Chapter 109 - Guild Agent time!
The streets of Leanbox's Capital MICROSOFT seemed to be more busy than usual, Nico noted as he stood by a corner along one of the main streets through the City. Nico wore, instead of his new Spec Ops attire, his base Civilian one, with his hands in his pockets as he leaned against a wall belonging to some shop he didn't care to get the name of. Eyes wandering throughout the surroundings, Nico could see so many different people walking about in rather high-speed paces, keeping themselves busy and looking like they were in a hurry. While he would have wondered what the rush was about, that would have been if he hadn't received a notice already.
He was talking about the Gala.
A low frown emerged onto his lips, his eyes flashing with mixed feelings as he looked at all the people throughout the streets. It had just been released to the Public that there was going to be one in less than 3 months, and already people looked like that had been given drugs that made them go on high.
Life practically blossomed within the populace showcasing just how important everyone saw this Gala as. After all, it was not only a chance for political leaders to meet and discuss where to take the nation next, it was also a chance for people to meet the CPU outside the Basilicom.
In the end, even if the CPU was back meeting her would NO DOUBT a nightmare of bureaucracy. The Party may have gotten lucky with the Basilicom when they arrived, but nope, not this time. To those who wanted to meet the CPU, this might be the only real chance, especially for those were like Nico, part of the Spec-ops program and thus were seen with less than welcome eyes (to not say hated on sight).
Thinking about the Gala, however, brought an unpleasant taste to Nico's mouth, worse than the thought of having to be around so much human food (though that was a close contender and he almost fell to the urge to gag). The actual reason was the people that were going to be participating there, the Nobles and the political officials that formed the govern of Leanbox. They were in the most part nothing more than a bunch of old codgers in Nico's opinion, they might as well be the actual greatest danger for this land due to their incapacity of being flexible and by being too stubborn to change from the older ways of governing the Nation in the CPU's absence. Or, to better describe then, a bunch of old fossils and parasites that would serve this nation better as fertilizers in the ground.
Needless to say, Nico HATED these Nobles with a passion that burned brighter than Urthemiel's Primal Fire.
It was THAT bad, and Lucy's was arguably WORSE.
The Nobility was an… interesting (and for Leanbox a necessary) camp of study in and of itself. They could be seen as a pyramid, with each level keeping tabs on the one under them.
There was the common Nobility (the lowest class), they are the average nobles who owned small fortunes and lives in these estates within either the more economically stable villages or small cities. They would govern these areas within a larger territory and were overseen by the 'Counts' who reported directly to the true leaders of the combined territories, the 'Dukes'. They would usually have free reign over how these small pieces of the territory were run, as long as it complied with the rules and laws that the Counts have established. For those that don't get it, think of it as a bunch of pets playing in the backyard of their owner.
These 'owners' are the nobles that had the titles of Baron, Viscount, and Earl.
Those kinds of Nobles would usually have a large Mansions that were filled with maids and servants, but this was rare as the maintenance of such structures would be too much for their 'small' fortunes to handle (in some cases they just liked to have extra Credits and thus did not choose to live in those costly mansions). Thus, they commonly ruled from the most lavishing apartments they could afford, and even then, these apartments looked like castles like the ones from deeper into Leanbox's past (again, the old fossils wanted to feel like they were in their 'prime', which means hundreds of years ago).
They usually had close ties to each other but because of how large their territories were they didn't usually have to rely on each other for assistance that much, the alliances were more for trying to obtain more power in the governments. However, even on the off chance that they do need assistance, it becomes a whole new political battle to decide what that weaker noble's fate might be.
It could be said that all of Leanbox politics was a warzone arguably worse than a battle against demons from hell (and to Nico some of those nobles smelled and looked like they could scare one of those said demons, is it possible that they never really understood what a bath means or were they trying to keep the costume of one bath for year? #SHRUG# Who knows). These nobles loved nothing more than to search for weaknesses, ridicule their Noble prey in front of his or her peers, before ultimately deciding on whether or not to keep them around or not. In essence, it was like beating someone while they were down and taking anything that they have that is of value, and yes in some cases that includes their daughters and wives (Nobles from here are mostly disgusting trash, is basically what needs to be said here).
Under normal circumstances, the loss of power in any way will result in the Noble being stripped of his rank, fortune, and residence, before he is demoted into a commoner, hence why Nobles do not like asking for assistance as it is an indication of weakness. If that happens, then another Noble, more specifically one of the more stable Noble's kin, would take the position instead. If the fallen Noble has any family, it depends on their credibility whether or not they retain their Noble status.
Though, that bar is set rather high (ludicrously so, and we're NOT talking about the rapper).
There was a way out of that, and that was arguably way worse for those involved, a form of something that few outside Leanbox agreed with: arranged marriage. Worse still, to prove how utterly trash they were, it was a costume that this arranged forced marriages would only be applied with the female kin of the targeted Noble, and sometimes it is not even actually getting married but simply be given as a mistress, or sex slave depending on the 'condition' of the 'Merchandise'. Regardless of prior commitments, the Nobles have the authority to practically haul their daughters off, sometimes in humiliating ways like on the back of a carriage, towards the Nobles that would benefit them more in having this connection. As for the Sons, they are usually named as servants to the newly instated Noble, a fate that is far better than what a daughter would be like.
Overseeing them, are the Dukes, who were the rulers of a set of 'territories' scattered throughout Leanbox. These territories spanned over the entire continent and are made up of smaller Territories that they entrusted to the lower ranked Nobles. Depending on the territory size and resources, the fortunes of both the Dukes and their lesser Noble brethren varies. It is similar to the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle in that case, and it is the Duke's job to oversee these lesser-ranked Nobles to make sure no funny business is being conducted behind their backs. To that end, the Count's (who are practically the Dukes Enforcers) authority allows them to even violate their private belongings, lodgings and anything else that belongs to them, allowing the Dukes to have a full sweep of their Noble underlings.
Like previously mentioned, the Dukes live in lavish mansions, and because of how large the combined territory they govern usually is, they don't have to worry about unpaid employment like the lesser Nobles do. In addition, not only do they have larger sums of money under their belts, they have considerable influence and power, enough to affect the way the Leanbox Basilicom governs the laws. Since the Basilicoms were split into two sides, the sanctuary where the Goddesses usually live, and the political Parliament side that handles the governing of the Landmasses, the Dukes have great influence over the parliament side.
One could say they were rather high up on the food chain.
Also, a Duke's position isn't as 'unstable' as the lesser nobles' positions, meaning that a Duke can ask for assistance from one another as there is less of a chance they will be stripped of their power. This is due to the nature of their position, as well as the burdens, size and responsibilities of the job. Not just any noble can handle that kind of position, not all of them are qualified, even. It takes a LOT of conditions, political red tape, and examinations just to elevate a Noble into a Count. Hence, why Nobles are always squabbling amongst themselves for power. They want to have a shot at elevating into a Count so that they could have more of a luxurious life.
Even though they are way up there, the Dukes are still overseen by the top rank officials in the Basilicom, like Yvoire for example. The Dukes were, in reality, just under that man's political level due to him being the head of the Leanbox military.
That's how the system normally works, but there is a whole load of corruption in it just like everything else in Leanbox. Hell, it could be said that corruption exists in every freaking Nation. Leanbox wasn't the Wild Card in that situation.
Nobles, like he mentioned, usually fought each other in petty conflicts for power. It wasn't the same as the ones he and those in the military had fought, but in a sense these political battles were just as vicious as the ones they fought in. In other words, 'the pen is mightier than the sword' could be applied to that situation. One wouldn't be surprised to see newspaper articles discrediting some Noble in some manner, articles about scandals, falsified rumours etc.
Some turned out truthful, most didn't.
He had seen more than a few of his fair share of Nobles scheming to take over other lands to gain more power, usually alongside some of his more… dangerous jobs, and not the ones that involved killing Abnormals or normal monsters. He killed his fair share of normal monsters too, like every Adventure and Guild Agent in Gamindustri. Just, not as often as them since he faced more challenging opponents. Most of the times he couldn't do much officially, but unofficially was a different story all together…
Now all he had to do is decide when to show these 'untouchables' how utterly weak they truly are in the end…
Oh yeah.
In any case, the readers must be wondering why he is here and what happened last chapter, right? Whelp, let him explain it through meta monologuing, shall we?
It had been 2 weeks since his return to Leanbox from Skies End, and to say things were getting hectic was a MASSIVE understatement. Aside from the troubles that he just referred to, Neptune and the others didn't make too much of a fuss this time around due to being pre-occupied with Training themselves. Training in what Nico had few ideas on, but nothing concrete since they had told him that they wanted to keep their training a surprise when they finally get to fight together again. So, he had decided to trust their judgement (again, not something Nico found easy to do) for that one and resume his own training.
Though the events that followed did have a lot of his attention.
Like he had feared when he journeyed to Skies End, there was an increasing amount of Demon Sightings, larger and larger hordes would gather and threaten to destroy the many Leanbox villages, leaving countless widows and orphans in the names of whatever God they served, be it Momus or Khorne. Nico didn't know which one was worse, honestly, but he was sort of leaning towards the latter as Khorne seemed to have more of a 'presence' than the Overlord.
By presence, he meant that this Chaos God seemed to always be 'present' in some sense whenever Nico or anyone fought his underlings, like some sort of essence possessed the Chaos Gods' followers when they swore to serve under his banner. This presence seemed to do two things: empower his followers whenever they said that blood god and skull throne chants, as well as install great murderous intent, bloodlust, insanity and madness into them. They freaking revel in it, not something that Nico felt a sane person would do, but hey sanity would probably be thrown out the window pretty soon. Though, this presence seemed to be bigger when facing off against the Demons of Khorne like the Bloodletters, Bloodthirsters and the Furies, though that last one felt debatable for some reason. Nico didn't understand why on that one. He only found out that they were the Gargoyle creatures he fought at Skies End when Biko through some looking into the Fragmented Memories, found bits and pieces of information that seemed too incoherent for a proper explanation aside from the name.
The Northmen also seemed to be growing in power, as well as worse in inhumanity as the warriors of Maghda's Coven. Though not as active as the Khornate forces such as the Demons and the human Legions known as the 'men in red' by the Leanbox natives who follow them, these Northmen still held a similar threat level due to being able to showcase the brutality of their incomplete Demonic Ascension Ceremonies.
Not to mention that there were more and more Hellgates beginning to emerge constructed by the Khornate and Momus forces to allow for some freakishly powerful Demons to enter this world. Demons that could take out an ARMY of Bloodthirsters, greater demons of the Khornate followers, as well as any followers they have with little to no sweat being broken. It was like Helen had warned him back in Planeptune, those Hellgates would present a major problem for the Nations and their Military with how insanely threatening they were, and don't get him started on the Guild. That Agency seriously seems to be becoming more and more like a lifeline by the day with all this crap springing up out of the woodworks. More and more reporters would write articles in various newspapers about the battles the Military and the Guild has with these forces, paying EXTREME attention to the end results.
He could see why, but seriously the media can be cruel with what they report sometimes, especially to the Military.
These conflicts also began to royally spook the Nobles truly, their assets after all were getting smashed to pieces by these constant raids on their village settlements, their livelihoods being robed away from them with little mercy. It caused quite a stir according to what Nico had heard, which to him made the teen scoff derisively at those idiots finally getting the message that they needed to get off their fat asses and get to work on finding a solution. Though, their countermeasures to the threats facing them were rather… mediocre, in his opinion for they simply pulled most of their forces to their core cities as well as their resources, fortunes etc, to leave the villages to fend for themselves under the guises of 'preparing for a large-scale attack'.
Assholes.
Though, he couldn't really say that he didn't expect this since those Nobles only care about their own personal interests. Hell, he could respect the Commanders of the various orders throughout Leanbox that still try to help out the surrounding villages in their territories while following the Nobles' orders. There were quite a few that did that, but the most prominent of them all was Stefan who had been recruiting promising Agents and soldiers into his Ostermark Order to refill the ranks that he had lost before. Some Nobles had been trying to discredit him during this process by mocking him for this failure publicly, spreading falsified lies and being overall rude to the head of the Ostermark Order. However, despite that the Captain still managed to get the required soldiers needed to compensate for his losses and thus, wasted no time in fighting back where he could. Turned out his little 'experience' at the Hellverse had given him insight on how to operate in these skirmishes.
Aside from that, there was also one other factor that served to go into the Military's favour, something that most Nobles overlooked in favour of squabbling amongst themselves about how to deal with these new threats. And that was the fact that, in some cases, there have been reports of two sperate Warbands, be it warbands of Northmen, Demons, Legions etc, waging wars against each other. There seemed to be no honor among thieves when concerning these Warbands, and to Nico this behaviour just grinded his gears in the worst way possible. Still, this did give him some insight as to how this Khorne religion worked, it showed him that their god didn't care about anything but bloodshed. As long as there was blood being drawn, he didn't care about anything else like reasons, logic or morals. Their unholy chants now seemed to make more sense, in a grim manner at least.
Blood for the Blood God indeed.
Breaking free from his thoughts, Nico glanced about with his hands in his pockets, searching through the citizens as if looking for someone, before he rolled up his right sleeve and mentally activated his Bracer, a familiar holographic screen appearing before him. The stuff about the Bracers functions happening within his mind seemed to only apply to when his Armour was on, judging by this situation. Also, a little something of note: Nico had applied Desecration to his Bracers as well, transforming them into more sinister, wicked versions of themselves. Now, instead of being metallic greyish in colour, they were an abyssal black with a vertebrae bone-like structure, and a crimson coloured interface.
The Holographic Screen had a similar crimson colour to it, with a black Tendril-made border around it to give it a sensation similar to being alive. In a sick, twisted and sinister kind of way at least. Nico manipulated the screen, and thus his Holomap appeared (with the same colour scheme as te holographic screen) as he zoomed in on the street that he stood in. 'Hmmm… she's not here yet…' the teen thought to himself, frowning as he shifted the hologram to show a Digital clock.
'She is not yet considered 'late' Nico, we did show ourselves about an hour early. It was a considerate idea on our part, judging by our past training regimens. If we had continued our training, then we likely would have missed this important deadline, and that would not bode well for us… or anyone involved, now that I think about human females.'
Wasn't that true, the two of them had spent a LARGE amount of time training Nico to the bone, not stopping. Most of it happened in his Inner World thanks to his Time Distortion, but there were times where they trained in the physical world after they completed the standard Jos he had to do as a Spec Ops Agent. Their training mainly revolved around learning some sword Techniques and reading those tomes that Rinjiin had given them as a reward for their work at Skies End, then making sure that he had remastered the various powers that his Devil Arms granted him.
There were now a variety of sword Techniques that got added to Nico's Arsenal. They were as followed:
First is the Windcutter. This technique once belonged to a warrior in the DPU Era known as Windcutter Flora. This technique consisted of a light-speed attack in which the user draws their sword, slashes and then resheaths the sword in an instant. Not as powerful as another sword technique he had learned, but this one was considerably more accurate and doesn't require Demonic power to use, thus allows it's continuous use without tiring. Nico liked this technique as it offered him a significant source of defensive options, something his normally offensive nature would forego. Hell, pretty much most of these attacks could be used offensively, which was why he had decided to learn them, but Biko had suggested having some defence may be good so that he didn't overtax his regeneration. While Nico didn't necessarily care about getting hurt, why care about himself when he was something that would get put down any second, he could see he logic behind Biko's words.
The second attack he had learned was the stronger version of the Windcutter, known as the Quicksword, a technique belonging to the Warrior known as Quicksword Irene, though the Tome regarding her story documented several other warriors being easily capable foo wielding it as well, thus Irene taught them it once they past her examinations. The Quicksword is a barrage of strikes too fast to follow, which can take down the most skilled of opponents, and at the same time it provides a nearly impenetrable defence. One of the most versatile of sword Techniques, and THAT was right up Nico's alley. Nico found himself particularly drawn to this technique because of this, and this affinity made it especially easy to learn. He'd go as far as to say that this could be his signature technique in the far future.
Next on the technique list was the Dust Eater, a technique belonging to Cassandra the Dust Eater. Now, this was an interesting one in a… rather unconventional way. The Dust Eater is a strange-looking technique that requires anchoring both feet to the ground and then moving the user's head like a pendulum. Using centrifugal force, the body is swung very close to the ground and the user attacks from this unusual angle, immobilizing the foe by hacking of all limbs. When Nico first read about this technique, he had been a little weirded out by its appearance, though when he saw its applications this weirdness seemingly packed its bags, waved goodbye before vanishing forever. It was an INSANELY useful skill, especially at incapacitating people if he targeted some areas more than others.
Fourth, is the Shadowhunter. This one wasn't much of a technique but more like a fighting style, but with the way it worked it fit the technique category better. It belonged to a female warrior (notice the pattern here? Most of these warriors were female. It… kind of damaged his male pride a bit.) named Nina. The technique entails the user's blade following a specific energy signature, slashing continuously until the energy is extinguished. This leaves the user open however to attack when put in groups, and depending on the user's skill level, the technique can be a deciding factor in a one on one duel. This one Nico hadn't been too keen on learning due to this weakness, but Biko did note that it would be rather useful when in Death Parades, since these were mostly one-on-one duels which eliminated this weakness.
For the fifth technique, Nico had found out a thrusting type technique called the Drillsword. This one came from a Warrior name Jene, it was a technique which involves using demonic power to wind up the arm for a total of 21 rotations (looked gross as ell when he looked up the illustrations #SHUDDER#). When attacking, the arm unwinds, spinning the blade in hand reminiscent of a Drill with great thrusting capacity, hence the name. When practicing this technique, Nico had almost vomited several times over due to how his arm looked when rotating. Literally, the arm looked more and more like a spoiled spring the more rotations had passed, the male only managing to keep calm until the tenth. Thus, 10 Rotations had been his current limit. Maybe with more training he could make more rotations, but for now this was to e considered his weakest technique. Though, according to the Tome he read about Jene's adventures, it seemed that this technique could become one of the strongest thrusting attacks in his arsenal, tough it'll also be the slowest due to te prep time.
Last but most certainly, was what could probably the STRONGEST purely offensive technique that he had found: the Rippling Sword. Though when he finally managed to utilize this technique Nico had seen fit to change the name to something else, and thus changed it to Vipersword. The Vipersword uses the body's natural flexibility to vibrate and undulate the sword, making it resemble a rippling snake. This illusion makes it's blows almost impossible to anticipate or block. This technique had been renamed, simply due to when Nico tried it, he found that the blade he used rippled so vividly and violently that it instead resembled a wild thrashing viper, instead of a simple Serpent. This difference was also expressed though its efficiency, as the rippling sword had the power to cleanly carve through fully grown trees in a clean cut, the Vipersword could tear right through them, 10-foot-tall slabs of rock, Silver Steel, Ghoul Hides, practically most materials, in a single clean swing.
These techniques would most DEFINITELY be a welcome addition to his arsenal, and while he could use them with most of his weapons (Ebony and Ivory being exceptions since these techniques were sword-based, these were freaking GUNS for Goddess sake) he decided to use them for mainly Rebellion. The reason for this is due to that particular Devil Arm being focused more on sheer attack strength and combat effectiveness. It was a simple Devil Arm, but that simplicity is what makes it so deadly and a favourite of his to use. Not to mention that it took to those techniques like water and a sponge (given how the emotions it sent him nearly made Nico have an orgasm the moment it sent them to him, that must have been a good sign).
Even now, he could feel Rebellion's glee at having something that made it stand out amongst the rest of his Devil Arms.
That reminded him he wanted to look into the relationships is Devil Arms had with each other, but before he could ask Biko…
"Oh, you're here. That's good."
'Whoa, she's here…!' the teen thought, eyes widening slightly in surprise as he glanced down at his Bracer, mentally commanding it to bring up the time again. 'Wow, An hour has passed already? Damn, monologuing really does help pass the time…' the male thought with a semi amused smirk on his lips, before closing down his Bracer (he'd gotten used to the whole mental commands thing already, using it for 2 weeks would do that to a guy) and looking over to the source of the voice.
Approaching him with a hand on her hip, a slight upturning on the right side of her lips, her grassy green eyes twinkling and oozing more charm than a woman her age should be capable of, was IF, the Windwalker of Gamindustri. The brunette walked up to him, the tapping of her blue boots filling his ears as she stopped right before him. "Good to see you're here, Nico."
"Heh, thanks, I kinda got hear a little early." He replied bashfully, rubbing his neck nervously while refusing to meet her gaze. Okay, what the fuck was happening to him right now? Sure IF had cornered him before he could head out for another day's worth of training (since he had all his Quests done the previous day) before she asked him if they could hang out together, but this had been the same for Neptune and Compa. Whilst the former did proclaim that it was a 'date' and he had a bit of a mental conflict going on, then the former asked him to spend the day with her doing some childhood relevant stuff, this felt MUCH different than the others.
Maybe because it was her that had the biggest influence over his newly awakening hormones?
'Fuck, this is bad…' the teen thought to himself, a pool of frustration filling up within his gut. Though, he didn't let it show on his face otherwise IF would pick up on it (she WAS th more perceptive of the bunch, just look at Lastation and Noire's bad acting). Deciding to ask her he more important question than his own internal conflicts, Nico opened his mouth to ask while kicking the dirt under his boots. "So, uh, why did you call me out here again?"
… The NANOSECOND those words left his lips, Nico felt the urge to curse up a storm, a weight of depression slamming into him. Ugh, did he seriously just ask it like that? It sounded so feeble and pathetic that it made him want to commit seppuku on sheer principle alone. If his enemies were watching him right now they would never let him live it down, it'd be a great humiliation alright. Just look at him, a badass Spec Ops Agent, becoming nervous around one girl. Well, one out of a group of colourful girls that right now caused him to be getting jealous glares from several male passer-by's (some even with girlfriends, though they soon got 'reminded' on why that was a bad idea).
On her side, IF pretended to not notice the way that Nico was acting around her, as it provided no small amount of amusement for her. True, IF normally didn't like it when people didn't give her straight answers. Nobody did, its just some people have more patience for I, which was why she didn't like politics all too much. To much squabbling and not enough action in her eyes.
It's a Soldiers life for her.
One couldn't even imagine the lengths she had to go to secure this day with him however, so any time he spent being so gushy over her form would be well worth it. It had been like a mental catfight, planning around Neptune's spontaneous behaviour and Compa's innocent requests, however she had done it. She had Nico all to herself today, and she was going to make the most of it! Even if he didn't understand the implications of her wanting just the two of them to hang out like this due to his… complicated mental state and ideals (seriously she ought what he told her about himself was utter bullshit for a NUMBER of reasons).
Heh, even when they left the Hotel room to hang out, though both left at different times, IF had smelled the jealous frustration from the other two girls, and while she didn't hint at anything to them, when they weren't looking she had allowed a victorious smirk to form on her lips. Neither of them knew what had happened between the to, and she planned to keep it that way. I you were a real woman, then you needed to do everything you could to nuke your rivals. True she won't not be friends with them even if Nico didn't choose her (though with the way things were going…), she respected that little talk Neptune and Compa had had before. But right now, IF had the advantage. Neither of them knew that a new rival had entered the fray as IF had perfectly covered her tracks with plausible deniability. She planned to thoroughly ABUSE that advantage for all that it was worth.
'This may be my instincts talking…' the brunette couldn't help but think to herself, remarking about her own sense of aggressiveness and the changes to her demeanour. Even she had to admit that she had more of an aggressive approach than usual, but it wasn't like she could help it. Aside from Nico being the first guy she had met to say those things to her, her own BOW instincts had a hand in promoting her aggressiveness. In their eyes, she was the alpha, and she had just found a potentially worthy mate. Strength was something the two of them had, and Nico's strength seemed to almost call to her, to beg her to attempt to dominate him, to put him under her and make him submit.
Sure, the romantic feelings were there, but she had just started acknowledging them, so it would take time for them to reach the same level as these instinctual urges. Something DID tell her that those feelings would only grow when this day was done, however. Still though, IF reined in those urges for the time being, fighting off the desires filling her body inside with a mounting heat. She wouldn't let those thoughts control her actions, she was NOT that type of woman to just lay there and let the night run its course. Only when she had developed the bon between them, when Nico had actually become comfortable with the thought of being that close to another, would she make a move. That was pretty much all she could do at this point, since she could still sense the conflict within him.
How Neptune and Compa hadn't noticed this was beyond her.
Back in Nico's perspective, the teen didn't have much of an indication as to what she had been thinking, though he hoped that it wasn't anything too bad. Fortunately, IF decided to not let him stew in his misery for too long (but he did notice a faint sound of a photo being taken for some reason…) as she gave him a response. "Not much, just wanted to have you to myself for the day. Its been a while since we last hung out and talked, so I wanted to see if we could change that." She explained, before walking past him. "Come on, I know this interesting place nearby. Don't worry, its not a lingerie store." It was not so true that she said that last bit to see Nico's flustered reaction, she did not get amused by seeing how his face lit up like a Christmas tree.
Nope. Not at all.
"Say, Nep-Nep… don't you find it weird?"
Back at the Hotel room, both Neptune and the Nurse-In-Training remained in their Hotel Room. The former sat on the sofa, guzzling down pudding like no tomorrow in preparation for the day's training she had planned, a pair of furrowed brows set onto her features. She needed all the energy she could get if she wanted to get stronger, that last battle with those men in red all but hammered that lesson into that noggin of hers. They had managed to beat those guys backwards, but the seconds they disappeared Neptune had fallen unconscious which had forced IF (who had been just about to conk out herself) to use what little power she had left to get them both back to the Hotel. That couldn't be allowed to remain the reality she faced, if she wanted her hubby to notice her, to protect her friends from the dangers that were about to come knocking, she had to get stronger.
Plus, considering what she had gained and had to train with…
When those words left Compa's lips, like a spark her curiosity had been lit, causing the preteen to turn her head behind her to look at her friend. Said friend stood behind the sofa, facing sideways while looking down at a piece of paper. She had one hand on her chin as if deep in thought, though judging by her question it wasn't about that paper. Thus, it prompted her to query on it further. "Uh, what do you mean, Compa?"
For a moment, she didn't answer as she stared down at the paper. It was a list of items Lucy had recommended that she get for their training, items that were also recommended by Raven herself. Those two took this training INSANLY serious-like, and if she were being honest she felt the same way since it would help her be a bit more useful to the Party. She was no fool, she didn't not notice the situation she was in with them. Out off the entire party, she was the only human among them, everyone else practically wasn't in some way. True humans were a strong species, since they survived for so long against all these odds, but I she wanted to be of more use to the Party she felt like she had to get stronger, even if he loses her humanity to become something else in the process.
Finally, Compa tore her gaze away from the paper and looked towards her friend with a suspicious frown. "Iffy seemed to be acting really weird since we got back from that scary-looking Dungeon thingy." She told her. "It's like she grew a backbone about something major."
Neptune hummed thoughtfully when she said that, a hand on her chin as she lost herself in thought about Comp's words. it wasn't false, IF DID seem like she had something driving her, more so than normal, eve since they returned from the Hellverse Dungeon. (Neptune did NOT want to know what went on down there, if the haunted expressions the brunette had on for the duration were any indication. Hey that rhymes!) Not only that, but the way that they had been training for these last few weeks made it apparent to her as well, that IF was more focused on training than she had been before.
"Well, I kinda get where she's coming from, Compa." The purplette began, getting Compa's attention. "She looked pretty ragged when we got back from that scary Dungeon, and that's considering all those scary creatures we fought together." Both girls trembled as they remembered those Bloodletters and those other creatures they had fought when they had split up with Nico. Not going to lie, they did NOT like the thought of having to face them again, but with what Neptune and IF had fought against during their Quests it was clear that this was only the beginning.
This got a nod from the Nurse-In-Training she could see where Neptune was coming from there. She remembered how utterly wrecked the two had looked when she got back from training that day, and when they barely got the story out before going to bed Compa couldn't imagine what kind of scary guys they had faced. They must have been powerful though, which only fuelled her desire to get stronger.
"I guess so, Nep-Nep, but still, I…"
"Aw, don't sweat it, Compa."
"?!"
The Nurse-In-Training almost jumped when Neptune suddenly jumped up from the sofa, flying through the air and glomping her in a hug. Her arms wrapped around Compa's neck as Neptune gave her friend a big, wide grin. "This is NICKY we're talking about; how many times has tat guy come back kicking when things went off the deep end? Pretty sure that he'd be able to take care of himself."
That was true, and the previous events proved that. Even so, Compa still couldn't shake her doubts about IF, something within her jus screamed to somehow ditch the training (no matter how STUPID of an idea that was, part of her screamed) and somehow tail them unseen like those spies in those spy movies.
"Besides!" Neptune brought her back from her thoughts, but the moment that Compa saw that grin on Neptune's face, she couldn't help the shudder that travelled down her spine. There was just something about it that seemed so… off-putting, she'd even go as far as to say that it was like the Demonic Power that Nico commanded. Why was it that she was seeing a silhouette of a Hanya Mask floating behind her with flames burning in its eyes and a trail of blood dripping from its lips? "Even if Iffy DOES something that only I should be doing, then my 'lover sense' will detect it and I'll conveniently be nearby! Cause you know, plot!"
Compa suddenly felt all the pity in the world for IF as the Hanya Mask vanished and Neptune returned to her normal self, quickly diving back to play some games before their next day of training would begin. Like nothing bad had ever just happened right now, which elected a sweat drop from the other girl. It looked like Neptune, in spite of what happened just now, had similar worries to her about those two but instead of just worrying about it, she would be the strong heroine and fight for her spot in Nico's heart. To be quite frank, that was something Compa found enviable and jealousy-inducing about her preteen friend.
IF too, heck every girl that wanted Nico had the drive to get closer… save for her.
While they walked, IF got the sense that she should be careful yet sympathetic at the same time, much too her confusion. 'Huh? Why do I feel like I should guard myself at night yet also hug someone?'
She wasn't the only one who noticed though, since Nico noticed her state too. "You alright IF?" he asked her, getting a nod from the brunette as they continued their journey.
After a while, IF and Nico arrived at their destination, or rather her destination since the male had little idea as to what was happening. More than once the teen had tried to get something out of her that could hint as to where she wanted to go, but IF had remained tight-lipped about it. Nothing would make her budge, which Nico had to admit was quite... endearing towards her character.
No, there were no hormones influencing his choice there (much to his relief) it was a pure, honest compliment.
When they arrived at her destination, Nico couldn't help but be even more confused, especially with the confused question marks pipping in and out over his head. "Uhhh... is this...?"
Standing before the two, was what looked like a repair shop, one that focused on vehicles if what he could see on the circular stands was anything to go by. There was a small parking lot with used vehicles, vehicles consisting of carriages and other Leanbox-style wares, newly repaired according to the various smells his nostrils picked up that indicated work had been done on them. Each of the vehicles had various pieces of tape that wrapped around them with the words 'FOR SALE' on them. The building itself had a rectangular shape to it, with the Leanbox colors of white and green dominating its frame. Though the materials used to build and sustain it, like Nico had previously mentioned, looked to be from Lastation.
Nico wondered why he hadn't seen this before, not even on his previous missions in Leanbox, because it looked completely out of place here. Whereas everything felt medieval in theme, architecture and culture, this place had more of a mix between Planeptune's futuristic themes as well as Lastation made materials. It was like finding a black stone among a sea of white ones, practically childsplay. How the hell have the Nobility not found and crushed this place yet for standing out like it did?
Those trashbags WERE the old-fashioned types if their lifestyles didn't speak that for themselves enough.
Sensing his confusion, IF smirked to herself with her hands in her coat pockets as she decided to give an answer. Best not let that brain of his get too flustered to the point steam came out of it... that would be rather funny, actually. Still, she decided against it in favor of responding. "Its a Repair Shop that I stumbled upon a while back." IF explained, taking a few strides back. "By that, I mean a couple days ago. You wouldn't expect it, but even though its so... out of place, very few Nobles know of its existence. Though you can attribute it to the citizens not wanting them to get their dirty mits on this place, they'd tear it down faster than you can say 'Nep' for how blasphemous it looks. Its location being near the outskirts of MICROSOFT helps, too." she explained, looking behind her without tuning to face him.
"I see, so that explains is..." Nico mused as he soon followed her to the entrance. He decided to take a look around, and to his surprise he found that this place looked pretty well maintained. That must mean it has been her a while, which begged the question on when this was built. Though according to IF this place could have been built eons ago and he wouldn't have known since, according to her the citizens keep this Shop's existence a secret from the Nobility. How they got their revenue and parts then would be something he'd like to know. If the Nobles didn't know of this place, then their business partners should be fairly limited.
Especially with the technology level Leanbox possessed.
Entering the Repair Shop, Nico looked about once more, noticing that the interior of the place shone a pure white color, with light green supports and edges throughout. The floor looked to be made of tiles, same with the walls and buildings, with various pictures or depictions of the CPU herself hanging up on the walls. There were various rial stands that held partially disassembled vehicles in the air for work done, with piles upon piles of materials neatly arranged in various racks. These materials, as well as the tools he could see pinned to the walls, looked to be Lastation and Planeptune makes, a bit of a mix now that he thought about it. His interest in this place only grew the more he learned about it.
IF noticed this, and she couldn't help but smirk at how she had awed him with something he had never seen before. A surge of pride swelled in her chest, and she had to repress the urge to chuckle at his childlike wonder. Seriously, Nico didn't look like a Spec Ops Agent right now, but instead a kid having stumbled int a world he had never known before. It was a rare sight to see him so awed like this, so she would take a picture (in secret of course) to view later... and mark one accomplishment she had over Neptune. At this stage in the game, Compa was the one she had to worry about the least considering her shy nature, but Neptune and Lucy were the exact opposite.
"Ah, I see you came back young lady. You even brought a friend with you."
Turning to the source of the new, masculine and unfamiliar (to Nico) voice, their eyes landed on the small counter at the top right corner of the shop's interior where a man in his mid to late forties sat on a chair, reading a magazine before he had noticed their presence. The man had a bald head, with a large grey mustache and a bushy grey beard styled into 3 fork-like points. His eyes, weary with age, showed a deep black color, a color that didn't hide the amusement in them as IF and Nico (who remained cautious due to his... issues) approached him. "I assume you're here to inquire about your request?" he asked her, taking his legs off the counter to stand from his chair. As he did so, they could see the man wore dark green overalls with a white muscle shirt beneath, barely hiding the muscles only a mechanic could develop.
'This man has a vibrancy that is uncommon among those his age...'
'On that, we can agree, Biko...'
'HEY, HEY-HEY, I GOT AN IDEA! JUST SPEAR THEM BOTH WITH OUR POWERS, THEN WE CAN HAVE THIS PLACE ALL TO OURSELVES!'
Ignoring what his white copy had suggested (much to said Copy's dismay) Nico remained silent as he watched IF converse with this mechanic. From the looks of things, these two seemed to know each other, enough to trade sarky jokes and humor. He guessed it made sense, since IF did say that she had been here once before, the amount of time she spent here must have been a long one if she got to know this guy like this. What's more, the teen couldn't sense any negative emotions from the man who seemed to enjoy the snarky humor the brunette sported. That meant that this guy at least had something few others had, and he could afford to at least not see him as a potential enemy like he would normally.
"So, my order's here?"
"Yep, got in touch with my boys back in Planeptune, they have your order all prepped. Shipped it over the day after you came here. Thinking of trying to get someone under you, are you? #eyebrow wiggle#"
"Hahaha, sorry dude, but this is for the thrill of the drive. Personal experience aside, I haven't had a chance to ride this baby in so long, I need it back in my life."
"Oho, I see. Makes me remember when I was your age and rocking it, girls FLOCKED over to me and my ride, but I digress. Times are changing, not as many folks appreciate the little things no more. Here you go."
It looked like while Nico had been analyzing the situation, the conversation those two had been in, reached its conclusion. The man gave a throaty laugh as he went back to his counter and pulled something from beneath it. An orb-like futuristic device actually, one that glowed a bright white color while thrumming with energy. The male's eyes widened when he saw that, he knew what those were since he'd seen other Agents use them. They were called Inventory Modules, and they specialized in transporting large as hell objects, larger than objects that could be held in two hands at least.
See, there was this problem with the Inventory everyone used these days. This problem was that they could only hold in small objects, like, small enough that they could hold in one or two hands. Its why they hold things like Weapons, Armour, Items etc. Inventory Modules however, may not have the ability to house those things but they CAN house larger objects. Quite the common technology back in Planeptune, used by a lot of building and transporting businesses that specialized in heavy duty machinery.
Nico's own Void Storage didn't have that problem though, as thanks to Spec Ops Engineering his Bracers had the Void Storage outfitted with smaller versions of those Inventory Modules within their hardware, allowing Nico to practically store from small items to large vehicles. He wasn't so sure about how that technology worked, but this was Gamindustri and little in this world made sense.
Wonder if that was true in the real world too...
Straying away from the urge to go meta, Nico shook his head before he looked to IF, who held the Inventory Module in her left hand as she walked back to him with one of the biggest smiles he had ever seen on her. The way she held that device was almost like she treated as if it were something holy or sacred like something from the Basilicom. Or one of Vert's 'collectibles' if you know what I mean... Lets not focus on that.
"So, you wanted me to accompany you on an errand?" the male asked, turning so that by the time IF approached him the two had entered a walk together as they went back towards the shop's entrance. If what he had asked was the truth, then why would she bother bringing him? She seemed perfectly fine with talking to that guy, so she didn't feel threatened by anything. He'd even checked her emotions for any signs of negativity, and found little. There was mostly just eagerness to get what she wanted, which sort of fell under the sin of greed or lust, now that he thought about it, which would explain why he had been able to sense it.
IF turned her head to look at him as he pushed the doors open for her while going 'ladies first' with a small smile, getting a 'why thank you good sir' and a chuckle as she strode through the exit to the streets outside, Nico following suit. "No, that's not what I brought you here for, don't you worry that fine little head down there of yours." she told him teasingly, making the male go a little flustered as he shuffled on the spot. It honestly made her want to giggle uncontrollably if it weren't for her pride as a Guild Agent and a BOW. "No, the reason I wanted you here was for this baby." she explained, holding up the Inventory Module.
"That?"
"Yep, its something that I haven't gotten the time to take back yet. Remember that time when we first met? I had gotten into a scuffle on that quest and the Monsters damaged it to the point where I needed to bring it to a Garage in Planeptune. Shortly into our trip to Leanbox, they called me and said that I could have it back, since they'd fixed it. Been meaning to get it back, but I didn't know were the shop they sent it to was. That's how I ended up locating this place, and well, you can guess what happens next."
Yeah, yeah he could. "Wait, you mean a different shop?" he asked her, frowning in concern. If that was the case, then he'd begin to question the competency of those mechanics IF had visited in Planeptune.
IF, realizing what he was thinking, quickly shook her head. "No, nothing like that. Sorry, should have explained it better. Apparently that shop had a branch extended into Leanbox. The one in Planeptune's the main, but because of our Journey together I couldn't get my baby back." she told him, before pointing behind her with her thumb. "That place was that sub-branch. Took me a while to find it, even with its appearance. When I did, that guy told me that they'd gotten the shipment but they needed to recheck it in case any repairs got damaged during the transportation. That took a couple days, but I finally got the chance to get her back. That brings us to now, so any questions?"
"One, what do you mean by 'baby'? Cause you're giving me mixed signals here..."
"Oh, that! Here, this'll clear things up!"
Pressing on the Module, IF saw it glow a pure white, and a flash soon blinded them, forcing the two to cover their sensitive biological ocular appliances. By the time the flash died down, the two uncovered their eyes by lowering their arms, to see what had spawned forth from the Module... which was now non-existent. One fault of those was that they were a one-time use, not a problem for him though thanks to, again, Spec Ops Engineering. Still, to compensate when the wielder wanted it gone, the object would be put back into the same Module. It may be a one-time use, but it can unload and store that one object whenever the user wants if they know the controls.
Still, when Nico saw what he did, the male suddenly realized what IF truly meant by her 'baby' and why she had to take it to a 'Garage' to be fixed. In front of him, standing tall while leaning on a metal stand, was a black and green Motorcycle. It had a lean model, with some Armour plating to better protect it from attacks. It was a mix of black and green, something that Nico figured referenced her beliefs in Vert and Leanbox (but mostly Vert since her country is ran by Shitheads).
"Whoa..." the male breathed, wide eyed as he stared at the Motorcycle, all the while IF just walked up to it and began caressing the Motorcycle like a mother who had just reunited with her child after so long being separated.
The brunette then looked to him, smirking as she leaned on her bike with her arms crossed under her chest. She couldn't help but bathe in satisfaction as she once again caught Nico by surprise. The kid was just too easy at times, and she said kid because that was what Nico looked like to her. It made her happy, seeing this side of him since it showed that even with all the shit he had seen and went through, Nico still had an innocent childish side. One that usually had been subverted by all the serious shit that they dealt with on a daily basis.
Looking down at her Biko, IF once again caressed its windscreen lovingly, her lips changing from a smirk to a nostalgic smile. "This baby and I go way back, Nico. She was a gift to me from my Dad... shortly before he passed on." she explained, her smile twisting into a sad frown as she remembered her father. A man of few emotions, she could hardly remember a time when he had smiled. A man who was more of a practical person than her mom (though she hated her mom with every fiber of her being and the feeling was equally mutual) IF remembered spending her days learning all sorts of skills from him. Skills that the current her realized that would help her move forwards in life. "The first ever gift I got from him when I managed to get my Driving Licence and advanced it to Motorcycles. Dad never liked cars, trucks or vans, they didn't have enough mobility to be of use on the battlefield. Motorbikes may not have the protection, but Skilled riders don't need that. At least, that was what he thought, and when he heard of my success he went out and bought me this Motorcycle."
While IF explained this, a somber mood overtook them, the brunette soon breaking out of those memories as she stared down at her Bike. "The moment I saw this thing, my father gave me a pat on the shoulder and, for the first time, congratulated me. he said, and I quote: 'Good job making it this far, my little windwalker. You made your old man proud' and he smiled. He smiled for the first time since I'd known him." she explained, almost choking as she remembered how happy she had been that day.
"Your father sounds like a good man..." Nico stated sadly, sensing the distress the brunette Agent was putting herself under. Though, he refused to let her go through it any longer than necessary as he stepped forwards and placed a hand on her shoulder, gripping it enough to get her attention. "I may not know him, but I would believe without a shred of doubt that he would be super proud of the woman you've become."
Hearing those words nearly made IF's heart skip a beat. A surge of joy filled her chest along with a painful tightening sensation that resulted in this complicated mix churning in her gut. Her father wasn't something she talked about often, and whenever she did talk about him she made sure it didn't last long. She didn't like talking about him too much because she would lose what composure she had retained, even if she displayed herself as cool, calm and collected (which she was no doubt about that) her father finally giving her the approval she had desired before he died not long after was definitely a way to expose the feelings she buried deep within.
She didn't like talking about it, her father she meant.
After all, when he was gone, what followed was a long period of distrust, solitude and sadness for her.
And as much as those words made her happy on a level that Nico wouldn't EVER be able to comprehend, she had to keep herself from doing what she REALLY wanted to him. Sometimes she hated being as considerate as she was, as it made her feel these types of complicated emotions. If only Nico was someone who... but then again, she'd rather have someone like him over someone who had experience. Nico, in a sense, had a purity and innocence regarding stuff like that which naturally drew her in. It made her want to 'corrupt' him in a way, a way that his normal powers don't. It made her want to pin him down, take off his clothes and have her way with him right then and there.
But she refrained, she refrained because that right now would hurt both her chances and Nico in ways that she wouldn't even begin to imagine...
No matter how frustrating it was.
"Well, seeing that you have your own Motorcycle..." Nico began, pulling the woman out of her thoughts as she looked over to him. Nico's eyes gazed over her newly regained ride with appreciation, before raising his right hand. He then clicked his fingers as a whirlwind of Hellfire rose up from his right side. When it vanished, IF laid wide, bulged out eyes before Nico's OWN ride, the Skimmer known as Ember. The devilish Skimmers' wheels roared with furious Hellfire, burning through the oxygen around them and making breathing slightly more difficult. One could say that it was a 'hellish' first impression... okay, theres the bad pun for the chapter, lets move on. "How about we have a ride together? Us Motorcyclists best talk on the ff road, after all."
A moment of staring at the Skimmer with wide eyes passed for the brunette, before she quickly snapped out of it. "I have questions on where you got that..." she began, only for a competitive smirk to replace her features. She still felt the shock in her system, and probably would for a while, but odds were that it'll be forgotten by the time they really got rolling for this race. Yeah, Nico had a point, and she saw that suggestion as something else. "But those are some fighting words you spoke just now, Nico. Care to back em up?"
All Nico responded with was to grin in a similar manner to the Demons that he fought on a daily basis. his eyes beginning to shine red. "Well then, lets let our riding skills do the talking, shall we?"
IF let out a bark of laughter at that, feeling her wild side beginning to creep out into the surface. Like those shadowy figures prowling the streets at night looking for their next victim, though she would happily be this one's victim if the times ahead would be promising enough. She didn't get to show it often, but IF loved a good Motorcycle ride, especially with a decent partner. She loved the thrill, the rush, the knowledge of being so close to possibly dying that you just felt the most alive. Not even when she ascended into a BOW ruined it for her, for the 'possibility' aspect of it was still there. She wasn't lying back there, it had been AGES since she had been on a ride, and judging by the context this would be one of the WILDEST rides she would have in a long time. NOT in that sense, you pervs. Her eyes shined with a slightly wild gleam to them as she grinned eagerly. "Hah, bring it!"
Both teens, now aware of the other's intent, quickly jumped onto their respective rides, Nico revving Ember's engine as the Skimmer roared in glee. He then did a full 180 wheelie, before the engines unleashed a torrent of Hellfire that propelled him down the roads leading outside of Leanbox. There was no need to plan a race course, not when the entire Nation would be their playground. That was something both knew deep in their hearts, no need to say it verbally. Once IF had started her engine, she drove off after her friend/crush, laughing wildly and leaving her previous thoughts in the dust.
By the time night fell upon Leanbox, Nico and IF had raced each other throughout the Nation's entirety, blowing up anything that bothered them be it Demon hordes, Hellgates, Northmen etc. Nico wouldn't be afraid to admit that he MAAAAAY have behaved a LITTLE unprofessionally (he whistles innocently while standing behind a pile of unrecognizable Demon corpses that soon vanished into particles) a bit there. Whatever method was deemed acceptable, Nico relying on Soul Edge's destructive capabilities while IF used her Tendrils to practically rake her 'collateral casualties'into tiny pieces. She swore that, afterwards during one of the rare few respites that one enemy had wet themselves while whimpering mommy. Though, those thoughts flew out of the window milliseconds later. They literally went on a demolition derby, and they loved every fiber of it. The rush, the thrill, the carnage. It filled their minds with adrenaline, smothering their beings to replace their previous doubts, conflicts etc with only one thing: the need for speed.
When the two saw it had gotten quite late, the two decided to return to Leanbox in a significantly calmer manner (as in not hooting and whooping like a mad pair of people), having spent their energy enthralling themselves in a high that only Motorcyclists could understand. Passing through the MICROSOFT Gates, IF and Nico drove quietly (the teen mentally commanding Ember to be as quiet as possible while IF made sure not to drive as hard as she had done the whole day) through the near-deserted streets towards the Hotel they stayed at. Near-deserted meaning that there were some 'ladies of the night' on the prowl if you know what I mean...
The tired Nico mentally made sure to stay as far away from those as humanly possible. Not only would that be terrifying to go through, his mother would not just kill him, but also maim the woman involved too for daring to 'taint' her little Nicky-Nick
Finally, the two arrived at the Hotel. Ember disappeared in a... less conspicuous flash of Hellfire while IF pressed a button on her Bike which turned it back into that Inventory Module. She'll call it IM for short, IF decided, before putting it in her Inventory for future use.
With that done, she turned towards her male friend, intending to thank him for the GREAT day out (though she called it a date in her mind)... when she noticed the male having taken his coat off to expose what was underneath. 'Holy... shit...' Her thoughts only existed in those two words as her eyes glued themselves to the 'manservice' being shown before her, a heat rising through her cheeks as well as her loins.
The teen didn't notice her staring, as he began fanning himself by using his coat as one of those handheld fans. He did so by folding it up and holding it in one hand, waving it in front of his face, which looked to be riddled with sweat from that recent activity. The way he sweated, combined with the tightness of his shirt, exposed his build as if he were naked to the brunette Guild Agent. The shirt clung to his frame, outlining the muscles that he had developed with the sole purpose of practicality in mind. The sweat even made his pants, boots and gloves cling onto him, pronouncing his features, including his... mini Nico... which lay dormant for the time being. His scent whiffed into her nostrils, further disorienting her and fueling the lust-based urges building within her core. In IF's mind, some sexy saxophone music was playing as her eyes glued to the... arousing sight before her, a sight that the one giving it to her didn't even realize what he was unintentionally doing. She knew sights like this had been done before, but if she were to pull a Neptune then since the franchise basically consisted of cute girls and lots of fan-service, some man-service for the ladies would be WHOLLY appreciated, thank you very much!
Not so much if that service came from that on fish dude in that one game...
#shudder#
Once the teen felt like he had cooled down significantly from that, Nico inflamed his body's internal structure with Hellfire, burning the sweat forming within and outside his form which also succeeded in returning his clothes to normal. This was one of the rare times when Nico worked up a good sweat like this through a method that WASN'T combat-based... sorta. Nico was new to this whole riding a Motorcycle thing (and Ember could shift into a Flight Mode fr Goddess sake, so that's even better) but he could see himself engaging in rides like that in the future and LOVING the hell out of them.
Especially if he had a worthwhile partner to enjoy them with.
Speaking of which, Nico finally noticed that IF was staring at him... with no small amount of red on her cheeks. He could also smell something... weird, coming from her, and for the life of him he couldn't figure out what it was. He probably would have under normal circumstances, but right now he was still busy recovering from the rush that ride they had gave him. Confusion plastered itself onto his features as Nico tilted his head sideways to look at her. "Um, IF you ok? You're face is red..."
"H-Huh?" momentarily caught off guard, IF blinked owlishly for a moment, before she awkwardly coughed into a closed hand to hide her red face, not realizing how useless that was right now. "I-I'm okay, just a bit flustered from the ride still..."
Now THAT, Nico could understand. He felt the same way, after all, and thus the teen decided not to bring it up again.
Was it just him, or did he hear multiple sighs and a distorted chuckling in his head?
Meh, Biko and that White Him must be doing something he had no business in.
"Whew, but MAN was that a rush or what?" Nico remarked, smirking as he chuckled merrily, memories of how GOOD Motorcycle riding felt coming back to him. He hadn't felt that great in AGES, not even using his DPU powers, his first ride with his Skimmer, or anything had felt like what that ride did, and he wanted more of it.
Another chuckle escaped into the air, but this time from IF's lips as she snickered at the childish joy shining like searchlights she could see in Nico's eyes. "You betchya, and you can bet your ass we'll be doing that again in the future." she told him, much to Nico's excitement as the teen practically flew a her and crushed her in a hug.
"Aw, you're the best, IF! That would be so fucking AWESOME!" The teen exclaimed, a wide grin with closed eyes on his features while he hugged the woman tightly.
Under any normal circumstances IF would have been struggling to breathe with the tightness she was under, but thanks to her BOW powers, she didn't mind it one bit. Her lustful side DEFINITELY didn't mind either, if the heat building in her suddenly inflating to furnace levels was any indication. But what happened next completely DETROIT SMASHED those emotions and left her in a state of pure shock.
He was probably so overcome by his joy at being able to experience that thrill again, but Nico, under those emotions, just broke from the hug, took one quick glance down at her, before promptly pressing his lips against hers. His eyes closed as well, not seeing the utterly flabbergasted look in her eyes.
Nico... just kissed her.
He just kissed her... without intending to stop... of his own free will!
Those thoughts quickly ran through IF's shock-riddled mind before she closed her eyes and kissed back. Hey, he was the one to start it this time (pretty sure this was the first time he initiated it, too!) so fuck if she was complaining!
Nico's hands went onto her upper back from beneath her armpits, while IF's went onto the sides of his cheeks. Her body pressed itself against his, and with his state Nico happily welcomed it. The sounds of hot, passionate kissing resonated throughout the area, any passer-by making sure to stay away so they didn't 'interrupt' anything.
The brunette could tell that the guy didn't have much experience in kissing a girl, since there was more emotion than technique in the kiss. She didn't care though, the passion it had more than made up for it, plus she could compensate for the two of them. Plus, it wasn't like the guy wasn't trying either, which pleased the woman more than she would care to let on. Also, she liked the way he held her, how he held her body in this passive-aggressive demeanor that she could easily subdue and do whatever she wished with.
It made her BOW side scream and caw with delight at all the things she could do to him. What he would ALLOW her to do to him,
Eventually though, all good things must come to an end. That fact returned to the forefront of her mind when Nico' brain finally rebooted, his eyes snapping open with shock and horror as he pulled back from the kiss, taking a few panicked steps backwards. "W-wh-wh-wh-wha, I-I-I-I-I-uh..." he tried to say, but sadly for him his ability to speak had blue screened thanks to the shock to his system. Eventually though, he mustered up the courage (with his face redder than the variant of Hellfire that's been seen) to quickly splutter out the words "S-Sorry, IF!" before he made a beeline inside the Hotel.
IF didn't follow him back inside though, taking a moment to process what just happened. After a while, she managed to get herself back together and gave a sigh afterwards. Well, she guessed that it was to be expected, since Nico isn't that 'ready' yet for the real stuff. 'Still' yet there was still a silver lining for her as she felt a smile coming on while walking towards the hotel entrance. 'At least I can say I'm in the lead, unlike Nep and Compa.'
Yo, just a heads up, the thanks for helping me with some parts in this chapter goes to King Carlos, who I talk to a whole hell lot. He's a great guy and he is writing his own fanfic that I help with, Heroic Heir. Its his first story, so if you wanna check it out do so. Also, DON'T GIVE HIM SHIT! He gets too much of that in my opinion.
Regarding the 'date' with IF, I felt like, with the way I've characterized IF, a 'predator and prey' dynamic between her and Nico would work best between them. She'll be the one that will be like a blue flame that sneaks under the rug, whereas Neptune is the wild crimson flame that burns any who dare try to get in her way. Yet BOTH are hot in their own unique methods, so it comes down to this: between them, Lucy and any other girl who becomes interested in him and has a backbone, Nico will be losing his V Card.
