gaming masterpiece, but that doesn't mean it can't get better! It's the same as making oneself better while being true to ourselves. This is according to the beliefs that Leanbox stands for: striving to become better yet not losing yourself to progress. It does not matter where you from, who you are or what you work as. As long as you help each other, take care of one another, and above all respect your comrades, Leanbox will be a home for you. A place to fall back to when times get rough, a place of rest and peace. After all, it is the land of Green Pastures, is it not?"
Hearing those words, made something indescribable swell within IF's chest, and suddenly she knew what she was missing. She knew what she wanted more than anything, more than being the best Guild Agent out there. All she ever wanted was to not be lonely anymore, sure she didn't mind working alone, but there was just something about knowing that she would have a place to return to forever more. She wanted to have things like her father in her life, what was denied her like the peace, stability and love a mother would bring. Those things, all of them, were right there in Leanbox, the things that she wanted most.
After reading that message, hope filled her being and IF did research, looking into Leanbox and its customs. She had used that message as a basis, and while she did find a few differences, IF found that the things the supposed 'CPU' described weren't different from Leanbox's ideals at all. It was like a doorway had opened up before her, and did IF dare to venture inside?
Hell to the yes.
Thus, she became a believer of Lady Green Heart. Leanbox promoted trust and loyalty to each other, no matter what. They promoted bonds of comradery, alliances and fairness. While there were many controversies on the internet that contested against it, these core values were what Leanbox was founded on, and she liked those beliefs. It filled the loneliness, it filled the hole in her heart, that her father's passing had left inside.
Remembering how she became a Leanbox CPU Supporter made IF realise that she had almost sacrificed one of her comrades for her own gain, something that went against Leanbox's core values. It quickly sent a torrent of disgust through her system, evident by her grimace as she searched for what she wanted. How could she call herself a believer of Lady Green Heart if she didn't follow the beliefs that she preached?
Finally, the brunette turned a corner and saw the Basilicom's entrance. Beside it was what she wanted this whole time: a trash bin. The perfect place for these pieces of shit to settle into. She would discard those vials and make sure that they would never get anywhere near Neptune or Nico, for that was what a comrade, no a friend would do. She would adhere to Leanbox's core beliefs, regardless of controversy and delusion made by humans.
She would be a TRUE believer of Lady Green Heart.
'Maybe I should look into this a little more, if I have time.' She thought, walking up to the trash bin and opening the lid. She then plopped the vials inside, hearing the satisfying sound of the vials impacting against the bag within the bin. Dropping the lid on top, the brunette grinned to herself, feeling like a massive weight had left her shoulders as she dusted her hands off.
"Alright! Now, to go see the others…" IF pumped a fist to herself, relief coursing through her veins. Now that problem was taken care of, it was time to head back to the others. She had gotten a Text from Compa, telling her that they had done some sightseeing and were now back at the Hotel, as well as got the directions to it from the Basilicom. 'It's a good thing I already know the hotels around here,' the brunette thought to herself. 'Being a Worshiper of this Nation's CPU, I did extensive research on the hotels here. Hotels offer discounts for adventurers, Guild Agents and Spec Ops. Its why they're so popular with em, it wouldn't be surprising if one saw fully armored, and armed, people entering and exiting these places.'
As she walked out of the Basilicom, head held high, IF failed to notice a shadowy figure heading towards the bin.
"So… that is her choice, then?"
Yvoire asked this of a man in a black and green uniform, a bandanna around the lower portion of his face like a cowboy, and a ninja balaclava around his head. This maximized coverage of the person's identity, making the Ninja an unknown. Yvoire's tone was thickly-laced with disappointment and slight frustration with the news that the Ninja brought.
Not only had IF refused to go along with his plans, she had discarded the precious vials of poison needed to get rid of the heretics. In a dust bin no less, a DUST BIN! If he was 30 years younger, he would have hunted her down and had her executed on the spot for her disrespect. To make things even more insulting, the Ninja had reported seeing IF entering and exiting the CPU's living quarters before her heretical act. That could only mean one thing: she had had contact with their CPU.
When he had heard that piece of news, Yvoire had almost foamed at the mouth with how furious and frustrated he was with the situation. Now, he couldn't risk outright killing IF in secret, she could have formed a bond with their beloved CPU. If she were to learn of her death at his hands, then her wrath would be merciless. If she hadn't met their CPU, it would have been much easier.
She had literally formed a divine shield without even realising it.
"Yes sir. Um, shall I go… 'take care' of her?"
The Ninja's words brought the Elder out of his musings and made him direct his attention back to him. The Ninja was still kneeling before him, his head hanging low in a gesture of reverence and respect. Seeing this, Yvoire forced his temper to still, his mind to calm the raging fires within. It would do no good to blow up like this, even with nobody seeing. Yvoire may be powerful politically, but he was not foolish. Even a pebble like this Ninja can hurt if it hit hard enough.
Thinking about his answer though, Yvoire came to a conclusion several moments later on a plan of action, and it was NOT what the Ninja expected. "… No."
"Sir?"
Yvoire, seeing that the Ninja looked like someone had pulled a confusing win from a puzzle game, decided to elaborate. While the Ninja wasn't anyone significant, it was that insignificance that made Yvoire feel it easy to explain it to him. Plus, he earned it after going bin diving before. "That woman… I believe something is off about her. From the moment I first laid eyes upon her, there has been… something about her. To this day, I have no clue what that is."
He remembered when he first met those girls, and that detestable brat known as Nico. That Heretic who dare chose not to place his belief in any of the divine Goddesses. From the moment he saw them, Yvoire was plagued with a strange feeling, a feeling of helplessness. It was like he was staring his own death in the face with both of them, while Nico was understandable considering his and Yvoire's status, the fact that he got it from IF as well made him feel chills go up his spine.
It had felt like he was staring at two rabid, hungry animals and his flesh was on the menu.
Unfortunately for him, the only other occupant in the room took it in a… slightly different manner, one that was WAY to inappropriate. The Ninja just stared at him, and with his attire covering his mouth and the majority of his face, it was difficult to determine his expression. Though, judging from his next response, it was clear what he felt about his words. All too clear, actually. "… Sir, that almost sounds like something else."
Yvoire stared at him blankly, coming down from his high horse to give him that stare. Blinking for a moment, Yvoire tried to process his words.
…
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…
Finally, his brain kicked into gear and the man made an expression that clearly showed how offended he was, while also stepping back as his face contorted to one of disgust. "Enough. Do not think such scandalous thoughts. I have my family and honor to consider."
The Ninja remained silent, hanging his head back down as a silence overcame the room. It was an awkward, tense silence, which was so tense that it could have been cut by a butcher knife. For a while, neither of them dared to speak up to end this tension, which made the next 10 minutes feel more like 10 hours.
Eventually, Yvoire decided to change the topic back to the one that they should be talking about. He awkwardly cleared his throat with a fake cough, his features sporting a mild pink hue born from embarrassment and humiliation from the way that topic was brought up. Not to mention it was his own fault that it was seen that way to begin with. "In any case, we never spoke of this, and never will. Do you understand?"
"Yes sir."
Things were quiet in the hotel room, the hotel room that Neptune and co. had rented for the duration of their stay here. That wasn't something normal, since Neptune would be going all meta jokester with Compa being an unknowing participant for her antics. Unfortunately, it was only the two of them in the room, there being no sign of Nico or IF for a long time.
It was honestly quite lonely, and the preteen quickly began to whine to the room's sole other occupant. "Iffy and Nicky sure are late." Neptune remarked, pacing from one end of the room to the other with her hands tied behind her back and her head dipped downwards. It looked quite clear that she held great worry over her shoulders like a heavy weighted cloak.
Her worry and concern, mostly for Nico for obvious reasons, was shared by the resident Nurse-In-Training as she watched the preteen. "Maybe they just had to go somewhere." Compa suggested thoughtfully.
Both Nico and IF could handle themselves, one for obvious reasons while the other had been raised as a Mercenary since childhood. Still though, it didn't prevent the two girls from worrying about them like a pair of worried and concerned mothers looking for their lost children.
Then, an idea popped into Neptune's noggin, as if to say, 'hey Nep, how about this?' before she turned to the Nurse-In-Training with a mischievous grin spreading across her features. The moment Compa saw that smirk, she knew the preteen would be doing one of her random antics. "Or MAYBE… Iffy went to see Lady Green Heart in secret…" she said, her tone laced with suggestiveness as she wiggled her brows in a thought provoking manner.
A manner that Compa found very difficult to agree with. In fact, she didn't agree with her at all considering the perplexed expression that swept across her features. She also had a weak smile as she awkwardly denounced the purplette's claim. "Nep-Nep, Iffy's a fan of Lady Green Heart, but I don't think she would do that…"
Neptune huffed, not looking pacified in the slightest. While they had covered what one person had to do, the other was still unaccounted for. This was something she brought up "What about Nicky, where do you think Nicky is?" she questioned, prompting Compa to think hard about it. Neptune hummed as well, until her eyes widened, and a thought struck her. "Oh no, you don't think that he's been kidnapped by the CPU, do you?! To bring him into her room, force him down and make him submit to her?!"
Now Compa believed that even less. "Nep-Nep, Ni-Ni wouldn't let that happen. Ni-Ni is strong you know, he can get out of a pinch." She replied, frowning at her friend/ love rival. In her mind, Nico was someone who wouldn't let anybody order him around, someone who always maintained a cool, nonchalant demeanour. He wouldn't let some woman he didn't know seduce him like that. Though, part of her argued that Nico was quite susceptible to Neptune's charms in her HDD form, not to mention how he already charmed so many girls without even trying. Whose to say the CPU of Leanbox wouldn't be included.
When it came to her Ni-Ni, Compa ALWAYS thought about everything.
It was at this moment, that the two girls heard the sounds of a door being opened from the outside. They turned to the door, seeing its handle moving downwards before it opened, revealing it to be IF. "I'm back!" she called out as she walked inside, closing the door behind her.
"Welcome back, Iffy!" Compa exclaimed. She jogged over to the Guild Agent and, much to her surprise, gave h brunette a massive hug. "Its sooo good to see you!"
"C-Compa… c-c-can't… br…eathe…!"
The brunette tried to say, however the two funbags constricting her air supply had other ideas. In the back of her mind on the other hand, IF couldn't help but wonder if Vert's breasts felt as warm as Compa's until the rest of her mind crushed those thoughts to oblivion with zero mercy. 'Wait, what?! Whoa, down girl! Don't go too far down forbidden territory!' she yelled deep within her min at her own thoughts. She could faintly hear her inner fangirl laughing her ass off. 'No matter what your inner fangirl tells you!'
Meanwhile, unaware of mental thoughts, Neptune huffed, putting her hands on her hips while looking towards her friend, pretending to look annoyed. "You kept us waiting!" she exclaimed, pointing to a clock on a nearby wall. It read 9PM, and according to their mental clocks they had left the Basilicom at 4PM. That was a grand total of 5 hours, MORE than enough time for IF to finish her business there and come back. Both though it strange that the normally composed and organised Guild Agent would be so tardy, and it was evident in their expressions.
Seeing this, the brunette managed to get herself free from Compa's grip, taking a few steps back and clearing her head. Nevertheless, she couldn't get mad at the Nurse-In-Training, not when she had been the one to worry about her like that. Her expression turned to an apologetic one as she waved her hands in a submissive gesture. "I'm sorry." She replied guiltily. "Mr Evil-whatshisname talked my ears off." IF grimaced, and while the girls thought it was about her reason for being tardy, the brunette also felt a stab of guilt for not telling them the truth. She didn't want to worry them needlessly, plus she had a few things to confirm with Nico first before attempting anything.
Her eyes widened when she remembered the male Spec Ops Agent. "Oh, if you're wondering where Nico is, he texted me while I was coming back." She told them, taking out her newest phone before scrolling through her recent messages. She soon found the one she was looking for and read its contents again, before looking back up at them. "He says that an Urgent Quest was issued by Leanbox's Basilicom, and as a Spec Ops he was obligated to attend. We won't be seeing him for a while."
"Mou…! Ever since he got his Armour and stuff back, Nicky's been real busy with Quests and stuff…" Neptune whined, puffing her cheeks out in an annoyed manner. It was true though, ever since Nico had gotten his Armour back, he had been swamped with Quests to do for the Guild. It was like there was a backlog with his name written over it. Though, if she thought about it, it did make some sort of sense. She then jumped and flopped onto the closest bean bag, which happened to be right beside her, and resumed her previous activity of playing games.
All IF did in response was roll her eyes, especially when she noted how Neptune made harder button presses on the controller. She may not show it, but she did indeed seem worried for her 'Hubby'. She knew it wasn't needed, but hey, it was natural to fret for a friend's safety. 'Well, let's just focus on one thing at a time, first. Though, I bet Nico's having fun right now…'
