[The day before the take over of the city of Gargan…]
LOWEE CITY
OUTSKIRTS
IN THE MORNING
IF looks at her phone and sighs, she's standing next to a bench, the res of the gang are sitting on it, Compa is swinging her legs, Nepgear Is touching her finger while leaving a worried expression, 5PB. Is humming behind the bench while leaning on it and finally RED, she is sleeping with her dragon around her neck
"So?" Nepgear asks
"He isn't back form his mission and he's also out of his mushrooms. I guess we will have to find another way to fix the mascot." IF responds
She then walks over RED who is still sleeping
"Wake up." She says
RED continues to sleep unperturbed, 5Pb. Stops
IF whistle "I think I'm gonna throw her a snowball."
"That's rude iffy." Compa responds
"Sorry, that must be me that caused her to sleep." 5PB. Says
BEEP BEEP
RED suddenly wakes up upon hearing the sound
Its one of IF phone that is currently ringing, so she grabs it and pick up the call
"Yeah? Oh hello Bethesda. Did you call Histoire?" She talks "Uhm uhm… About us? Well we reached Lowee and asked for Alphadream but apparently he is on a mission and he is out mushrooms anyway."
IF turns away form RED and walk around the area will not getting too far form the bench
"Yeah no shit. So now we can't really wait any longer and have to find another solution… So how the situation at Leanbox?" She says and listens "Inconclusive uh?" "Well good luck then." "Thanks you, goodbye."
IF then puts back her phone in her jacket
"That was Bethesda?" Nepgear asks
"Yeah he wanted to know about our progress." IF responds, looking at her "Well and I think that now that RED is-" She turns to RED just to see that she went back asleep…
AUGHHH
...and snoring even louder now
"I think that wasn't a good idea to make her wake up that early." States Compa
"For fuck sake." IF comments in exasperation
"H-Hello." A small voice says
A familiar person come to them, a rather short girl around their age with cap mixed with a helmet and some egg shaped eyes
"You seem to have troubles, can I help you?"
"Hey, I recognize you, you're not the girl that was in the squad to protect the mascot."
"NLG, but yes, its me."
"Well we have to repair the Leanbox mascot, and we have to hurry to do so."
"So there is Alph..."
"We know, he's is not available."
"But… I know someone that might help you with that problem."
"Tell us more miss NLG." Nepgear asks
"I think she lives in the city, but that was a long time I didn't see her. Maybe she's at the guild hall."
"Mina told us that there is a lot of problems at Lowee right now so it wouldn't be surprising that she is also busy." IF comments
After they woke up RED. They then walks back in the direction of the basilicom, the guild is usually not very far form basilicoms, they walks trough the streets, on their way, Nepgear quickly looks at a tech shop, she gets away form the group
She looks at the front glass that showcase some phones and other gadgets with various utility's, more or less useful. There is also a card with written on it "Forbidden to Changers"
"Gear, we have no time for looking at toys!" IF says to her
"Okay!" says Nepgear as she run up to them, but something bugs her "Wait what was written on that card?"
At the same moment, at the Lowee basilicom, Rom observes Nepgear with a pair of binoculars
"So, they are preparing anything?"
"They are walking in the streets with miss NLG."
"Those jerks must be up to something, we should spy on them."
"But miss Mina told us to not bother them. Maybe that also have something important to do?"
"Oh, I don't think so Rom, they must be liars!"
"..."
Suddenly the doors slowly opens, the twins stares at it, and a blinding with light fills the room
[Back at Leanbox.]
Bethesda head for the basilicom as usual in his daily routine. He is with Id who joined him, he get inside of it, salutes workers on the way, get to the lab and get to work
He turn on his computer while Id observes. And he check his mail box and see a mail form the Planeptune research team:
Hello Bethesda.
We sent you the reports of the prototype of the mechanized suit as said in the conversation we had yesterday with Histoire.
We also work on a biological weapon but it would be better to talk about that once you will be back at Planeptune
Cordially,
Kenji Saturn.
Bethesda opens the file of the results about the test of the suit he starts to reads it…
"Hello Bethesda." Says Obsidian
Bethesda quickly closes the file in panic
"Hi!" He says while he turns back to Obsidian
"Hello." Id says stoically
"What you were hiding?"
"Some classified information that concern Planeptune guild, research and development." Bethesada gets up "Anyway lets get to it!" Bethesda says with his business man usual smile
[Meanwhile…]
Yvoire, is writing something on a paper, he is doubtful, not only of the state of Leanbox but also about its internal structures
"If this have to happen, then I better get support form important people form each branches of the guild and other personalities."
He then go on internet and after some time find some list of people, he note down some names
"I already meet the captain of the regal guard. Hmm, I think I found someone who might be easily convinced."
[Some times later… during the mid day break.]
Bethesda, Obsidian and Id are outside of the basilicom right behind it. They are currently drinking coffee
"So, Id how do it feels being back at Leanbox?" Obsidian asks to her
"Not much. I doesn't dislike it tough." Id responds
They continue to drink for a small moment
"By the way, Id, you were in a mercenary group no?" Bethesda asks
"Yes why?" Id responds
"Didn't they attempted to prevent you leaving?"
"Actually when I left the group, it was after a rough battle and basically everyone got heavily wounded, since I was one of the first that woke up form unconsciousness, well I just left a letter and went to Planeptune." Id explains
"About that. I never asked you before but what kind of activity you did as a planeptune agent when I was still in the mountain range."
"Guess."
"Yeah…"
"It doesn't bother you to kill people?"
"To be honest, not a lot. I prefer to kill monsters usually."
"That's reassuring... I think." Obsidian comments
Bethesda feels something vibrating in
his pocket, he checks for it and reaches his phone, he see a message on it
"Hello sir Bethesda, I would like to meet you after work for an important mater. Meet me at the guild hall."
Tough the message came out of nowhere form a number that he doesn't recognize
"Uh?" Bethesda reacts silently
[Later… After work in the evening...]
Bethesda, Id and Obsidian leaves the Basilicom
"See you tomorrow." Bethesda says to Obsidian
"Tomorrow." Obsidian responds as he head to the parking lot
Bethesda and Id walks for a moment until they are far enough form everyone
"Id."
"Yes?"
"Go to home without me, I will need to meet someone, in private."
"But, and your safety?"
"Don't worry I'm telling you."
Id hesitates but she's eventually complies
Bethesda gives her the key of the apartment "Start to worry if I'm not back tomorrow in the morning." He says
Bethesda then head alone to the guild, its not very busy during the evening, so not a lot of people there, once he is inside of it an old man comes to greet him
"Hello Bethesda. It seems that you've seen my message."
"Wait a minute, aren't you Yvoire? The oracle before Chika Hakozaki?"
"Yes, that's me. I have something important to discuss about but let's get on an area with less people."
They both head to an empty room, there is table and two chair, they both sits at the opposite of each others
"So may I know why you wanted to see me exactly?"
"You are aware of the rough time that are going on Leanbox. And as a former oracle I can't let any risks of collapse happening."
"Its no longer your job old man! Relax and enjoy your retirement."
"I know that time hasn't spared me but i'm still able to think reasonably."
"At the point of wanted to purge the non-Leanboxian? You know that i'm not a native of Leanbox right?"
"I know that."
"Then why I would trust you?"
"..." Yvoire thinks about the words hes gonna chose "Because there is one thing more dangerous than foreigners and its the ASIC and everything that can be a potential collaborator of them."
"Okay and?"
"Well I would change my mind on foreigners like you but only if you help me at something."
"Just for that? And what do I get form it?"
"The thing you always wanted. Your father laboratory."
Bethesda raises an eyebrow
"You got my attention."
"To give you back the lab, I need to take over Leanbox. Before you react, I only planed to do the coup if the situation degrades further, tough you will have to work for me the time being."
"And if Leanbox doesn't collapses?"
"I will discuss about it with Chika."
"…" Bethesda thinks about it, but the response is obvious… but something still bugs him "There is something else."
"What is it?"
"There is other reasons why you want me on your side?"
"I was also thinking that you would be the more likely to accept, since your ongoing conflict with the syndicalists, I am wrong?"
Bethesda sighs "Not at all. But its mainly for the lab that I'm accepting this." Bethesda then get up and exits the room
Yvoire stays alone for a moment "Another one convinced." he thinks as he looks at his list
[Meanwhile at Bethesda apartement…]
Id, she removed her armor and wears a shirt with a brown bunny on it is watching the TV inside of Bethesda apartment, while RL-3 is passing the vacuum cleaner around the apartment
She seems bored until…
"Sorry to interrupt the interview but priority to the important news that just happened, right now at the capital, apparently..."
She slightly leans in attention as the news reports continues
After a minute…
Knock Knock Knock
RL-3 walks to the apartment door, it waits for a few seconds and then opens it
Bethesda enters the apartment, leaving a lightly satisfied expression. He take off his shoes and walks to the couch and sit down next to Id
"So? What it was?"
"Well I'm not sure that I can really tell you."
"My duty is only your safety, I'm not here to reports everything you do to Planeptune."
"...After that father vanished. I got the heritage of the laboratory stolen."
"Yes, I know that, why you are talking about it?"
"Because I have now I occasion to get it back."
"Oh..." Id responds, she thinks about it and after a few seconds... "Wait really?!" She says while having an unusual happy face
"Did I shutter?"
"But who it was you actually talked with? The oracle?"
"No it was the oracle before the current oracle."
"Oh, well did she give you some condition tough?"
"He, he its an old man."
"Doesn't oracle are women usually?"
"Yes but you know its mainly based on the faith of a particular people, gender doesn't matter in it."
"Fair. So?"
"About the conditions, well..."
Bethesda proceeds to explain them, Id doesn't seem to react negatively by this information
"So, you don't care that I turn against the current oracle?"
"As long you're fine in the end. I will always be by your side."
"Okay…" Bethesda then sighs in relief and continues "…I'm really lucky to have you." He says with a smile
Id smiles back and they continues to watch the TV for a small moment
"RL-3 cooked?"
"Yeah."
"I'm not hungry yet anyway."
"Neither, I am."
"Wanna watch a movie?"
"Sure."
[Earlier in the day at Gargan city…]
Alex enters a building, on the door written LTU, its the middle of the day. Once inside he carefully looks for every corner of the entry, he can't permit himself to be in area with cameras with the current context.
"Hello sir, can I help you?" A receptionist asks, but give some confused looks to the man
No cameras, he removes finally his disguise, revealing his face to the receptionist, her expressions goes form confused to worried
"Are you?"
"Yes. Can I see the leader of the union? Its very urgent."
"They are in a reunion right now."
"But I'm in a hurry right now. Don't tell anyone I'm here." He says
He decides after that to mask his identity again by putting on his disguise and head down to the corridor
"Hey I told you to not interfere!"
He continues regardless
On the exact same moment, on another room, there is chairs placed around a round table and people on them, there is a dozen of participants to the meeting
"So about that. Joe, how the blockade of the Southop factory is going?"
"As usual, which mean the high rankings doesn't really give a shit."
"That's because they still got a huge reserve of credits, wait for a few weeks and they will finally give up."
"...Yeah." He responds in an exasperation
And then suddenly a masked man enters the room, everyone looks at him, a bit frightened and surprised, normal reaction since how you would react while you are with coworker or friends when someone dressed like a desperado suddenly enters your room?
It takes a few seconds before someone speaks up
"Uh, so… Who are you?"
He then removes his disguise in front of them, their reactions show that they are even more surprised
"HOLY SHIT!" One of them exclaims
"Alex Anakigema?" Joe asks
"What's he's doing here?!" Another one says
But there is only one person who understood and already guessed the why and how, he get up
"A bit too early to show up, Alex."
"Yeah, sorry Freidrich but I had to be sure." Asks Alex
"Go wait in the next room, I'm taking care of you after I'm finished." Freidrich responds
He leaves the room
"Should we report him to the police?" Joe asks
"I think so." Another attendant says
"No. I got business with him." Freidrich says
"Freidrich, we will have problems if we keep him here." Joe responds
"He's here to help, we are on a common ground."
"Common ground? We are unions men and he's a fugitive!"
"Let's ask David opinion."
They turn to David who was on the let side of the table
And he speaks up "Oh its not that bad!" While doing a hand gesture
"He always say its not that bad! In what he is a good example?" Joe says
"Look let me deal with it and I'm gonna decide if I report it to the authorities or not okay? Now let's finish this meeting." Friedrich says
[Some minutes later…]
Alex waits in a waiting room, he hears a rattling sound coming form the meeting room, probably chairs being moved he thinks about it: "They finally finished."
Then there is sound of people walking past the room, and then finally…
Friedrich opens the door and get inside, They face each other
"So I got your message, what are you planing to do exactly?"
"I will be direct to not lose time. We grab weapons and we take over the city."
"Wow, you are sure that its not too extreme?"
"They want to capture me, and they also captured the rest of popular party."
"But its only for interrogation, no?"
"Can't take risks."
"And you think its not gonna make things worse?"
"It may be the case but we have to take risks, I bet that Chika Hakozaki don't want to cause a civil war. Its going to be simple, we seize the city, we send an ultimatum to the Basilicom to release the popular party members, if they don't we secede form the state."
"And if they do release them? I doubt they will let get away with that."
"Then I will have to flee Leanbox for my own safety."
"Okay. But now another problem, where do we find weapons they are banned at Leanbox."
"Banned officially but with recent troubles, there was some people who managed to smuggle some big quantities of theses. And we don't necessarily need firearms, they can't ban kitchen knives."
"Okay that's looks fine, let's prepare the operation..."
You knows what happens next so we skip up a bit… for real, he could put this scene in the chapter before, it almost feel like he gradually modify his own plans, what a shitty writer…
LEANBOX CITY
BASILICOM
7:00
THE DAY AFTER
A basilicom staff woman is running trough the hallway in panic…
BANG
She shoves a door opens, on the other side on it, there is Chika was looking trough paperwork before the staff woman erupted in
Because Chika almost fell out of her chair in surprise
"HEY! Can you be a little more cautious when opening a door?! I almost fell and broke a nail!" Chika reprimands the staff woman
"I'm terribly sorry lady, but this is a capital information!"
"Uh! I have hearing that since the last two days but go on."
"Alex Anakigema the man that we searched for days escaped to Gargan and took over the city!"
"WHAT?!" Chika responds "UMH UMH, yeah I should have expected that. Did he declared anything since he took over?"
"He said in his speech that he will only negotiate with you miss Chika."
Chika sighs "Maybe its not too late, maybe we can still avoid a civil war" She thinks
"Okay, I'm taking care of this." The oracle gets up and head out of the office
She immediately takes the direction of the meeting room…
At the same moment a basilicom janitor was cleaning the room
Chika enters in the room with the staff woman, the janitor looks at them and returns to mopping the floor
The staff woman turn up the projector, Chika quickly fix her clothing and her long gracious hair and the janitor continues what he's doing
An image shows up, the one of Alex Anakigema, look straight at them
Chika breaks the silence "I heard that you wanted to talk to me."
"Exactly."
"What are you attempting to do exactly?"
"The liberation of my comrades, by any cost."
"In the public declaration I said that I would release them after I finished the interogation."
"Did they are finished?"
"Not yet."
"Then I will free them by myself, you got 48 hours to free them. Over."
The connection cuts, the janitor leaves the room and two other persons enters in, one being Cave and the other one with a certain green armor and a helmet with a yellow visor
"Look like we are a bit too late..." The green armored person says
"Yeah..." Chika responds "But what you two are doing here? Are you supposed to be at the base?"
"We saw you with an unusual serious face, we were logically thinking that something is wrong."
"Can we know what happened? It would be important to also knows for us." Cave asks
"Alex Anakigema, the man we are researching. He took over Gargan."
"How?!" They both responds
"I don't know neither."
"Knowing the support of the poplar party there then he must have gotten help to do this." Cave comments
"What do you plan?"
"I will release the political prisoners."
"It seem the most reasonable thing to do." Cave says with a bit of relief
"I think that it would be more effective to send us at Gargan and arrest Alex."
"No, I don't want to escalate things further."
"But what he did is an act of secession."
"Its one in fact… I don't exclude the option to start an operation there."
"Okay..."
They then leave the meeting room, Cave and her superior walks to the left, Chika to the opposite direction
"Cave. Go at the HQ, I have something to do first."
"Roger."
[Later…]
Knock Knock
Someones knocks on Yvoire door while he watch a typical drama show
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK
The knocking is significantly louder
Loud enough for the old man to hear it. He slowly gets up while he groans and then head to the door and then open it
The same armored woman form earlier comes in
"Hello 343 Ind, may I know the reason of your coming?"
343 Ind
THE NEW CAPTAIN
"The oracle, she planned to release the prisoners."
"Really? Can you give me more detail at least?"
"The guy that took over Gargan wants the members of the PP freed. Chika don't want to escalate things further so she complied."
"did she has time to do give the order?"
"I don't think right now, but probably very soon."
"We can't let that happen."
"But, its the best thing to do to avoid a bloodshed."
"He took over a whole city, its already went to far. If we comply to their demands then it will confirm that Leanbox is in a weak position and cause even more internal troubles. Just the secession of the city is aleready starting to cause riots in other cities. We have to restore order by any mean."
"So... We have to do it?"
"I don't see any choices left. Get the rest of the RRoD ready to take over the Basilicom. Avoid to kill people of course. Our enemies are pseudo syndicalists, not our own people." Yvoire says "No… there is also other people that have to be warned to avoid confusion."
"Who exactly?"
"Turquoise, Bethesda, general Ensemble. Admiral John Cullingam."
"Hang on, I get why Ensemble and John support the plot but why Bethesda and Turquoise?"
"The lab that used to belong to ZeniMax and then taken by Mister Badd got closed until further notice and got a very limited access form a very few people, which that excludes the principal concerned: Bethesda himself, we would more than glad to get his lost heritage back."
"Okay about that, but there is a good reason why he can't access the lab, I heard form Chika that there is a cloning facility in a certain level."
"And? In which situation its bad thing?"
"Well the clones are..."
"I said enough, want to know about Turquoise?"
"Uhm..."
"Turquoise is an important aristocrat, it would be also capital to have a loyal wealthy guy that can fund us in case of problems. And most importantly, to prevent them to make a counter coup."
"That's fair enough."
"I'm gonna call them. Go see your squad and explain them the situation."
"Got it."
343 Ind leaves the apartment, Yvoire get his phone and start to text messages to the people he mentioned earlier, its only a matter of time before Chika free the popular party members, they must act quick
The clock is ticking...
A little bit shorter chapter and once again I didn't hold my own fucking deadline, probably because r/place shown up when nobody expected it, so yeah I was a bit distracted by that.
Since I can't respect my own deadlines, I can't really tell when the next chapter will be for, but I will attempt to make it quick as possible, well if I don't have unplanned things happening.
I feel like this going to probably be one of the longest volumes, I think it will be around 9 chapters or maybe 10, and you guys probably guessed that shit will start to get real on the next chapter...