Chapter 5

Sorry it took so long T__T

The sound of a blaring alarm clock echoed throughout a simple bedroom, loud enough to make a rat deaf but fails its main purpose, to wake her master. But that didn't stop the said device from ringing out until it served its purpose. After nearly five minutes of unbearable noise, a hand reached up to the side table looking for something. When it came across the object it was searching (which happened to be the alarm clock), it took hold of the offending device and flung it across the room hitting the wall with a loud crash. The owner of the said hand sat up from her bed while wiping the sleep off her eyes, her messed up cobalt blue hair splayed out in every direction. "What time is it?" she mumbled, again looking beside her where the side table is and the alarm clock was. She cursed under her breath after seeing that she indeed smashed another clock for the nth time. Oh well, the clock shop owner is gonna be happy to see her again.

Like what she always do after getting out of bed, Natsuki goes straight to the bathroom to take a shower, then go downstairs to make herself some mayo sandwich. It's an everyday routine except during Sundays when she wakes up much earlier to visit her mom who lives next town.

The trip to the computer shop wasn't long considering it was just next door. Her alarm clock goes off the same time as the computer shop opens. Cool air greeted her as she stepped in, seeing that the shop was quite packed. Midori's assistant Erstin was busy at the counter while her niece, Arika was running around, going from customer to customer who are in need of her assistance. Natsuki's spot was of course vacant. She basically owns the unit (meaning the whole computer package) and was helping Midori pay the internet fees, sort of business partners. Same goes for with Mai, whose computer was behind Natsuki's. Upon seeing her best bud already on her spot, and already playing, Natsuki went to her seat and turned her computer on.

"You are late" Mai greeted, looking up from her computer. Natsuki sighed. "I broke another clock, now I have to go buy a new one. Busy day isn't it?"

"Yeah, apparently, the summer class had a field trip and these kids just got back." Mai replied while looking over at the said customers. The boys were happily playing DOTA while the girls busy themselves with Friendster, Tagged, Twitter or for the lady gamers, O2 Jam or Audition.

"When did Arika arrive?" Natsuki asked Mai, but was answered by the cheery red-head who was standing behind the two. "Just this morning. Rena had to go abroad for some business trip and left Arika to my care. Rena wanted to bring her but Arika said she wouldn't want to be a nuisance and said something about wanting to do some work during the vacation, which explains the endless energy she has today." Midori finished with a big smile on her face. Natsuki gave her an incredulous look. "So she's working her ass of, probably for free-" The red head in question smiled guiltily causing Natsukis exasperation to double. "Oh for heaven's sake Midori she is your niece! The least you can do is giving her even a small salary for the running around she's been doing!"

"B..But she was-" Midori was cut off when Natsuki stood up. "No, either you will do it or I will."

"Okay, okay, just don't be all scary. It's not cute and look at all the girls looking at you. Don't go breaking their hearts out" Midori nodded towards the girls who were staring at them, specifically at Natsuki.

"Wha- what?" That had Natsuki all flustered up. She looked at the direction where the said girls were and indeed they were looking at her, even whispering something to one another. Natsuki immediately sat down and busied herself with anything that she could see on her desktop. She was blushing so hard even a tomato would look pale right next to her cheeks. It also didn't help when she heard Mai laugh.

"OH would you stop it!" she growled.

"Sorry, sorry.. It's just too damn funny"

This went on for a few minutes. Mai would stop, but as soon as she locks eyes with Natsuki, she would start laughing again. The group girls who were eyeing Natsuki like a vulture eventually had to go home, they are just students after all and have limited money, but not after giving the poor blue haired girl a couple of winks and sweet smiles.

Forgetting about the earlier events, Natsuki logged into the game. As she started to play, she waited for Reito to log on which have been their usual routine. One would wait for one another before grinding or leveling up. After about an hour of waiting, it seems that Reito is nowhere to be found or had no plans on playing (without our poor Natsuki knowing). Somehow it got into Natsuki's mood. She ended up grinding without her partner and joined a party who were leveling at Beast Mountain. She was awfully hot headed (not that she wasn't hot headed before, just a little too much this time) and easily gets annoyed. She even snapped at KendoBoy when he lured all the wrong monsters, killing half of their party members.

"How long have you been doing this? You are level 50 right??!!" Natsuki hammered down on her keyboard.

"Yes, I'm so sorry Duran. I miscalculated the distance of the other mobs from me" KendoBoy replied. His character was doing a kneeling act in front of Natsuki's character.

"No! You are just plain stupid! Do it again and I'm gonna kill you every time I see you!!"

"Yes understood. I am really sorry Duran. Please forgive me"

"Just get back to what you're doing! GO!"

Their leveling up session went smoothly, most because everyone was afraid to be on the receiving end of Natsuki's rage. This went on for an hour until IronChef arrived at their grinding spot. Natsuki was slightly surprise knowing that Mai would be or should be at the Biolab, leveling up with Midori. The ranger looked behind her and saw Mai looking straight at her. She turned back to her computer and typed something. "IronChef, what are you doing here? The party is full I'm sorry, I could just reserve one slot for you if one was to log off"

"I'm not here to grind Duran. I've come to pick you up. So now, delegate the party to someone else and let's go back to HQ. WE NEED TO TALK"

The poor ranger delegated the party to BnycOrBkild instead of giving it to KendoBoy who happens to irritate her to no ends. Both teleported back to HQ and left their characters sitting behind the race manager. Mai stood up from her computer and sat down on the couch waiting for Natsuki to do the same. It wasn't long before Natsuki followed suit, turning her monitor off before taking a sit next to her friend. The two sat there for a few moments, enjoying the sound of the air conditioner buzzing throughout the shop. Mai was the first one to break the silence. "So IceQueen haven't logged on yet" It wasn't a question.

Natsuki brows narrowed and pouted. "No! And I don't know why?!! He normally tells me beforehand if he can't log in, but this time he didn't even leave any message!!!"

Mai grinned. She was right, but then again it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure Natsuki out. In conclusion, the source of the undeniably very foul mood of Natsuki was IceQueen or the "lack" of him.

"Did he promise to party up with you today?"

"No he did not but like what I said, it's our routine. We usually wait for the other before we go leveling up." The blue haired girl stood up and went back to her monitor to turn it on. "Or maybe he's already on and I missed it". Her face fell once again when there was no IceQueen online.

Mai stood up as well, thinking of going out and buy something to eat. "You know what Natsuki, you are hooked. Even if you keep denying it, you are completely smitten. I can't blame you though; he seems to be a nice guy. That and I'm buying sandwich, mayo again?"

Natsuki sulked in front of her computer. "Yes please"

The gloomy attitude went on for two more hours (which includes arguing on the Sell Chat, killing spot snatchers even if it's of the same race, ignoring players who are asking silly questions about their quests and twenty one (soon to be twenty two) mayo sandwiches eaten without reserve) until a lowbie approached a very very annoyed Duran who was outside the HQ killing lowbie killers.

"Excuse me Miss Duran"

"WHAT IS IT?!!" Natsuki snapped at the poor guy. Not even moving from his place, the lowbie named ChickMagnet continued.

"I am a friend of IceQueen and he wanted me to tell you that he would be online this evening at six pm. He also would like to express his apology for making you wait all this time"

Natsuki stared at the monitor, rereading the chat over and over again. As she slowly processed everything, her foul mood gradually lifted as well.

"What's the reason for his absence anyway?"

"He had to attend something of high importance. As much as he wanted to play and be with you today, there is no way that he could get out of the meeting that he is in. The best that he could do is to shorten the said meeting and finishing it at 6 pm instead of 9:00 pm"

What a long explanation. Meeting? I didn't know that he is working not to mention the head of something.

"And how did you know this again?"

"IceQueen called me early this morning. At 5 am to be exact, begging me to make a new account and character and tell you this. He usually doesn't do that unless it's really and I mean REALLY important."

A blush slowly works its way up to Natsuki's cheeks and a sweet smile appeared on her face. Midori who happens to be walking past Natsuki tripped upon seeing the ranger's rare expression.

"Wow. Well then thank you very much for everything and sorry for all the trouble I've caused you. And also for snapping at you earlier. I didn't mean to."

"It doesn't matter; I was kind of expecting it. Well then, I shall go now, we have to prepare for the CW. It's a pleasure to finally meet you Duran."

Before Natsuki could type a reply, ChickMagnet logged off. She stayed at her spot not doing anything. Natsuki kept staring at the monitor even after ChickMagnet had long been gone. Knowing that IceQueen really cares about her spread warmth in her heart something that she haven't felt before. She was happy.

Like what was said, IceQueen logged on at 6:00pm, immediately PMing Natsuki who was grinding with KendoBoy (minus the foul mood this time). Without thinking twice, Natsuki delegated the party once again and teleported to where IceQueen was. If she was happy before, what she was feeling right that moment was unexplainable. Seeing IceQueen's character standing next to Duran widens her smile even more.

"I missed you" was the first thing IceQueen typed. So it wasn't just Natsuki who was sulking the whole day. Seeing the text made the blue haired girl's heart race.

"Me too, but you're here now that's what's important" For Natsuki to actually say those words was very out of character for her, but when you have someone special it could change you.

Unbeknown to the two, Midori and Mai's character was just a few inches away from them. They could read everything.

"I'm betting my +5 SI Dark Lance, this one is a keeper" Mai PMed Midori.

"But I was gonna bet for him too! I can't believe Natsuki actually fell for someone ONLINE!"

"Yeah me too. I can't wait for tomorrow. Wonder what IceQueen looks like"

"UH-huh. And oh by the way, LU called. I'll tell you about it later and why the heck are we PMing each other when were just a few feet apart!"

"But it's cooler this way"

"Whatever. I'm going back to my spot, Needle is waiting for me"

"Kay."

"About tomorrow, what do you wanna do?" IceQueen asked.

Natsuki pondered for a bit. She wanted to watch the new Terminator Movie but she wasn't sure if Reito was into that kind of stuff.

"Watch a movie?"

"Terminator is a good movie, wanna watch it?"

"Yeah, I'd love that. And we could go to the arcade after"

"Ara, Natsuki sure is a game addict"

"Ara? Isn't that a fish? And aren't you a game addict too?"

"Nah it's just an expression. I can't wait to see you Natsuki. ^_^"

"Yeah me too" I really wanna see you.

The two talked for hours. They haven't even moved from their spot, ditching leveling up just to talk. It was obvious that the two really missed each other. Their conversation went from the EB to what strategy is good for them to win the CW. Midori and Mai joined the two when they were discussing about their plan for the CW.

"The Corites are going to try and hold off the Accretians at their port while you break the chip." IceQueen said.

"And how did you know that they are planning to do just that?" Midori asked. Even though she was the Bellato Archon, she hasn't spoken to Kiyohime ever. Not even on the YM and for IceQueen to know of the plans of the corites is quite intriguing.

"I have my sources. Just trust me on this Midori-san"

Midori was thinking twice on this, she was laying the fate of the entire race on one player's opinion, but upon seeing the look on Natsuki's face, she had no choice.

"Okay. I don't really care how you know of that info but sure, I'll go trust you on this"

"Thank you"

During the Chip War, the Corites did just what IceQueen had said. Kiyohime with her fellow councils were on the attack, pushing the Accretians back. The Robot race couldn't do a siege line with all the debuffs they are getting from the Corites. The shielders from both the cora and bellato were on the frontline, covering the casters who were flanked by the bellato bersekers. All the rangers and Mau drivers were hugging the chip, doing max damage on it, with the bellato casters killing the STC's.

From all the chaos that was named Chip War, Natsuki observed something peculiar. She noticed this every CW but just brushed it aside since she thought it was just a minor detail. During every Chip War, IceQueen would go with them on the initial attack but then after that, he would go and stand beside Kiyohime. It's like the two of them are communicating with one instructing and the other listening. But knowing that the three races couldn't chat with each other, Natsuki just ignored it. It's just today that it was evident because they were helping each other and watching each others back. And what makes Natsuki more curious is that, the two of them was never more than two inches away from where Natsuki's character stood, may it be Duran or IcePrincess. It's like they were guarding her.

"Pretty tough bodyguards you got there Natsuki" Mai PMed.

"You noticed it too?"

"We noticed it a long time ago, its just you who didn't realize it. You lucky girl"

The bellato won the CW with Aoichie being the Chip Breaker. She successfully delivered the chip to the mine with the aid of the Bellato and Cora's defense. Midori and the gang regroup by the race manager to talk about the next CW and to also plan for the incoming archon and council elections.

"We'll let the Corites win the next CW" was what Midori said as soon as the gang had settled in.

This must have taken IceQueen by surprise. "What?"

"The Corites have been assisting us and I think its time that we return the favor"

"You got a point there." Natsuki interjected.

"Could you tell Kiyohime about this Ice since the two of you seem to know each other."

"No, I don't know her." IceQueen was quick to reply.

"Okay then, but still the plan stands. And for the incoming elections, I was suggesting for IronChef to run again together with Duran and IceQueen"

"I have to decline" Again, IceQueen seems to be a little fast on her replies.

"And why is that? You are a high level player. You could come up with good strategies and the players like you. I don't see the reason why not"

"I have my hands full already and I'm afraid handling a position in this race a bit too much for me."

"How about you Duran. Go?"

Natsuki looked up from her pc to take a peek at Midori who was seriously staring at the monitor. "Okay."

"Well then, meeting dismissed."

After the meeting has ended, the players left one by one. Some have logged out while some went back to their grinding and a few stayed to talk. Natsuki and Reito was left sitting by the race manager, even Mai vanished off to somewhere.

"Good luck on the elections, Duran" IceQueen started.

"Thanks, let's just hope they would vote for me"

"Yeah, you already have three sure votes."

"Hehe funny."

The two bask in the silence for quite sometime. Neither one had the urge to say something, just enjoying each others company. Natsuki even leaned back on her chair while watching her character. But then again, they can't just sit their forever.

"Natsuki" This time it was PMed to her.

"Yeah?"

"Whatever happens tomorrow" Icequeen paused for a while before continuing. "Always remember that I really DO like you"

The sound of a fallen mouse broke the silence at the computer shop. The owner of it had its hand gripping the keyboard while tears were threatening to fall from her eyes.