Chapter 3

The RF Boards were filled with threads about the recent battle that took place between the Corites, Bellato and Accrecians. The Accrecian camp was complaining and even trash talking Natsuki or more like the IcePrincess; saying that she wasn't legit and that she uses hacks and other sorts of cheat engines. Luckily the Corites were quick at defending the said Bellato, even saying they have fraps of MrSideBurns doing his usual "magic tricks".

Mai sighed as she read through the discussions. "You can't please everyone, if you are strong, they sure find a way to bring you down, even go as far as wrecking your image" she muttered. Upon skimming through the reply thread, she stumbled on an interesting one, this reply coming from Kiyohime.

If you have proof then show it, you have no right to judge a fair player such as IcePrincess when your race leader himself isn't playing fair. No use denying it, we have fraps and intelligence reports. –Kiyohime

"Ohh feisty one isn't she" Midori commented as she read the boards over Mai's shoulder.

Mai raised an eyebrow. "Who?"

"Kiyohime. She's not the type to beat around the bush."

"Yeah. And intelligence reports? Does she hire private investigators or something?"

"Maybe. There are people who take things waaay too seriously" With that, Midori went back to her own computer and back to her own little world with MyNeedleIsSharper.

"All this ruckus and the main person involved don't even read the boards." Mai muttered to herself again, slightly chuckling at the irony.

The blue haired gamer was staring at her monitor absent mindedly with her character sitting just outside the bellato HQ. There were random low level players greeting her as they pass by but Natsuki just ignored them. She was bored out of her mind. With no will whatsoever on leveling up or even go hunting, she just suited herself watching the other players kill each other. While waiting for nothing, she couldn't help but overhear (or overread) some players chatting. As much as she tried to ignore it, she couldn't help but read bits and pieces of it.

"Have you heard of what happened yesterday?" One Bellato Berserker asked the other players around him.

"You mean about the raid at Sette Desert?" an ArchMage replied, standing beside the Berserker.

"Yeah. I heard they smoked the Accrecians!"

Several players have gathered around the two chatting characters, eager to hear more.

"The Accrecians weren't happy at all, IcePrincess just kicked their asses!"

"And I also heard somewhere that they were backing up the Corites. Kiyohime was there. Damn, I wish I was there to see it."

"MrSideBurns must be crying like shit right now, with all his cheats, he's still no match for IcePrincess. Such a lame ass race leader"

"Yeah, I'm reading the boards right now, and the Accrecians wouldn't stop being a bitch. I'm so posting a reply on this one"

"Wait, I'm posting one too. What section was that again?"

Natsuki didn't even finish reading the whole (colorful) conversation when she stood from her seat and stomped her way towards Mai. Standing a foot away from her best pal, she crossed her arms and tapped her feet to get her attention.

"Ahem" Natsuki cleared her throat after seeing Mai was totally engrossed at reading something.

Another minute have passed and still Mai haven't sensed Natsuki's presence.

"For the love of Elvis! I'm not gonna be surprised if that monitor swallows you right up someday Mai" Natsuki yelled, jolting Mai out and earning her attention.

"Could you be a bit quieter than that?!" the carrot-head complained as she rubbed her ears to prove her point.

Natsuki just rolled her eyes not really on the mood to exchange banters with Mai.

"Teach me"

Mai looked at her slightly confused. "Huh? Teach you what?"

"Teach me how to join the boards, I wanna read it" Natsuki whispered, blushing slightly.

Mai's lips formed an "O" shaped as she finally understood what Natsuki wanted. "All you have to do is register at the site. Then you can read the boards after you signed in." giving a sideway glance at the blunette, she continued. "So what makes you wanna join the boards now? You weren't that interested in it before"

Natsuki shrugged her shoulders as she walked back towards her seat. "Stuff" she answered, sitting down and opening her internet explorer to do what Mai just told her. "I just don't wanna be left behind the latest gossip" She added.

"Really?" Mai was not convinced at all.

"Yeah. Besides, I might get some helpful tips from there" Natsuki replied. Somehow she had successfully registered and was now browsing through the board topics.

"Uh huh. Right…." Mai turned to her computer still unconvinced. "And if you are looking for the topic about the raid yesterday, it's under General Discussion."

"Oh thanks" Natsuki replied rather quickly. She glanced towards Mai as she realized what just happened and was annoyed to see her smirking. "What!"

"Nothing."

Mai was not sure how Natsuki took all those news in after reading the boards. Looking at her friend, the blunette seems to take it all in a stride and wasn't bothered by any of it. She seems to be on the mood on leveling up even asking the orange head to party with her in Elan.

It's been three days since Natsuki first registered and read the boards. She didn't visit the site since then and was keen on reaching level 55 with her Saboteur. Currently level 53, Natsuki took a breather from all the grinding and spend the day lounging around the HQ, even found the time to chat with the lowbies. While hanging out yet again outside the HQ, a lowbie named IceQueen approached her asking for help. She seemed to be having problems on locating a quest and already asked a bunch of players but they just ignored her.

"Uhmm excuse me Mr. Duran sir, I hope you don't mind telling me where I can find these Neo Warbeasts?" The character was a girl mage from what Natsuki could see. She was around level 10 and from the looks of it, she might be really new to the game or if not, at least new to the race. Finding that she had nothing else to do, she let her character stand up and guide the player.

"Neo Warbeasts are located inside the Rift Cave. Come, I'll show you"

"Really? Thank you so much Sir!"

Natsuki just chuckled. Being called sir by an over polite character was a rarity especially in online games. One quest turned into two, then three and before Natsuki knew it, she was spending her time actually enjoying the lowbie's company. Finding it odd that they rarely speak to each other, Natsuki tried to start a conversation, a feat that might make Mai trip over if she was there.

"Uhmm.. Is this your first character?" The blunette started, not sure if it was an interesting topic to being with.

IceQueen stopped momentarily, probably typing. "If you mean with this race, yes, but if you mean the whole game then no."

"So what was your first race?"

"Cora"

They chatted while moving from place to place due to IceQueens quests.

"Why did you make one here? And your name… well…" Natsuki couldn't say what she really wanted to say. She was slightly embarrassed. She didn't want the other character to assume that she was trying to copy her name.

"Why? Hmm.. because I wanted change and as for my name. I know what you're trying to say. Almost the same name as IcePrincess"

Even though IceQueen couldn't see her right now, Natsuki couldn't help but blush. "Y..yeah"

The two stopped for a bit, sitting their characters on the ground. "To be honest, I wasn't really thinking of IcePrincess when I made my name. I just happen to notice it the moment I got into the game. People would message me, asking if I was her."

"Does it bother you?"

"Not really, how about you, are you bothered by my name? "

"Oh not at all, by all means use whatever name you want."

Silence hung over the two for a while. Natsuki desperately thinks of things they could talk about. 'Why am I even bothering? This isn't like me.' She glanced at her fellow players inside the room. Mai was somehow smiling on her own, mirroring Midori's expression. From the looks of it, Mai might have landed herself an online relationship and as for Midori, she's been in one for quite a while now.

"Would she be interested if we talked about cheese?" Natsuki whispered to herself. Before she could type her amazingly lame topic in mind, IceQueen beat her to it. "Do you know IcePrincess? I mean personally that is."

The Saboteur was slightly surprised by the question. Not knowing if she should answer it truthfully, she decided to dodge the question a bit. "Why did you ask?"

"I was just curious. That character is a total mystery."

Natsuki couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at the comment. Its not that she was offended or anything, but she just didn't take her main character to be the mysterious type. "What do you mean by "total mystery"?"

"Well, being one of the strongest players in RF Online, she isn't the "noisy" type who brags about her being powerful. I don't even think that I have read any thread started by her or even as much as a reply. All we just know is that she is IcePrincess and nothing more. Doesn't it just tickle your curiosity?"

Once again, Natsuki found herself taken aback by such a remark. In all honesty, she wasn't really after bragging or being popular. She just wants to be strong enough to kill those abusers and hackers in game, but she didn't expect to become that strong and certainly didn't dreamed to be one. Natsuki decided to play along. Well, after what happened during the raid at Sette Desert, she was expecting that someone might know that Duran and IcePrincess is one and the same person, but hey, apparently she wasn't the only slow poke in game.

"A little. But I have other more important things to think about rather than spending my time whacking my brains thinking who she is. As you can see I have yet to reach the level cap."

"Oh. But haven't you ever seen her online?"

"Well yeah, I see her all the time." Natsuki mumbled. "Nope, haven't seen her"

"Aw too bad… Shall we continue on? If you don't mind"

The blunette released a grateful sigh as IceQueen decided to drop the subject. Its not that she doesn't want to let people know who she is but, she was somehow enjoying the thought that no one knows… at least for now. " Sure. So you done with Queen Crook?"

It has been a common sight to see Duran and IceQueen together either doing a quest or helping the Mage level up. The two has become close friends and Natsuki has something to look forward to every time she goes online. Even though she won't admit it, she was secretly enjoying talking to IceQueen, even sending each other private messages if Duran was out grinding at Elan.

It's been three weeks since the two first met, and IceQueen was no longer the lowbie that Natsuki was guiding around. At level 50, she was constantly partying up with Mai, Midori and Natsuki during Chip Wars since she chose to be a SoulChandra.

"It's bugging me lately" Mai started. The group was all huddled up inside the Guild Room after the Chip War. "So tell me, are you a boy or a girl?" the orange head didn't even bother to PM-ing it but directly typing it in the guild chat.

"Who? Me? I'm a boy" one answered from the guild.

"No not you Kendo, I was asking IceQueen here"

Natsuki nearly fell from her seat as she read the question while Midori somehow showed interest.

"M…mai" the blunette called out.

"Oh come on Natsuki, I know you've been dying to know too."

"But you could just send her a message!"

"Sheesh.. its not just You you know. Everyone here is curious. And besides, I just wanna know if you finally found yourself a boyfriend… or girlfriend" There was a hint of teasing in Mai's voice but Natsuki just chose to ignore it. She hates to admit it but she really wants to know too if IceQueen is a boy or a girl. But somewhere deep inside her, she was hoping that she was a girl.

"I'm a boy"

Okay that just shattered Natsuki's hope. Somehow she felt a little disappointed and betrayed. She didn't even know why she was feeling the latter but it hurts her a little finally knowing that IceQueen was indeed a boy.

"Wow, I guess you found yourself a boyfriend Natsuki" Mai teased.

Silence hung through the air as Mai expected for Natsuki to retaliate, but none came. Upon looking at her friend, she was greeted by a pained look instead, one that she rarely sees.

"Oh come on, this is just a game Natsuki, you don't have to feel disappointed over it." Standing up, Mai walked her way towards her friend. "And it doesn't make her less a good character if she was a boy. I personally say he is good and with good intentions too. But now as I look at you, it seems that you are the one who has set an expectation from the beginning."

Natsuki immediately snapped back. "I did not!"

"Ho ho ho, yes you did. You expected him to be all honest to you and tell you everything. You even assumed that he was a girl and anything beyond your expectation is unacceptable." The blunette just glared at her bestfriend knowing that everything she was saying is true. At first she didn't mind that IceQueen is a boy or a girl but every time they spend together chatting, a part of her just wished and blindly assumed that she is a girl and happy that she finally found her counterpart. Looking back her screen, she was surprised to see IceQueen sending her a personal message.

"Im sorry"

Seeing the message made Natsuki's heart squeeze a bit.

"Oh lookie, your boyfriend just sent you a message"

"Will you just go back to your seat already!" Natsuki stood up and pushed Mai back to her place. "And no reading of private messages."

Holding her hands up in defeat, Mai sat back to her seat but still had that smirk on her face. She knew that Natsuki was smitten but the blunette was just too stubborn to admit it.

Duran: "It's okay. That doesn't change the fact that I still enjoy your company. ^_^"

IceQueen: "Thank you. Now I feel relieved."

Duran: "Why?"

IceQueen: "Coz I really thought that you were gonna ignore me after this but I'm so happy that you didn't. You are the only reason why I go online everyday."

Duran: "Lol. Go fool other girls with your pick up lines. You won't fool me."

IceQueen: "Rofl, I wasn't trying to pick you up. I was merely being honest. So Duran, we've known each other for almost a month now, did I earn the privilege of knowing your real name?"

Duran: "Try begging"

IceQueen: "Please…. T_T"

Duran: "Natsuki"

IceQueen: Such a lovely name. Natsuki.. summer child right?

Duran: "Yeah, so what's yours?"

IceQueen: "ughh……….M.. my name?"

Duran: "Yeah"

IceQueen: "My name is Reito"

A/N: Fire your questions away! hehehe