Welcome back to the story. I decided to put the whole Leanbox part of the game's ch. 2 into this Chapter, so it's longer.
blue555Nexus: I'm glad you really like my chapters. I'm not sure how fast I can get chapters out, it changes from ch. to ch. But, at least one is what I believe my longest chapter yet.
Let's get into the story.
The party made their way to the Lastation transport depot. After buying tickets to the last ship out, they were rushing due to their late arrival.
"Oh, there's our ship! Let's go, everyone!" Red shouted as she spotted the ship.
"W-Wait for me, please… I can't run that fast…" Compa called out from the back of the group.
"Compa, start exercising, nyu." Broccoli stated.
"Stop acting whiny. C'mon, if we miss this ship, the tickets we bought are useless." IF said as she hurried along.
"Please push yourself, Compa." Nepgear stated.
Desmond stopped in front of Compa and knelt down "Get on, we need to hurry!" Compa hopped on his back and Desmond dashed off catching up with the others. But about half a minute later the ship took off.
"Aww, and there it goes." Red commented sadly.
"I ran… sooooo hard… I need… electrolytes…" Compa said between breaths.
"Jeez… We'll have to catch one tomorrow. I hope this doesn't come back to bite us in the ass." IF stated.
"Hahahaha! I'd feel bad for them if they weren't so damn slow. Man, they really suck, huh!?" A voice rang out, the party shortly afterwards realizing it was underling.
"My lovely Compa, please hurry! Hurry, so we can enjoy our honeymoon rendezvous together, chu!" Warechu yelled.
"And it's already bit us in the ass." Desmond deadpanned. "Also, that rat doesn't know when to keep its trap shut."
"Miss Underling! And Mister Mouse!" Compa noted.
"Don't tell me they're heading to Leanbox, too." IF stated.
"Hehehe, we'll go ahead and start the party without you broads! Sit back and watch the fireworks!"
"Compa, my angel! I'll be waiting for you, so please come and see me real soon, chuuuu!" Warechu shouted
"Grrrrrr. Piece of…" Desmond said as he was about to materialize his pistol, but then he decided not to due to where he was. "Those two…"
"We can't let them beat us there! C'mon, let's chase after the ship!" Red commanded.
"But there aren't any more ships leaving port today…" Nepgear stated.
"Yeah, it's biting us in the ass, all right…" IF commented.
Desmond let out a heavy sigh "Nothing we can do about that now. Let's find a place to sleep for the night."
The party left the transport depot and went to a nearby hotel. Where they spent the night then woke up the next morning and headed back to the depot.
"We woke up and made it here very early today, so I'm sure we'll be able to get on a ship." Nepgear commented.
"I'm so sleepy… I need a nap, nyu…" Broccoli said with half opened eyes.
"Are you okay? Luckily, I packed some great nursing tools. Here, a shot of pure caffeine!" Compa exclaimed.
"Please don't put that into someone. Too much of that could be dangerous." Desmond stated with a sweat drop.
"I agree with Desmond. Anyway, let's look at the departure times." IF commented. "Huh? Wait, why is everything listed as being canceled!?"
One of the staff answered her question "Sorry miss, but our line of ships have malfunctioned. We're not sure when we'll have them working again."
"I smell a rat! And an underling! Those two really know how to get under your shirt, don't they!?" Red exclaimed.
"That's an odd expression… but whatever." Desmond stated.
"Is there no other way there? We really, really need to get to Leanbox today." Nepgear asked.
"I'd love to help, but… Hmm… I wonder if it's okay to ask for these young people to help…" the staff member thought out loud.
"What do you mean?" Desmond asked.
"See, one ship here is undergoing maintenance. We want to put it in service while we fix the others. But we're missing a few key parts. That's why I wondered if you would be able to help…" the staff member answered.
"We'll be able to ride for free, for all time, right, nyu?" Broccoli interjected.
"Naturally. We'd be happy to accommodate you all, free of charge." the staff member responded.
"It's a deal. Let's do this fetch quest, nyu." Broccoli said with a chipper tone.
"Uh, I really wish you'd consult the rest of the party for that sort of thing, but… whatever." IF stated.
"No, I think it's fine in a case like this. We need to get to Leanbox as soon as possible." Desmond commented.
The staff member spoke back up "We need an anchor, a sail, and a figurehead for the ship. We really appreciate this."
"Ok, let's get to it everyone." Desmond said before they all left the area.
"We got the parts." Nepgear said as the party met back up with the staff member.
"Brilliant! Many thanks. Just wait a moment while my crew gets everything ready to go." The staff member exclaimed before they all got to work on the ship. "Thanks for waiting. It's ready to depart!"
"Goodie. Let's get going." Nepgear stated.
"Yeah. I just hope those two nitwits haven't done anything ridiculous in Leanbox yet…" IF commented.
"Agreed. So, let's hurry up." Desmond added.
"We made it." Nepgear said happily.
"At first glance, everything looks to be peaceful…" IF stated.
"Yep, but… Um, how do I say it? The place we're in… it feels… *whispers* like a ghetto…" Compa commented.
"Woah, woah… woah. Compa, as a person that has tried to keep this place in order that… is… well… still kinda true. Sadly, to say." Desmond responded lowering his head slightly.
"With no CPU or Candidate left in Leanbox, faith must be down to zilch, nyu." Broccoli added.
"Yeah… there's only so much that the Oracle and I can do without Vert here." Desmond said with a sigh.
"What's next? Go rat and underling hunting?" Red questioned.
"We're going to the Basilicom. The Oracle was desperate to see Nepgear, remember?" IF answered. "I'm sure Underling and the rat are here for the same reason we are, so finding them is just a matter of time."
Desmond clapped his hands together "Well, while you all are doing that, I need to go meet up with an old friend and then I'm gonna check around town and see what's up. So just let me know how it goes with Chika and I'll probably meet back with ya'll in a few hours."
"An old friend? Who is it?" IF pondered.
Desmond waved his finger "tsk, tsk, tsk. That's a secret for now. All will be revealed in due time." He walked off after that.
"Well I guess we should be going." IF stated and the party went to the Basilicom.
After meeting with the Oracle, the party minus Desmond went to a dungeon to kill a monster at request of the Oracle. During the time they were there, they met Cave. Cave had asked them if the Oracle seemed odd, sketchy. To which the group agreed. The party went back to the basilicom and couldn't find Chika so they let the building. The first to speak up was IF "Getting info now would be like a dream come true. How can we learn anything without a single lead?"
"I know, right? Asking people about Miss Chika willy-nilly makes us look super fishy." Compa added.
"Do we know anyone who could help us out?" Red asked.
"Help us, huh? That would be convenient, but…" Nepgear started until she saw someone "Wait, I… I see Uni! Hi, Uni! Hello, hello!" she moved toward Uni while waving her hand.
"Huh? Crap, it's Nepgear!" Uni shouted.
"Aww… She saw me and said "Crap"…" Nepgear pouted.
"I'll say whatever I want! What're you doing here!?" Uni exclaimed.
"I have the same question. Do you have any business in Leanbox?" Nepgear asked.
"No comment." Uni answered.
"Awwwwww, c'mon… Tell me, please?" Nepgear pleaded while Uni said nothing. "Pretty please…?"
"Ugh! Fine, whatever! Anything to make you stop looking at me like that." Uni caved. "I'm here for probably the same reason you are. I'm collecting as many Shares as possible. I figured that, with no CPU I could get a lot of Shares here with little effort."
"Good thing that Desmond isn't here to hear your little plan. He's kinda been trying to keep this place together y'know." IF stated.
Uni tensed up for a split second before looking around. Once confirming that he wasn't there she let out a sigh. Nepgear then spoke up "Do you not like Desmond?"
"W-What? N-No, I wouldn't say that. It's just that he's always pooping up out of nowhere and it's annoying. A-And… and that's all that you need to know." Uni responded bit more guarded toward the end.
"So, how has collecting Shares been working out for you?" IF asked.
"Not good, actually. Abysmal, even. I can't believe ASIC was given the freedom to thrive here. Green-lit by the Oracle herself, no less! No wonder there's nobody left here with faith in us CPUs." Uni answered.
"That sounds serious…" Compa commented.
"Well, it won't stop me or anything. I don't give up very easily. I'll be taking the Shares here, so you all better stay out of my way. Understood?" Uni stated before running off.
"Wait, Uni! Aww, she ran away from me…" Nepgear said dejected.
"Even she was talking about that Oracle. She just went from sketchy to full-blown modern art." IF commented. She heard one of her phones ring, she picked it up and saw it was a text from Desmond. "Desmond says that he'll be out doing something till late tonight. And to pick a hotel and for me to let him know." She closed her phone as she sighed 'Leaving us like this really. He knows this place better than the rest of us. I'll make sure to scold him latter for this crap.' She thought before the party started to try to gain info on the situation in Leanbox.
It was night in Leanbox and the party still minus Desmond were walking in the streets still trying to gain info, and soon a place to sleep.
"We just need one more solid piece of information to make our case…" IF stated.
"S-Still, we can't say for certain that Miss Chika is in the wrong, can we?" Nepgear questioned.
"But Miss Chika isn't even around to see how bad things are…" Compa commented.
A chipper voice came from off in the distance "Hi, everyone! Listen to my song!" and with it a roar of a crowd.
"Huh? Where'd that come from?" Nepgear asked.
"Whoa, a street concert! We're gonna watch, okay!?" Red responded.
"But there's no time for—Ugh, well, not like we have any more leads at the moment." IF stated.
"Knowing when to rest is very important for your health." Compa added.
"Tell that to Desmond every now and then." IF commented.
They walked over to the concert and join the sea of people that are listening to the songs. After a while of the party listening, IF spotted something "Huh? Hey, I just saw something."
"What's up, Iffy?" Compa asked.
"Ugh. Just when I was about to relax. I can't unsee it, so I guess I have to address it…" IF stated.
"Oh, where are you going? The concert isn't over yet…" Nepgear said.
The singer 5pb spoke up "Let's keep our energy up! Time for the next song!"
Underling spoke without knowing IF and the others were behind her "Hehehe… I'll silence this dumb broad's voice for sure. I can't wait to see those bimbos' faces…"
"Gee, so sorry for being a bimbo." IF said.
"What? Oh, are you serious!? What're you idiots doing here!?" Underling questioned.
"How dare you try and trample my wifey candidate's concert! No escape for you today!" Red exclaimed.
"Not my day, is it? I don't have time for this crap. See ya, twerps!" Underling shouted before running away through the crowd.
"Hey! I said no escaping!" Red yelled.
The party tried to catch up to Underling but were having trouble getting through the crowd. After a couple of moments Cave came up to them "Is something amiss over here? Has someone else come to try and sabotage the performance?"
"Cave? Why are you here?" Nepgear asked.
"Oh, it's you. Desmond pointed out a disturbance and I came over here knowing that I would be able to move through the crowd better than him." Cave answered.
"You know Desmond?" Nepgear asked.
"Yes. I've known him for quite a while." Cave responded before questioning the group. "Were you all trying to disrupt this concert?"
"That's the one causing trouble! We're just trying to catch her!" IF shouted.
"I see. Leave the chasing to me. Calm down and stop making a scene." Cave stated.
"Whoa, look at that. She's quick on her footsies." Red commented.
"She should be knocking into others. Her model must have a really thin box for hit detection, nyu." Broccoli stated.
"She did say she could move through crowds well. May as well leave it to her, just as she suggested." IF said as she looked in the direction that Cave ran off in.
The concert ended and the crowd cheered. Red was not so happy "Aww, the concert's over. Thanks to Underling, I missed a good number of her songs…"
Cave walked back up to the group "Oh. Were you able to apprehend the evildoer, Cave?" Nepgear asked.
"My apologies. She outmaneuvered me." Cave answered.
"Wow. Well, it is what it is. She's really showing off her unrivaled skills at running away." IF stated.
"I take it you are acquainted with her?" Cave asked.
"Why, Yes! Miss Underling has been getting in our way quite often." Compa responded.
"Lowee was nearly destroyed because of Underling, nyu." Broccoli added.
"Underling… Is that her official, legal name?" Cave questioned.
"Yeah, it is." Red blurted out.
"Yes, definitely." Nepgear agreed.
"I see. So this Underling character came to Leanbox from Lowee…" Cave thought out loud. "Again, I am Cave, member of the Regal Regiment of Defense for the Leanbox Special Missions Team."
"Member of the RRoD, huh…?" Nepgear pondered.
"Whoa, doesn't that sound really cool? It sounds like some kind of special task force!" Red exclaimed.
"If only. As shorthanded as we are, all we can do is slow the corruption and decay of Leanbox." Cave stated. "Anyway, I reintroduced myself because I wanted to make a formal request. Could you lend us your aid?"
"Like, first aid…?" Compa asked.
"In a sense. I was hoping to use both your experience and, pardon my phrasing, the figurehead of a CPU." Cave answered. "Desmond told me that you all were traveling with him after our initial meetup. He also said that you all would help, but I wanted to ask you all in person."
"Understood. We'll help!" Nepgear said happily.
"Before we just say yes to every single person's request, let's see what they need us to do. Okay?" IF scolded.
"But the people of Leanbox really need our help… We can't leave them alone…" Nepgear responded.
"You remind me of two certain stubborn people I know. I guess we need to gather Shares too, so… all right." IF stated.
"My thanks. I will accompany you for the time being. Once we have a plan, I will seek your aid again." Cave said with a small bow.
"Got it." Nepgear stated.
"You said earlier that Desmond spoted everyone running. Where is he at? We haven't seen him in a while." IF questioned.
"Yes. I asked him to help with security detail at this concert. He is next to the stage." Cave said as she pointed in his direction, before leaving to talk with the man for a moment, then she headed backstage.
Desmond noticed the girls were headed his way, so he walked toward them and waved his hand. "Hey everyone, what's up? What brings you here?"
"We were walking by and heard the concert." IF answered. "Why didn't you tell us that something like this was going on? And that you were working a job?"
"Oh… sorry, didn't think about that. And I didn't think it was that big of a deal. I take on jobs all the time without you knowing." Desmond replied.
"You do huh…" IF started with a sigh "All well, it doesn't matter right now. I'm tired and we need to find a hotel."
"You haven't found one yet?" the man asked.
"No, we were about to look for one when we heard the concert." Nepgear answered.
"Okay, I think I might know where one is… let's go." Desmond stated before walking off as the group followed.
After finding a hotel the girls told Desmond about the meeting with the Oracle and how weird she was acting.
The next morning the party met up with Cave outside the basilicom. Red was the first to greet her. "So, I was wondering… You were at that idol's concert. Are you her fan or something?"
"It is part of my mission. My task was to act as her security force during her performance." Cave answered.
"Celebrity bodyguard duty doesn't sound like a special task force's job at all, nyu." Broccoli commented.
"Well, the idol, stage name 5pb., is an outspoken supporter of our cause. Her songs raise morale and open the eyes of those blinded by the lies of ASIC. Thus, she is often targeted. Due to the threats against her life, we are constantly deployed to act as her security detail." Cave responded.
"Goodness, I suppose there are a lot of ways to fight oppression." Nepgear said.
"Yeah. I also help with security every now and then, example last night." Desmond stated.
"How often do you do that!? Are you two close!?" Red asked with a glint in her eye.
"Whenever I'm in Leanbox I let Cave know and she'll usually tell me when they need help. As for your other question… I'd say we're friends." He answered with a hand on his chin.
Red clasped onto his arm, jumping around "That means you can let us meet her, right! Right!"
"I don't know, seeing all of you might scare her a bit…" Desmond muttered, Red hearing but not understanding what was said.
"What was that?" She asked as she looked up at him.
"O-Oh, n-nothing. It'd be up to her to form a meet up." He responded as Red finally let go of his arm.
Cave finally spoke back up "I hope to see the day where she can sing, not for a cause, but because she loves to perform. For that to ever occur, order must be restored in Leanbox as soon as possible."
The party moved through the city, while they were doing so Nepgear noticed someone or rather two. "Huh? Is that Rom and Ram?"
Desmond quickly turned his attention at the mention of the names "What!?" his voice mixed with surprise and sternness.
Ram the first of the twins to respond "Wow, we're even famous here! I hope they want me to scribble on thei-crap, it's Nepgear!"
"Aww, she said "crap," too… Am I really that annoying?" Nepgear questioned.
Desmond placed a hand on her shoulder "You're not annoying… wait, too?"
"I'm happy to see you, Miss Nepgear…" Rom said happily but quietly.
Nepgear let out a sniffle "Thank you, Rom… Desmond." She turned her attention back to the twins What are you two doing in Leanbox?"
"Yes, I would like to know that as well." Desmond said in a stern tone. "Does Mina know you two are out here. Why didn't you call me to let me know you were leaving Lowee, why…"
IF flicked him "Stop talking or they won't be able to answer you."
"Ow, fine…" he pouted.
"We came… to get Shares…" Rom answered.
"Sounds like you're both working very hard, then." Nepgear commented.
"But Miss Nepgear, you're working hard… So I want to, too…" Rom responded.
"Meh! Now you know, okay? We're busy, so leave us alone!" Ram exclaimed mostly toward Nepgear.
Desmond snapped his fingers and gave Ram a bit of a glare "Watch your tone young lady." Ram back up a foot as she nodded.
IF smiled a bit at the spectacle "Don't you just hate it when he calls you that…" Ram eyed IF with a bit of a pout as IF continued to smile until she continued talking. "But, collecting Shares here isn't going to be as easy as you think."
"Huh? What's that mean?" Ram asked, the party gave them the rundown on what was happening. "Our for… warship wreath trick shin repeeled? Dude, I can't even say it. Did you understand, Rom?"
"These kids can't say hard words, nyu." Broccoli stated.
"D-Don't make fun of us, dummy! All this means is that the Chika person is a giant bully, right?" Ram questioned.
"Were it only so simple. Her attitude and actions have shifted over the past few days. It is still too early in this investigation to deem her the "giant bully," as it were." Cave responded.
"O-Okay, but… Oh, I get it! I bet the Chika there now is a big, fat phony!" Ram stated.
"A phony?" Nepgear repeated.
"That might not be a bad thought. From what I've heard that might be the case." Desmond stated as Ram smiled.
"I think that's pretty unlikely. I mean, out of all of us, Cave would've noticed if she was a fake by now." IF commented.
"No. I probably would not notice." Cave said.
"What?" IF asked.
"I remember people mainly as general body shapes. If they look similar, I am confident I would not notice." Cave answered.
"This isn't a good thing to be confident about, though…" Compa stated.
"So, um…" Nepgear hesitated.
"We should look into this, nyu." Broccoli said.
"But how? We don't know how Miss Chika used to act…" Compa stated.
"Ah ha. But I do!" Desmond said a bit jokingly, as he smiled.
"It's also possible that Uni does too. She might have talked with Miss Chika in the past at some point, right?" Nepgear pointed out.
"Sounds good to me. Two people that could confirm a change would be helpful. I just hope she can set her stubborn nature aside and help us." IF responded.
"Want to come with us, Rom and Ram?" Nepgear asked.
Rom was trying to agree with Nepgear before Ram took over saying that they wouldn't go. After that they left Desmond telling them if they needed help to call him. Then the party went in search of Uni. After a bit of looking they found her. Once they approached her they told her what they thought was going on in Leanbox.
"Hmm. You think the Oracle's a fake. Do I have that right?" Uni asked.
"Yes. Had you ever met Miss Chika before coming here recently?" Nepgear responded.
"Informally, but yeah. She didn't strike me as the type to lay down and let ASIC walk all over her." Uni stated.
"Could you please come with us and meet with her again? We could use your help…" Nepgear pleaded.
"Don't you have Desmond for this. I thought we lived her from time to time. Shouldn't he know how she acts?" Uni asked.
"Yes. But two heads are better than one, aren't they? And it would be nice for you to hang with us for a bit." Desmond responded.
"Why should I do it?" Uni stated as she closed her eyes and crossed her arms.
"Come on." Desmond said after teleporting behind her and putting his hands on her shoulders. Catching her off guard and causing her to jump a bit.
"W-Would you quit doing that!" Uni screamed.
"I might if you come with us." Desmond responded with a smirk.
"F-Fine, I'll go. Just stop doing that, It's bad for my heart." Uni stated.
"Oh, nonsense. Your heart will be fine, you just got a little startled is all." Desmond said as he walked toward the basilicom in a cheerful manor.
IF walked up to Desmond "How did you get her to agree so easily?"
"It's elementary my dear Iffy. Just catch the tsun off guard and they will falter. And sometimes it works, I wouldn't guarantee it every time." Desmond answered as the party made their way to the basilicom.
As the party walked into the building Nepgear was the first to speak up. "Hello? Is Miss Chika here?"
"Chika" was startled, not noticing the group that had just entered. "Crap! Er, uh… A-Ahem… Yes, I'm right over here."
"Good, about time. We haven't been able to find you since beating up that monster. Thought you ran away." IF stated.
"Wh-Wh-What? Me, r-run away? I would never…" "Chika" responded stuttering.
"Oh, right. You said you'd tell us all about the Mascot once we got back. So how about it?" Red spoke up.
"Ohhhhh, right… Well, we're investigating it right now, and …uh…" "Chika" started. Uni took a few steps forward allowing herself to be seen. "Ack! The dumb broa—er, I mean, the CPU Candidate of Lastation. Wh-What brings you out here?"
Desmond then stood up and walked to the front of the group "Hey, there Chika. What's up."
"Oh, come on not you too, I mean. H-Hello, and who might you be young sir." "Chika" asked.
Uni the first of the two to speak back up "Oh, you know who I am? I'm honored, since this is our first-time meeting and all."
"Chika" looked like she started to sweat a little "Er, um… Well, as an Oracle, it's my duty to bone up on all the CPU Candidates, so…"
Desmond then took a few steps closer to "Chika" "And what about me, I've been living here on and off for the last three years. I don't think you would have forgotten about me in the few weeks I've been gone. Unless you aren't who you claim you are, "Chika"" Demsond ending his last sentence with a bit of a bite and a deadly glare, as he was less than a foot away from the woman.
"Did she seriously fool you before?" Uni asked.
"Seriously you guys, this is just sad." Desmond agreed after stepping back, but still giving "Chika" a glare.
"Ugh. I'm really ashamed of myself right now." IF stated.
"If my intuition is correct… Oops, my mistake. We did meet a while back, didn't we?" Uni said.
"Oh, what? Really? Man, I've been getting sick with amnesia or something…" "Chika" responded.
"I don't blame you. Who'd want to remember getting beaten up so handily back in Lastation?" Uni fired back.
"Like hell I'd ever forget that! The embarrassment of getting pummeled by you brats was-" "Chika" started before she realized she blew her cover.
"Is that you, Miss Underling?" Compa asked.
Desmond clapped his hands albeit a bit slowly "My, my. You found out she was a fake and knew who she really was. There might be hope for you yet."
"Thank y- hey what do you mean hope for me yet!" Uni questioned as she shouted with anger.
"Don't worry about it, just a joke." He stated as he patted her head.
Uni quickly tried to move from his hand "H-Hey, don't do that." She pouted in her little tsun way.
Nepgear then moved over to Uni and grabbed her hands "That's so amazing, Uni! How did you break her down?"
Uni pulled her hands away "You've gotta be kidding. I'd like to know how you got suckered by her. I mean, it's incredibly obvious."
"Is no one going to acknowledge me already figuring it out before Uni said anything… anyone?" Desmond asked a bit dejected.
Red stuck her hand in the air "I did!"
"Thanks, little buddy." He stated and gave her a head pat. She just smiled and giggled a bit from the praise.
"Dammit! You managed to see through my disguise! But it proves that a lot of you are dumb as rocks!" Underling shouted.
"If you are an imposter, then where is the real Chika? Answer me!" Cave demanded.
"Like hell I'm answering you! I got all I needed from this place, so I'm outta here. Later, idiots!" Underling yelled as she ran off.
"We must give chase. I need to extract Chika's location from her, at all costs." Cave stated.
"No arguments here let's move." Desmond added.
"Hey, wait! You're all leaving the big hero of the day behind without a thank you!?" Uni shouted.
Desmond moved back toward her "A, you're not the big hero. At most Co-big hero. B, I did say thank you remember. And as much as I would love to stay and chat, I gotta go." He then sped back off to regroup with the others.
The party followed Underling back to a dungeon called the Underverse. The group made their way into the dungeon and ended up losing track of Underling. A few moments latter a heard of dogoos appeared out of nowhere. They ended up jumping on the girl, trying to get places… they shouldn't. Desmond, the only one that wasn't attacked by the dogoos, avoided his eyes. With some words that the girls said caused him to blush slightly. He then had enough and started to increase the temperature of the area melting the dogoos, until they disappeared into data.
IF looked a bit relived but at the same time ticked off. "Why didn't you do that earlier when they first got here?!" she took a few steps toward the man.
"I-I guess I didn't think about it…" he said as he rubbed the back of his head as he turned it slightly to the side.
"I bet he was thinking of some naughty things." Red teased.
"What!" a multitude of people shouted including the young man.
"I-Is that true Desmond?" Nepgear asked timidly.
"N-No, why would you think that!? I even looked away to make sure I didn't see anything weird! Stop saying stupid things Red!" Desmond yelled trying to deny the claim.
"You girls were saying some pervy lines. I wouldn't be surprised if he started to think some crazy things." IF commented, with her arms crossed and eyes closed.
"Let's just put this whole mess behind us. Where's Underling?" Desmond said in haste.
"Aw, nuts. Underling must've gotten away by now…" Red stated as she looked around.
"If she ran directly here, then this is probably a secret ASIC hideout, nyu." Broccoli commented.
"Makes sense. I'm not going home empty-handed after that nonsense. Let's head a bit further in." IF said as she walked ahead.
After a while of searching in the dungeon Red spotted someone "I spy someone trapped over there."
"That's Chika!" Cave yelled. The party made their way over to the woman. "Are you all right, Chika?"
"Oh… Mmm… Cave…?" Chika slowly spoke.
"Pull yourself together. I'll help you escape from here." Cave stated.
"No, don't worry about me… The flame of life within me is about to be snuffed out… Yes… My only regret… is that I was unable to see my darling Vert before my untimely demise…" Chika said dramatically.
"Goodness, no! You can't die now!" Nepgear shouted.
"There is no cause for distress. She is using her unparalleled talent at "BS-ing" us right now" Cave stated.
"Yeah… she does crap like this more than she should." Desmond added.
"E-Excuse me!? How heartless! I…I really am on the verge of death here… Uh, *cough, cough*" Chika exclaimed, then trying to go back to her façade.
"The verge of death? Really? Doesn't look that way to me." IF commented.
"Still, she must be very weak and malnourished. We should carry her out to someplace safe and sunny." Compa stated.
"True. Let's get her back to the basilicom." Cave added.
"There's no use, I'm telling you… I can't move a single finger. Just leave me behind, and-" Chika started, before getting picked up by Desmond. "H-Hey! What do you think you are doing!?"
"Well, you wouldn't shut up. And we have to fix Leanbox, which starts with you. So, we need to hurry." He responded as he made his way to the exit of the dungeon. But not without a few pouts from Chika along the way.
After the party arrived back at the basilicom, Chika agreed to a formal introduction. "Sorry about making a scene earlier. I'm Chika Hakozaki, the Oracle of Leanbox. And don't you forget it!"
"Her personality did a 180" IF commented.
"Yeah, it's tough to forget a crazy person like her." Demsond deadpanned.
"H-Hey Desmond!" Chika shouted.
"What… you can be a bit strange." He responded.
"Miss Chika, were you the one who called me here, or was it the fake's doing?" Nepgear asked.
"It was me. I heard a CPU was gathering Shares, and thought it would benefit us to bring you here." Chika answered. "But more importantly, you know my darling Vert, right? Where is she? What happened? Come on! Speak!"
"Uh, um… C-Could you please try to calm down a little? You're acting a bit creepy…" Nepgear said a bit concerned.
"Never mind how YOU feel! Are you withholding information because you want something from me!?" Chika demanded.
Desmond walked up to Chika and flicked her in the head "Quit it, you're freaking her out. You're trying to get her to help you right? Then dial down on the obsession factor."
"Fine." Chika pouted as she turned away.
Nepgear than explained the situation and what they had been doing up to then.
"Now I see. My darling Vert is still held captive in the Gamindustri Graveyard." Chika said saddened.
"Yes. That's why we're looking for the Mascots. We need their help to save the captive CPUs. Miss Chika, would you happen to know where the Leanbox Mascot is?" Nepgear responded.
"Do you doubt my breadth of knowledge and expertise? Of course I… used to… know where it was." Chika stated.
"Of course, you don't." Desmond said with a sigh. "And what knowledge and expertise are you talking about. How to drool over Vert?" he finished with a chuckle.
"H-Hey! Really Desmond, could you not joke around for once!" Chika yelled as she threw a pen at him. Which he suspended in midair, and then proceeded to spin around.
"But it's too fun. Not to mention easy with how much you talk about Vert." He said as he placed the pen back on Chika's desk. "But don't worry girls, she is good at her job. She is the big reason that this nation is still standing after all."
"Did you forget where the Mascot is?" Compa asked.
"Well, right before I was caught by that repulsive ASIC crew, the Mascot was also taken captive." Chika answered.
"Do you think they already destroyed it, then? Like they did back in Lowee?" Red questioned.
"All Nepgear needs is a fragment for it to be repaired, nyu." Broccoli commented.
"No, that seems unlikely. Had it been destroyed, we would have seen significant changes around here." Chika responded.
"Why would they hold off on destroying it?" Compa questioned.
"What am I, a mind reader? With how scattered ASIC's priorities are, it's hard to guess their actions. All I can sense is that they have not destroyed it yet. Meaning, we have a chance to recover it." Chika stated.
"That's the best news we've heard in a while… We have to find it, and quick." Nepgear said.
"First, we need to find some leads. Specifically, we need to find Underling and beat some leads out of her." IF commented.
"If she is as fishy as you describe, then she will surely stand out. I will gather information, also." Cave stated.
"Thanks Cave. But you don't have to worry about it if it's cutting into your time to bodyguard 5pb." Desmond said.
"Do not worry. She is not doing anything for a little while so I have time." Cave responded.
The party went back to the dungeon called the Underverse to search for Underling and Warechu, after getting tips from citizens. In the depths they started hearing voices, arguing with each other. Nepgear was the first to see one of the owners of the voices and recognized it to be Underling's. "There! I found her!"
"We're all grateful for your loud mouth, Underling. It's so easy to track you down." IF mocked.
"What!? You dumb broads again? How in the hell did you find me in this place!?" Underling yelled.
"We asked citizens for the whereabouts of a sketchy girls and a big rat. It was actually quite easy." Cave responded.
"Don't forget that you're yelling in quite the open space, large enough for the sound waves to reverberate along far distances. Or if you're too stupid to know what that means, then maybe you should just shut up for once." Desmond explained, as Warechu mooned over Compa.
"Mister Mouse, will you please return the Mascot to us?" Compa asked.
"Yeah, totally! Anything for you. Want me to bubble-wrap it, chu?" Warechu replied instantly without thinking.
Underling smacked the rat "This ain't no time to turn on your rat charm, you idiot! You broads think we'd give in that easily?"
"Nope! That's why we came prepared to beat you senseless and take it back by force!" Red shouted.
"You have overstayed your welcome in Leanbox. Prepare yourselves." Cave stated.
"You're the ones who better be prepared…! Don't think this is gonna be the same fight as usual!" Underling shot back.
The battle started… And ended the same way as the others. A massive loss for the ASIC members.
"Dammit… I lost again…" Underling muttered.
"Slapped silly by my angelic Compa… This is bliss, chu…!" Warechu yelled.
"So much for a different fight huh." Desmond stated as he looked at the two.
"They need to gain some perspective about how weak they are, nyu." Broccoli added.
"Are you okay? Did they hurt you?" Nepgear asked the disc of green.
"I am fine. Thank you. May I ask who you are?" The disc responded.
"Oh! Hello, I'm Nepgear. I'm Planeptune's CPU Candidate, and I want your help to save the world." Nepgear answered.
"Um, Ge-Ge? That's a little too much summarizing…" Compa commented.
"No, that was plenty of information. I sense the other Mascots' powers within her. Save the world, hmm?" Green Disc stated.
"So you got what I was trying to say? Then…!" Nepgear started before being interrupted by Cave.
"Hold. Protocol dictates we must first gain Chika's approval. Let us return to the basilicom, and then…"
"Hey, what the hell, you guys!? Don't ignore me just because the battle ended!" Underling shouted interrupting Cave.
"Well, this is a new pattern. I thought you would've run away by now." IF stated.
"Yeah, no joke. You're usually the first to bolt after a loss." Desmond added.
"Keep bugging us and I'll take you to the cleaners again." Red said.
"Shut it, squirt! I still got an ace up my sleeve!" Underling yelled.
"That's… a Mascot disc!? Where did you obtain that?" Green Disc questioned.
"Oh, this? You curious? It was a gift from my totally badass boss. I was told to use it and get rid of you all!" Underling responded as she used the item. "Huh? Whooooa… Oh yeah, this is frickin' great… This power… it's incredible!"
Warechu also using the same item "Now I might be strong enough to… Yeah. Waiting patiently is just one form of love. Time for force, chu!"
"I sense their newfound power. No, the power is merely being imbued on their bodies, yet…" Cave started.
"Underlings are always gonna be underlings, so it doesn't matter if she powers up! I'm gonna win!" Red shouted as she ran and attacked Underling.
"Huh? What was that, a tickle? It looked like you were trying to hit me, but…" Underling said oozing with confidence in the power from the disc.
"Uh-oh! Did I mess up or something?" Red questioned.
"Here, let me show you what a real attack looks like. Take this!" Underling yelled hitting Red back a distance.
"Oh, no! Red!?" Nepgear shouted in concern.
Desmond caught Red before she could hit the floor. "Gotcha'." He looked back up at Underling "Do you really want me to hurt you?" he said with a low growl.
"How dare you abuse the power of us Mascots…!" Green Disc said in anger.
"Hahaha… I can win… I can finally win this! It's payback time, bitches!" Underling yelled.
"Mmmm… My lovely, sexy, cute, dear angel Compa…" Warechu said rather disturbingly.
"E-Ew… Please stay at least three steps away from me, Mister Mouse!" Compa stated.
"C-Compa I suggest you get back." Desmond said with a sweat drop.
"This sucks. Underling activated her Limit Break, nyu." Broccoli commented.
"I wish we could run, but I kind of doubt she'd let this opportunity slip by her." IF stated.
"And after we were finally able to save the Mascot, too…" Nepgear said sadly.
"Then I'll just have to take them out." Desmond stated as he moved to the front of the group and held his hands shoulder width apart. Electricity then flowed between his hands and started to from a small ball in the middle. But he stopped when he heard a voice ring out.
"Never give up! Never surrender!" he recognized the voice to be 5pb.'s.
"That lovely voice… 5pb.! Why are you here?" Cave asked.
"Um, well… Miss Chika asked me to come help, so…" she answered.
"I see. One could not ask for better reinforcements." Cave stated.
"Hey! What's up Ly…" Desmond stopping for a second, glancing at the other party members "5pb. Thanks for the help."
"No problem Desmond." She replied in a happy tone.
Underling finally spoke back up "You're the tone-deaf idol broad!? Hahaha, what the hell? Are you gonna sing me to death?"
"Yes. I'm here to sing my song. It's all I can do to help…" 5pb. answered.
"Oh, well great! Let's hear it. Let me hear you sing their dirge!" Underling shouted.
"I-If you insist! Please listen to my song!" 5pb. said before starting.
"This shit's ridiculous. May as well crush those hopes right now! Time to… huh…?" Underling started before noticing something was off.
Warechu also noticed the strength leaving "Wh-What gives? My powers, chu…"
The two ASIC members went back to normal "Seriously, what the hell, man!?" Underling yelled, trying to understand the situation.
"It's a lovely song… I feel like it's filling me with a surge of energy…" Nepgear stated.
"Yep! I feel like I could even do brain surgery!" Compa said.
"Compa, you're a nurse not a doctor. Please don't attempt to do that." Desmond said with a sweat drop.
Red noticed something about her injury "Huh? It's not just a feeling. The ouchie from that kick is disappearing…"
"This isn't some kind of group hallucination, is it?" IF pondered.
"5pb.'s songs have special powers. It strengthens the just and weakens the corrupt and wicked." Cave answered.
"N-No way! That's so cheap! I won't let some lame-ass pop song beat me!" Underling screamed, as she charged toward 5pb.
"Oh, I don't think so." Desmond stated as he stepped between the two and slammed his hands to the ground. Which in return sent a large wave of electricity toward Underling that lifted her up.
"W-Wh-What the hell are you doing!?" Underling tried to move, even tried to get back to the ground but couldn't. "Let me down!" she spun herself around to look at the man.
"Your wish is my command. But I should warn you. You should be careful of what you wish for." After Desmond said that, he snapped his fingers and caused Underling to fly across the dungeon and smash into a wall. Dropping her onto the floor. He then turned to the rat, which looked a bit skittish.
"S-Stay back, chu!" Warechu tried to command as he stepped back.
"Pfft, fat chance." Desmond stated right before letting an electric charge surge through him to his leg. Right before kicking the rodent far into to air. While it was in the air Desmond sent a fireball at it, causing the rat to gain a few burns before landing near Underling. He walked back to the rest of the group while popping his neck "That was a nice little stress reliver."
"Gotta admit, our backs were against the wall for a minute there." IF stated.
"Hmmm. I don't know maybe. Depends on if that attack would've taken them out. If not then we might've been in trouble." Demsond responded.
"Thank you very much, 5pb. Really!" Nepgear said with a smile.
"H-Huh?" 5pb. looked at the nearby Nepgear and shrieked and ran behind Cave and Desmond. Who were standing near each other.
"Sh-She ran away from me… Do I smell funny…?" Nepgear asked.
"I knew this would happen." Desmond muttered, while holding a palm to his face.
"What do you mean?" IF asked.
"Forgive her. When not performing, she is a very shy individual." Cave answered.
"I…I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to run, but…!" 5pb. tried to apologize while peering between the shoulders of the people she was hiding behind.
"A shy girl can sing in front of a packed audience, nyu?" Broccoli questioned.
"W-Well, it's like… I flip a switch inside of me, and then… B-But usually, no, I'm too scared…" she responded.
Desmond turned and put a hand on 5pb.'s shoulder "Calm down, we don't need you fainting or something." She took a deep breath and nodded.
"Whatever the case, you helped us save the Mascot, Miss 5pb." Compa stated.
"Yes. I am grateful to you all. I don't know how I can ever repay you." Green Disc said.
"Don't worry about it. We were just fixing the problem that ASIC created." Nepgear responded.
"Both Chika and the Mascot are safe. I pray this will put Leanbox back on the path toward order." Cave commented.
"Our work here is done. Let's get back to the Basilicom." IF stated and the party left the dungeon and made their way to the city.
Chika greeted the party once the walked into the basilicom "Oh. Looks like you were able to save the Mascot, after all."
"Yes, but… We were hoping that we could take it with u—" Nepgear started.
"Yeah, sure." Chika interrupted.
"Huh? Is it really okay?" Compa asked.
"Hang on. You're not another imposter, are you?" IF questioned.
"She's not, watch…" Desmond whispered to IF.
"Of course not. I do have one condition, though. You must save my darling Vert post-haste!" Chika answered.
"And there's the proof." The young man whispered again, to which IF chuckled a bit.
"Yes, we plan to. We won't rest until we save everyone." Nepgear stated.
"But Miss Chika, will Leanbox be safe without the Mascot's protection?" Compa asked.
"It's just for a little while, no? I can handle things around here while you rescue my darling Vert. I normally have Desmond to help but it'll be fine. It's all for the sake of my priorities, and my dearest sister Vert is the top of the top!" Chika responded.
"Oh, I see… Well, if that's really okay with you, then…" Nepgear said.
"Does it matter? If you ask me, she's way easier to work with than any of the others." IF stated.
"Yeah, just as long as you're not trying to hang out with Vert. She gets jealous rather easily." Desmond commented.
"If the Oracle says so, then there is no issue with my departure. I desire to join you, myself. After witnessing the abuse of Mascot discs, I cannot let the perpetrators off easy." The disc of green stated.
"Thank you very much!" Nepgear said with glee.
"But, wait. I don't see 5pb. Where is that kid?" Chika pondered.
"Well, she's been standing behind Cave this whole time. She's been trying to keep me from pointing her out. And up till now she's been cute enough to make it work." Desmond stated while pointing at the girl.
5pb.'s face grew red from embarrassment "D-Desmond!" she shouted.
"What? You deserve a compliment every now and then. It's not a big deal." He responded.
"Still…" She pouted, then peered from the side of Cave's back toward Chika. "H-Hello…"
"Oh. Just so you're here. This involves you, too, so listen up." Chika started. "ASIC's teachings spread quickly while I was captive. We must take drastic action to reverse this."
"O-Oh, okay… So, um, what does that have to do with me…?" 5pb. asked.
"I need you for my plan to work. We're going to hold a giant concert, with you as the headliner!" Chika answered.
"Ok, that sounds good. And since we have some time to kill till the concert. I'm gonna go to my guest room and rest for a bit." Desmond said mostly toward Chika, then turned to the rest of the group "I guess you all can do whatever you want. You could play some games in the room I stay in, if you're quiet. Or just roam around, talk, whatever… my point is don't be loud… thanks." He then moved off to his room, with a wave.
After x number of hours of setup and prep time, the concert was ready to start. And of course, the party was there.
"Goodness, look at that crowd…" Nepgear stated as she gazed at the sea of people.
"After seeing this, I get what Chika was going for. This could fix the Leanbox situation in a single go." IF stated.
"It made perfect sense to me! After all, it's a concert with my wife candidate!" Red exclaimed.
Before Desmond could comment on Red's statement, 5pb. walked up to the group. Clearly in her idol mindset, not being shy. "Hello, everyone! I'm glad that you all made it."
"Hello, Miss 5pb. Thank you for inviting us." Compa stated.
"It's no problem, Desmond has helped us out a lot over the past few years. I wanted to do something nice for his friends. And by the way he was talking earlier, he probably would've made you all come anyway. So, I wanted to invite you myself." She responded.
"You have some surprise guests, nyu." Broccoli said as she sat on Gema and gestured to the extra girls with the group.
"It's not like I wanted to come to this concert or anything." Uni stated, looking a bit annoyed.
"Of course, you didn't." Desmond said sarcastically while smiling. Uni just moved her head to the side.
"My first concert… I'm so excited… Aren't you, Ram…?" Rom asked.
"Duh! We're gonna brag all about this to Mina when we go home!" Ram answered.
"Are they also CPU Candidates? I'd love it if you would all listen to my songs." 5pb. said in a chipper tone.
"The spotlight is all yours, 5pb." Cave stated in her usual stoic manner.
"Oh, whoops! I forgot that I'm the opening act. I better get going. I'll see you all later, okay?" 5pb. said as she started to make her way to the stage.
"She looked really pumped up about this concert, huh?" Nepgear questioned.
"Makes you wonder where she hides that shy nature of hers." IF stated.
"She is even more peppy for this particular concert. My heart is pounding with excitement." Cave said sounding rather excited, despite still sounding mostly stoic.
"It might be due to all the new people she's met recently. It might edge that side of her on even more, knowing that new friends are listening to her." Desmond tried to make a guess to the slight change in mood within the idol.
5pb. was up on stage, looking at the crowd, after finishing a song. Before bringing the mic to her mouth. "Hey, everyone! So, are we having fun yet!?" The crowd shouted back with a multitude of responses. "Hearing that makes me so happy! But before I sing my next song, let's make a special promise! I'm able to put on concerts and sing for you because of the CPUs watching over us all. If you really love me and my music, you'll love the CPUs too, right? Don't be fooled by anyone else!" The fans responded just how they all wanted them too, cheering for the CPUs.
"Goodness… The concert hall is shaking from their cheers…" Nepgear stated.
"Hook, line, and sinker." Desmond said with a large grin on his face. "Sometimes it can be too easy in situations like this."
"This plan is gonna be a big, happy success!" Compa said.
"Just as planned. But the real treat is still to come. This next move will end ASIC's plans for good…" Chika stated.
"Okay, that's it for me! Next up is a very special guest. Leanbox's sexy boy band Juniper!" 5pb. introduced the group. As the group came out the crowd reacted… well, very negatively. Some fans saying that if supporting the CPUs meant supporting the boy band, they were out. "Huh? Wh-Wh-What? Um, um, what're we gonna do? I never expected this…" After a few more moments 5pb. rushed the band off the stage.
"M-My perfect plan failed…? What could have possibly went wrong? Idols are all the rage…" Chika said confused.
"Eek! D-Don't push me, please… What should we do? Th-They might riot at this rate…!" Nepgear questioned.
"The plan backfired pretty hard, huh?" IF stated.
Desmond called Chika in a bit of an annoyed mood. "What the hell were you thinking!?"
"M-My plan was to use idols to help with Leanbox." She answered.
"Do you not know the phrase pander to the crowd? Look out here, it's mostly men, why in Gamindustri would you get a crappy boy band!? None of them want to see, what appears to be homosexual, men on stage when they could see a cute girl!" He stopped yelling for a moment.
"Well sorry, I didn't think about it." Chika replied.
"Think of a way to fix it, or we're about to be in a big pinch." Desmond said as he hung up his phone. He turned to the rest of the girls. While he was yelling at Chika, the girls decided to take the situation into their own hands. The Candidates moved toward the stage. "Did I miss something?"
"You'll see." IF answered.
5pb. not sure in what to do looked around in distress, before "Leave this situation to us, 5pb.!" Nepgear shouted as the Candidates moved on stage.
"Nepgear? And the other CPU Candidates?" 5pb. was surprised to see them.
"this had better work. I'm going to have some choice words with you if I end up looking stupid, Nepgear!" Uni said firmly.
"Pssh! With how totally rad we are, we'll collect all their Shares. Let's kick some butt, Rom!" Ram stated.
"I'm embarrassed… But… I'm gonna do my best…" Rom added.
"U-Um, hello everyone! I have an announcement to make!" Nepgear shouted to the crowd. The crowd have mixed reactions at first. "Um… Hi, I'm Nepgear. I'm the CPU Candidate of Planeptune."
Uni introduced herself "I'm Uni, from Lastation. Y-You better stop leering at me, or I'll never forgive you!"
Ram introduced herself and Rom "Howdy, everyone! I'm Ram, and this is my twin sister, Rom. It's super cool to meet you!"
"Uh-huh…" Rom added. The crowd started to gain more interest in the Candidates after their introductions.
"U-Um, please watch us as we sing and dance for you. We aren't pros, but I hope you can enjoy it…!" Nepgear stated.
Desmond looked at the stage "So, that's their plan, huh? Well, It's better than Chika's. Do well girls." The Candidates started their show. After they were done the audience was dead silent.
"Wh-What the heck, Nepgear? They're stone silent. How are you going to fix this?" Uni asked.
"Huh? Are these dummies stupid? I mean, how cute are me and Rom!?" Ram yelled.
"Are we… not cute enough…?" Nepgear questioned.
Desmond, close enough to hear the girls. Decided to bring his palm to his face. 'That's not what you should be questioning, if anything it should be your performance. There might be some people who don't like amateur idols in the crowd.'
The audience then exploded in favor of the CPUs. "Y-Yay! We did it, Uni! They love us, they really love us!" Nepgear shouted.
"But… I hear more of them calling your name than mine. I must have been too far back or something…" Uni stated.
"Hey, you better put your faith in Lowee, too! You hear me?" Ram said to the crowd.
"Please believe in us…" Rom added.
"Thank you for coming today! I hope you'll continue to support us as we grow! Thanks again!" Nepgear stated as she waved to the crowd.
The girls walked off stage and toward where everyone else was at. "Did you see how awesome we were, Desmond!?" Ram shouted.
"Did you, did you…" Rom added, bobbing up and down.
"Yes, I did." He said before patting the heads of the young girls. He turned his head to the other two Candidates "You all did great. It's definitely a weight of the shoulders of Chika and I, to try to find a way to fix this place." He then walked up to Nepgear and Uni and placed a hand on their heads, smiling. Nepgear smiled from the praise but also had a small blush. While Uni looked like the praise was foreign to her, looking shocked and tried to back away as he lifted his hand up.
After the concert, the party made their way back to the basilicom. "Well done, girls. Everyone seemed quite enamored with you. Naturally, my plan was a success." Chika stated.
Desmond looked at her "What the hell are you talking about!? If it weren't for these girls, your plan would've ruined everything! Seriously, boy bands, that's just crap!"
"He's right you know, if it wasn't for them you'd be quelling a mass otaku riot right now." IF commented.
"That was so embarrassing. I'm never doing something like that again. But I do feel that we got a lot of Shares out of it, so it wasn't a total waste. Back to Lastation I go!" Uni stated.
"We should go home too, Rom. Mina is gonna be so proud, she might buy us a new game!" Ram said. Rom looked rather happy at her sister's comment.
"Oh… Everyone's going home?" Nepgear asked.
"Stop making that pouty face. It's not like I want to, but… I have my own things to do. Bye." Uni responded.
"Bye-bye, Miss Nepgear…" Rom said in her quiet demeanor.
"Stupid Rom, don't say bye to her! C'mon, we're leaving!" Ram shouted.
"Where do you think you're going you two? First Ram if you keep talking like that to your sister, I make sure Mina doesn't get you a new game. Secondly, you don't think that you'll get away without a hug, do you?" Desmond stated, before the twins made their way to him for a hug. Then they went on their way out of the basilicom.
"And there they go again…" Nepgear said sadly.
"Aww, don't let it get you down. You'll see them again, I'm sure of it." Compa commented.
"Is this fine, Chika? They gathered Shares from ASIC, but Leanbox's Shares are at an all-time low." Cave asked.
"Better than letting ASIC have them. And once my darling Vert returns, she'll get them back overnight." Chika answered. "As for you all… What's your next step?"
"Well, we got all the Mascots…" Red started.
"Right. It's time for us to go back to Planeptune and come up with our next plan of attack." IF stated.
"I have high hopes for you all. Keep your promise and bring back my darling sister, ASAP." Chika said.
"Don't forget she's not really your sister…" Desmond said as he started to walk away, waving.
"Please leave it to us. We'll be going now…" Nepgear commented.
"U-Um!" 5pb. stuttered.
"Oh, 5pb." Nepgear said.
"Good… I caught you before you left…" 5pb. started. "Um, your impromptu concert was really inspiring! Watching you four on stage was so exciting!"
"G-Goodness, we were nothing compared to you…" Nepgear responded.
"Sure, you all might not be as good as her in execution. But you four did great, for pulling it out of your rear ends. It also did wonders on that crowd about to riot." Desmond stated.
"Don't say that. I was helpless to stop them going berserk… I'm so ashamed… B-But, I don't want to feel like that again, so… please take me with you!" 5pb. commented.
"What is the meaning of this?" Cave questioned.
"I want my songs to be heard by people outside of Leanbox. I want to sing for the entire world… I'm not sure how far I'll make it on my own, but I want to keep supporting everyone, so, please…" she answered.
"If you wanted to do that, why didn't you tell me? You know I work in the other nations. I could find venues to host concerts. But besides that, welcome to party." Desmond said before walking up to 5pb. and giving her a hug. Which caused her face become flustered rather quickly. She might have been used to him more than other people over the past few years, but some of his antics still caused her to hide back into her "shell".
"Welcome to the club, 5pb!" Red added.
"Yes, you're more than welcome to come with us." Nepgear stated.
"My, my. I suppose I will just have to put more effort into maintaining the status quo here, then." Cave commented.
"I'm so sorry, Cave, but…" 5pb started.
"No need to speak. Your songs are larger than Leanbox can hold. Do your best out there." Cave interjected. 5pb thanked her.
The party stayed in the basilicom for the night and would leave for Planeptune in the morning.
I hope you all enjoyed this chapter of my story. Leave a review and let me know what you think. As always have a good day.
