[10] - Re: Caution
It took her a bit to realize that her entire top had been burnt. She'd stopped walking, and her face burnt a bright red as she quickly dashed back into the cave.
A couple hours had passed since IF took down the Flame Fenrir. Her body still hurt all over, but a couple more Green Noahs had helped. She stood and began digging through the rubble. She would've used Cross Impact to help her dig, but her SP was still dried up, and she didn't feel like wasting another pair of knives.
It didn't take her as long as she expected.
She began climbing out, and she smiled as she finally stepped out into the sunlight. She took a step forward, and shivered as she felt the wind blow over her bare skin.
She couldn't help but look down at that moment.
She surfed through her inventory, looking through her stored wardrobe for a new shirt to wear. She then realized that her pants were falling apart as well, and she decided to get herself a new outfit to wear.
It wasn't anything too fancy. A pair of shorts and a black shirt. Her shoes were fine, but they were filled with soot and dust. She threw them away and wore another pair.
She wasn't quite used to showing so much skin, but she didn't have another pair of jeans to wear. She'd need to buy a set once she got back.
Properly dressed, she brought out Soul Blazer and hopped on, sighing happily as she ran a hand over her seat. She was glad she made her seat so comfortable. She was used to riding on her bike for long periods, but the added softness really helped.
She glanced back at the cave for a moment. So much had happened so quickly, all because her curiosity had taken over.
She smiled thinly. Her curiosity was truly a curse at times.
Shaking her head, she kicked her bike into gear and rode off. The wind blew through her hair, and she let out a tired laugh. She was certainly dropping like a sack of bricks the moment she got to her bed.
It didn't take long for Leanbox to come into view, and she couldn't be any happier. She stopped by the gates, showed the guards her Basilicom Card, and waved back as she drove in. The surroundings blended into one as she followed the roads.
It was good to be back.
She made a quick pit stop at the clothing store Vert would eventually love. The kindly old lady greeted her, and IF promptly grabbed several pairs of jeans and slung them over her hand. The old lady had blinked at the sight, before she shrugged. A girl buying a giant heap of jeans wasn't all that weird compared to what she'd seen.
IF paid for her purchase and dropped them into her inventory. Bidding the lady farewell, she got back on Soul Blazer and drove.
She skidded to a stop before the Basilicom and pushed her bike back into her inventory. She frowned slightly. Her head was beginning to spin again.
Going in, she waved at Chika, and the woman smiled back. She said something, but most of it sounded muddled to IF. She shook her head, and Chika nodded before she went back to whatever it was she was doing.
IF wasn't quite sure what just happened, but she was too tired to care. She made her way to the room Vert had lended to her, got to her bed, and promptly fell unconscious the moment her head touched the pillow.
There was a garden once.
They said it was most beautiful. They said it was the place where faeries lay, where all magic came, and where all shall return to. It was a garden of life and memories, grown and nurtured by the beings long gone. It was a place where all gods would come to restrestrestrestrestrestrestrest-
BuT You'LL NeVEr ResT wOUlD YOu?
ThEY wiLL coMe
THey WilL cOMe
ThEYtHeyTheYTHeYtheYtHeY-
IF woke up.
Heat bubbled in her chest, and she barely managed to restrain the scream building in her throat. She closed her eyes and let herself breathe.
She was dreaming about-
…
About what exactly? She couldn't remember.
IF frowned. She knew she'd been dreaming about something, but the details had long escaped her. Or was it a nightmare? She didn't know. She huffed. There was no point in worrying about it. She couldn't remember it, and that was that.
She quickly checked the time. Nearly 2 hours past noon. She practically slept through an entire day. IF hoped Vert wasn't too worried.
She rose from her bed and opened the news, scrolling through what was recent. Guild requests, clothing advertisements, 5pb.'s concern, new game releases-
Her eyes widened. 5pb.'s concert was today, wasn't it? She quickly switched through her calendar, and sighed. The concert was being held in the evening. She still had several hours before then.
She wandered the Basilicom for a bit. Vert seemed to be out for once, her room clean and empty. Chika was in the lobby room, sitting by her desk as stacks of paper sat beside her. IF greeted her, though the woman was too focused to reply back.
Cave was standing by the entrance, her guard ever vigilant despite the peaceful atmosphere. She'd greeted her, and Cave smiled back.
She remembered how lonely Cave would eventually become. Her position as the sole member of Leanbox's special defense force would remain for years to come. IF made sure to at least spend some time with the woman every day.
Cave was preparing for the concert as well, though she'd be there as 5pb.'s guard. The woman had a small smile as she talked about the singer, and IF smiled. She wondered how long it'd take for 5pb. to finally find enough courage to confess to her. Because it certainly wasn't happening the other way around.
Cave was observant, but she was a brick wall. She wouldn't know much until it was smashed into her face.
IF told her of her little adventure, and her eventual fight and victory over the Flame Fenrir. Cave was understandably surprised. The Flame Fenrir was a boss monster, and not a weak one.
And of course, Cave being who she was, asked if she could tag along next time. IF smiled and nodded. Having another hand in the battle would definitely make it much easier. She did tell her that she needed to forge a new set of daggers though.
She already had a couple ideas on what to make, but she'd reserve them until she actually stepped into a forge.
Then,
"Ah, Ms. IF." Cave suddenly said. "Are you free this evening?"
IF blinked. She did want to watch 5pb.'s concert, but she could just rewatch it at another time if she needed to. "I'm free. Why?" She then added. "And stop calling me 'Ms.'. I'm not that old."
"I see. Do you take requests to guard individuals?" Cave asked, conveniently ignoring IF's words. IF nodded, and Cave smiled. "Ah, in that case, would you mind if I request for you to protect a friend of mine?"
IF blinked again. Protect a friend of Cave? Then that would be-
Her eyes widened. Cave was asking her to act as 5pb.'s guard? Why? Wasn't that Cave's usual job? "Why? Are you busy with something?"
The woman nodded. "I am. I've been tasked by Lady Green Heart to investigate a suspicious group that was spotted a couple days ago."
"A suspicious group?"
"Indeed. We don't know who they are, but we've spotted them creating counterfeit games and products," IF nearly flinched. That sounded a whole lot like ASIC. "And we've caught them trying to steal military intel."
IF frowned. "Don't you have the police to deal with them though?" For Cave to be sent out meant that this suspicious group was either stronger than expected, or dangerous enough that Vert decided that Cave needed to be sent out.
Cave shook her head. "Not this time. The leader of this group, someone called 'Magic', was able to completely overwhelm the guards that were-" Cave stopped. IF had completely frozen up. "Ms. IF? Are you alright?"
She fully flinched this time, hands shaking as she repeated what Cave had said. Magic. The leader of the suspicious group was someone called 'Magic'. It could be a different person, but how many people in Gamindustri had the name 'Magic'?
Could this be it? Was this how ASIC began? Did the other CFWs already exist as well? What were they doing in Leanbox? Why were they trying to steal intel? Were they trying to find a way to sabotage Leanbox? Or were they trying to find where Leanbox's Sharicite was located? Maybe it was for some other purpose? What if-?
"Ms. IF?"
IF sucked in a breath. "Y-Yes?" She asked, grimacing as her head began to spin.
"...Do you perhaps know who this 'Magic' is?"
She could remember how easily that woman had bested them all. A single slash of her scythe cleaved through hills and trees. Her magic burned the air around her. There was no way a human like her could win. There was no way she could live. She was going to die. She was dyingdyingdyingdying-
"I…know of her." IF carefully said. She wasn't sure if this 'Magic' had become a CFW yet. "I know that she's strong, and that she's smart." Swallowing her thoughts, she looked up to the woman and sighed. "Please. Please be careful."
"I will." Cave said. IF smiled thinly. IF wasn't sure if being careful would be enough.
After that, she did agree to taking Cave's position as 5pb.'s guard. It did mean that she needed to be there a couple hours before the concert started, both to introduce herself and to explain why she was standing in for Cave.
With a small smile, she bid Cave farewell and drove off.
IF was desperately holding back the urge to hug the embarrassed singer. The girl was pretty much pure sugar, and the love she'd already held for her shot through the proverbial roof.
The concert was about half an hour away, and 5pb. was having some last minute practise over the songs she would perform. The shyness she held disappeared the moment she grabbed her guitar and began to sing. Her voice echoed through the room, and IF closed her eyes and enjoyed the familiar tunes.
And when she'd finish, she'd hop into the air with joy, before inevitably realizing that IF was still in the room. Her face would turn adorably red after that.
Which was just absolutely unfair. The girl was cute enough. She was going to die from diabetes at this point.
But IF held herself back. She was her guard this time around. Things like fawning over her and getting her signature could wait.
"Um, Ms. IF?"
IF tilted her head at the girl. "Hmm? What's wrong?" She then smiled wryly. "And don't call me 'Ms.'. I'm not that old."
5pb. giggled, and IF huffed. She then looked down for a moment, twirling her fingers over one another before she looked back up. "C-Cave will be fine, right?"
IF's smile fell. "I don't know." There was no telling how this would go. She didn't know if this 'Magic' she was pursuing was actually CFW Magic or someone else. She barely had any information. "But Cave is strong."
5pb. smiled slightly. "She is."
It couldn't be helped, IF supposed. For 5pb., Cave was her lifeline, the one friend she could consistently rely on. Cave was someone who could stand by her side, fighting against all odds. And she did. Cave had fought until the very end.
"Ms. IF? Is something wrong?"
IF smiled. "Nothing's wrong." She said. She subtly wiped at her eyes. "Just…remembering something." She wiped her eyes again. They felt oddly wet. "Are…you going to practice more? There's still some time before the concert begins."
5pb. shook her head. "No. I'll rest for a bit." She then smiled, and IF repressed the urge to grab a pair of sunglasses from her inventory. That dang smile could light up the universe, she was sure. "Thank you being here the entire time, Ms. IF."
IF smiled and huffed. "It's fine. Listening to you singing is nice." 5pb. blushed at the praise, and IF grinned. Still weak to praise no matter what.
"Alright, wish me luck, Ms. IF!"
IF smiled back. "I will." And with that, 5pb. held her head high and walked out into the spotlight, waving at the crowd. The people cheered, the speakers came to life, and 5pb. grinned as she strummed her electric guitar. The cheers grew louder, and 5pb. finally began to play, her melodic voice broadcasted to the world.
And for a moment in time, it felt like all was well in the world. She knew it wouldn't last, that world-ending threats would come sooner than anyone would ever expect. But, for a moment in time, it felt like they were nothing but figments of her overactive mind.
IF leaned back and reminisced, over what once was and what was to come.
Night fell, and 5pb. thanked her for the last time before she took a ride in a taxi and drove off. IF smiled, watching as the taxi grew smaller and smaller, before she let her smile drop. She took a look on her phone's map and caught sight of a blinking blue dot.
She'd secretly planted a tracker on Cave's phone before they separated. IF trusted the woman, but the entire situation felt too strange to ignore.
She brought out Soul Blazer and rode off, keeping an eye on her phone as she drove her bike. Cave was fairly far away, standing inside in what seemed to be some sort of factory. She wasn't sure what factory it was. Her map wasn't detailed enough to give her further explanations.
Then, suddenly, something inside her mind screamed.
TuRN aWAy
She flinched, and she quickly stopped by the roadside. Her head felt heavy, as if there was some unseen force that was pressing on her. Gritting her teeth, she shook her head and resumed driving.
tUrN AWay
It came again, stronger this time, but IF refused to turn. Some outside force was trying to make her turn around, and she wasn't going to let it.
She noted that the streets had turned completely empty, the usually lively roads deserted. It might've been because of the concert, but she doubted the concert would cause the streets to turn this empty. Something, or someone, was making everyone turn away.
TUrN awaY
"SHUT UP!" IF finally screamed, and she felt something break. Clarity rushed in, and she barely managed to stop herself from crashing into a pole. She took her hand off the handles and held her head. Her head stung horribly.
What had that been? It felt like some form of mental parasite, urging her to do as it told. She'd only held on through sheer willpower.
She narrowed her eyes. It felt eerily like being corrupted by Negative Energy.
Her bike's engines kicked into gear again, and she sped off, worry and terror mixing into one as she kept an eye on Cave's location. She hadn't moved out of the building just yet, but her location was erratically shifting, as if she was running around something.
The engines roared as she sped further.
The buildings blended into one as she sped past them. She was closing in onto the building Cave was in. She kept her inventory open at the side, ready to pull out a pair of iron knives at a moment's notice. Her lack of a primary weapon was annoying, but she'd make due. She couldn't waste any more time.
Then she began to hear the clang of clashing metal, followed by a thundering explosion.
She was close. She was almost there.
Her engines roared louder, its sound overwhelming even the screeching of her tires as she rode onwards. The building was straight ahead now.
So she sped forward, speed building higher and higher. The building was seconds away now.
IF took a deep breath, and kicked her bike up. With a single press of a button, sharp claws shot out from her front tire, and she slammed the wheel right into the wall.
All went dark after that.
