Candidate Rebirth
AN: The update nobody wanted! 0.-
Chapter 23: Leanbox tour, day 2.
Chloe was up by six the next day, being an early riser, to prepare the event for the day, and to arrange transportation for the group at nine am the next day, the bullet train would take three hours to get to Planatune, and they would meet up with Nepgear before hitting lunch, and then the Planatune museum.
Getting ready she reflected on the differences between her life now, and her life as Harry Potter. Despite the differences in body and responsibilities, she prefers her life now.
Shooting off an e-mail to a friend she had made, one that her sister didn't know she had made, because the woman visited when Vert was out. She still didn't know why her sister told her to stay away from that person's HDD, she personally finds it to be funny, and not scary at all.
That might've been because when she encountered her the first time, Chloe had been separated from CC and surrounded by high-level monsters, monsters that turned tail and ran when SHE arrived.
The E-mail was simple and told her that Chloe would be in Planatune the next day, and if she wanted to meet up after the day's activities were done.
She then started looking at the brochures. She set aside the amusement park ones because the chances that Neptune and/or Nepgear didn't put that on the program for the group would be negligible.
Browsing through the flyers, she noticed that the annual technology and magic expo was today. Nodding her head she put it at the top of her list of ideas. Checking her e-mail one last time, and reading a message from her sister, Chloe headed out to meet her guests and breakfast.
Intercepting a woman before she entered the hotel restaurant, Chloe spoke, "Madam Longbottom, My sister can meet you for half an hour today during breakfast, if you will follow me."
The woman's eyes narrowed and she replied, "Very well." and followed the young woman out. On her way to the meeting she asked, "Why do I get half an hour when Malfoy got a full one?"
Chloe looked at the woman as they walked and replied, "He got the first free slot she had, you got the second, simply because he asked first, if you had asked first you would have had his slot. My sister is very busy right now, she's taking care of her paperwork, mine, and helping to set up the charity event in three days. Besides, this is just the initial meeting, she can set up another if it's needed to complete your business."
The older woman slowly nodded. She wasn't happy that the Death Eater got a longer slot, and went first, but she understood first come first served.
Soon enough she was seated at a desk with the Goddess, that looked to all the world to be just a scantily clad buxom blonde woman.
After breakfast was delivered, Vert asked the woman across from her, "Why did you want to meet with me?"
"Well, the Longbottom family..." the (current) matriarch of the Longbottom family started, before starting with their first known ancestors' achievements.
This was, of course, the first traditional step in pitching a betrothal contract.
Such a thing normally takes... far longer than she had been given.
Vert's eyes started to glaze over as she mechanically shoveled her food into her mouth. Every few minutes her eyes would flicker to the wall clock behind Mrs. Longbottom.
She was praying that it would go faster, as the woman was boring her out of her skull by talking about people and actions she couldn't give a damn about.
In Vert's head, a window's screen with a loading bar appeared. It had the words "Attempting to give a damn," and a loading bar. The loading bar gets to seventy-five percent and stops before resetting with the error message, "Error, operation failed, Damn not given, retrying."
Twenty-five minutes of the other woman's speech, Vert interrupted her, "Madam Longbottom, you have five minutes left."
A bit angry at being interrupted, Longbottom replied, "It's rude to interrupt, and I guess we can continue this another time."
"No," Vert replied tersely. "you haven't given me the slightest reason to have another meeting with you. You have spent the last twenty-five minutes speaking of your family, without actually telling me what you want, so you have... three minutes left to tell me what you want, and why I should give you another meeting."
Augusta was speechless at being denied and wondered why the woman across from her didn't realize what she was doing, but then she shook her head and stated plainly, "I wish to set up an engagement contract between my grandson and your sister."
Vert laughed out loud for a minute, and then calmed down enough to give a coherent answer, "No, and if there is nothing else, I need to get back to work."
The elderly woman stood there, her mouth working soundlessly at the blatant dismissal, of both her and to her, her generous offer to engage the future lord of The Most Ancient and Noble House of Longbottom.
"You didn't even hear my offer," she ground out.
"I don't need to, my sister has the right to choose who to be with, and she is currently being courted by a lovely woman, one that I heartily approve of."
The fact that the 'goddess' in front of her turned down her offer, not only turned down her offer, but refused to even hear the full offer, and at the same time, approving another woman to date her sister, made her stand up and say, "Fine," and walk out the door. She fully remembered the power that woman in her transformed state had during that one Wizengamot meeting.
She wasn't stupid enough to piss her off.
But that didn't mean that she was out of options, she just needed to do things in her opinion, backwards by convincing Chloe.
She was sure that the younger girl would see reason.
Besides, a woman dating or marrying another woman? Preposterous.
Around two parallel universe game industries, a multitude of sneezing was heard among the goddesses and/or their lovers.
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It was a rather upset Augusta Longbottom returned to the group.
"Ah, you're back, I was waiting for you to return to give my suggestion on today's activities, although if you all want something different, please speak up. My suggestion is that the annual Leanbox Technology and Magic expo is today, featuring innovations in magic, technology, and magitech in all sectors of life, civilian and military, along with cultural exhibits, along with the attached fair. You may of course select something different as a group from the multitude of brochures provided."
Draco scoffed quietly and went to look through the brochures for something more interesting, while his father thought that it sounded like a wonderful idea, as did most of the others.
Augusta Longbottom scoffed at both the suggestion and the brochures. Her enjoyment of the vacation, already fairly low due to the fact that the place was so different, went further down after the meeting with the goddess. Now she had to convince a child that she should marry her grandson, and given how selfish children are, it would look to be a challenge.
It was soon decided that they would head to the expo, as only Neville and Draco had other ideas, Neville wanted to go to the botanical gardens, and Draco, well he wanted to go home.
They set out soon after for the expo.
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The visitor's jaws dropped at seeing the expo, ar what they could see from the outside.
Structures that they had been told were temporary soared higher than Hogwarts, great plumes of fire, and bolts of lightning from another part, and a giant robot giving rides in giant seated hand baskets.
Above were stunt fliers in formation doing stunts that most would think insane.
When they got their tickets and actually entered, they were even more overwhelmed.
Thousands upon thousands of people were milling around, cosplayers giving impromptu concerts, advertising products, or just guiding visitors.
"Hey, Nu Gundam guy come here a second will you?" Chloe called out.
The guy in the accurate costume came over at her call, and asked, "Miss Chloe, what can I do for you?"
"These people are from another world and I just wanted to point something out to them before turning them loose. See the badge on this guy's chest? If you have trouble find someone with the same badge and they'll help you out, whether it's just being lost, finding an attraction, locating someone or something you lost, or if you're having trouble with someone."
"That's right, we don't get many issues at these events, but we are available for whatever happens." the now identified security guard said before wandering off on his rounds.
"Now the expo and fair are fenced off, so you know where the boundaries are, and every danger section is clearly marked, so do not enter them. They are marked off for magic and/or weapon demonstrations. Now have fun!" Chloe finished with a smile and a sweeping arm movement.
Most of the group dispersed, with the exception of the elder Longbottom.
"I need to speak to you for a second," she said.
"Yes?" Chloe said calmly.
"I approached your sister today to arrange a marriage between you and my grandson, and was turned down by her claiming that it was your choice, so I'm approaching you about it."
"No. Your son is nice, but the very thought of being with a male like that... makes me physically ill," Chloe responded.
Augusta gritted her teeth, and replied, "And what would your people say if they knew that?"
Chloe quirked an eyebrow at the woman, and pulled her laptop out of her inventory, opened it, and did a quick search. "Let's see... shipping chart for Chloe..."
"Shipping chart?" the older woman asked.
"It's a betting system for who I'm going to end up with, we goddesses don't care about it, and the official bookies give the subject of the bet a nice cut... ah here we are. Blanc... five percent of the bets, Mina twelve, Histore three, joining Vert in relationship with IF ten, joining with Noire and Neptune two, Nepgear and Uni eight, Kai fifteen, Plutia and Noire alternate seven, Vert alternate three, Vert four, Blanc alternate six, Chika ten, Compa two, Ram + Rom zero point zero zero nine that's gross, they look eight at most, Gust two, Cyber connect eight, other female associated with goddesses two point nine, and finally some male, zero point zero zero one. As you can see from these numbers, about one in one hundred thousand think I'll end up with any sort of male. So if you told them I was dating a woman, most of them would say 'called it'." Chloe finished as she read off the current percentages for bets.
The woman was speechless, if what the girl had said was true, then threatening to release the fact that she was a lesbian would be less than useless. Gritting her teeth she wondered if she should have lied about the results of her meeting with the goddess... but she had refrained due to the fact that she felt it would be rude to lie to her hosts.
"Very well, I want me and my grandson sent home after this event."
Chloe shook her head and replied, "Impossible, there were some error messages when you came through so the machine is disassembled for maintenance, estimates state that it'll be ready either at the time of your originally scheduled departure day, or the day after, and my phoenix is off visiting family for the summer."
"So you trapped us here," the older woman accused.
"According to the readings, sending a person back using the machine in its current state would have a ten percent chance of being lethal. We didn't want to risk it, and since you had planned to be here any way we didn't see an issue."
"Fine, but I won't drop this issue," the woman stated as she stalked off to find her grandson.
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Said grandson was now happy he had come, he had found some flower seeds from a nation called Lowee. According to the seller, and demonstrated by the same person, picking one would allow a person to throw fireballs for half an hour. Along with some other seeds, and growing instructions.
He was accompanied by the same dryad he had met in the bookstore. Turns out that despite her kinds natural talent for plantmancy, and her being the sprouting of the current queen, she herself wasn't that great at it, she could grow things manually but was nearly hopeless at doing it magically, which is why she wanted the introductory book.
He just hoped his grandmother wouldn't ruin his newest friendship... and crush.
Just then his grandmother came up and dragged him away while shouting, "How dare you defy me and not try and gain the candidate's affections, and instead hang round with this hussy? Your father would be so disappointed in you!"
At this point the boy took a look at what the girl was wearing,and slightly blushed,it looked like a ne piece made out of vines and leaves.
She then dragged the boy away to one of the magic attractions.
Neville made a decision right then and there.
He would seek sanctuary from Leanbox. He couldn't take it anymore, he was sick and tired of being compared to a man nearly twice his age, one that had different talents than him.
From what he could glean from the professors, he was more like his mother.
To many in the wizarding world what he planned would be considered disloyal to his family, but at this point, he just didn't care, and he knew that he could provide enough evidence to Lady Green Heart or her sister to have them named his guardians.
He would request a meeting with the goddess as soon as possible.
He just had to put up with his grandmother a bit longer.
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Hermoine was in the medical technology section that was showing off the newest version of the spinal implant she was signed up to receive, although the one she was going to obtain was several versions older, and while a bit lower spec was more reliable, which is why it was still popular.
Shaking her head that all this technology being displayed wasn't available on earth, and she vowed to ask why they weren't sharing... after her surgery that is.
Her mother was wondering the same thing, the quality of life they had seen so far was higher than Earths, along with the technology. The air was far cleaner, even in the capital, than any city that she has ever seen, and wondered how many troubles of Earth would be solved if these apparent green technologies were exported there.
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Draco looked in envy at the magic display. The child in blue robes and a yellow pointed hat just cast a spell that would have leveled a building. And he cast it with a single word, Ultima.
He deserved that power, and he was angry that the book that probably had it, he wasn't allowed to buy. With that kind of power, he could seize this world, as it was obvious that a pureblood like himself could use it far better than some obvious mudblood child, and he was obviously more powerful than.
His father had forbidden him from causing trouble though, so he could only clench his fist in fury the only reason that the so-called goddesses have power is she had access to the spells, the fact that the candidate almost died casting one shows how weak they truly are.
He would find a way to gain those spells.
Meanwhile, his father was looking at the magitech and was wondering how much that robotic maid was. Having something pretty to look at while it was doing the chores since he had executed his house-elf for trying to betray him and he had been reluctant to obtain another in case it happened again.
He did admit to himself that his treatment of said elf probably contributed to its betrayal.
Shaking his head he inquired about the price but was told that that particular model was a prototype, and he would have to ask at the main office for a purchasable model.
After getting an explanation of what the word prototype meant, and the fact that they had 'bugs' to work out, which prompted another explanation, he nodded and made a note to look it up on... shudder... the internet after grabbing a flier.
That robot apparently kept thinking it was a killer robot that needed to kill all humans... so nope, not buying that one.
Looking over at where his son went he sighed. He was truely regredtting pounding the pureblood dogma into his son at such a young age, becouse it seemed like his son was letting the pride of his bloodline overwhelm his common sense. He was there when Lady Green Heart stormed into the Wizenmot after her sister was nearly killed, and he knew that she could crush him, the last dark lord, and all of his fellow death eaters combined like bugs.
It was that incident that made him think of seeking sanctuary in Leanbox from the next dark lord wasa viable option.
Looking at where his son hadgone he decided to look around the magitech section ore, as he could partially understand what's going on here, unlike the pure technology section.
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Minister Fudge was actually having a great time. The fact that he could use his wand at will, no matter where he was made him enjoy this world far more than he felt like he should. The sheer oddness he felt should have frustrated him, but instead, he found the fact he could sit at any cafe in the world, in the open, and crack open a book on magic without needed to hide what he was doing was so relaxing. He also had several books on Leanbox Law and was studying them.
He also had purchased something called a magitech Leanplay, the first portable system for the nation, and a game called "Barry Hatter and the Magic Rock."
He found it amusing although it seemed like almost a parody of Hogwarts. With anthropomorphic beings instead of teachers and students.
Like the goat-man headmaster or cat-girl transformation professor, that by the creation date was made before Chloe ever entered Hogwarts.
Shaking his head he went back to studying the spell 'holy arrow'. He couldn't cast a Patronus to save his life, so he wanted to have some sort of defense against dementors.
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The day soon ended with more items purchased and fliers obtained, and it was a tired group that ened up going to bed, but not before a certain blonde hid a book he had purchased from a shady man, one that he didn't examine quite well enough.
He had blown all his money on what he thought was Black Magic for Masters, but was instead Blackjack Magic tricks for Morons. Just with a rather crappy illusion that anybody examining it closely would be able to see.
He would be pissed when he found out.
His father had noticed a giant bird in his room... again, and decided to just shrink her so it wouldn't be in the way.
Turning in for the night his father decided to look up the robo-maids the next morning before they boarded the train to Planeptune.
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End chapter.