"So..." Nepgear did her best to keep up a calm voice, however IF was making this incredibly difficult. Such difficulty did not come from any actions or words, but rather the disturbing look of absolute ecstasy strewn across her face.
IF had - as was mostly expected - ended the last battle with statue nep fairly quick; pretty much almost instantly. Now, one would think that fighting a rock with fire would lead to some ineffective attacks, however it wasn't the fire which ended the fight, but the burning of the branches underneath that took out their enemy. Turns out this ruin was quite full of traps, with such revelations uncovered by their stone opponent falling through the earth itself.
Apparently the floor had some wooden sections, and below those sections were sets of jagged spikes; a brutally savage way to punish people for snooping around. Apparently statue nep was instantly destroyed once IF's fire spell burned away the trap door underneath; she was serious about that 'magma' bit. Once they'd peered into the hole all they could see was the crumpled broken gravel that once was the living drawing.
Witnessing of murder aside, the crew climbed down into the pit; in hindsight it was probably a stupid idea, but they saw a passageway below, and naturally a sense of curiosity followed. At least nobody fell, leaving the spikes stalled at a recent kill count of one.
"Yes Nepgear~?" IF's overly cheery response sent a series of chills up the younger woman's spine, akin to the pleasure of a hundred spiders crawling along her back.
"N-never mind..." Clearly IF was in too good a mood to be of any real help, which had Nepgear wandering closer to Noire, at which point she posed her question. "You filed a report to the Basilicom when you discovered these ruins, right?"
"I did." Noire threw out. "Let me guess, you'd rather ask me than risk dealing with IF right now."
"I've never heard her sing her words before, so I don't think she'll be all that informative." Nepgear felt herself sweat a little as she looked back towards the experienced guild champion, only to see the woman skipping now; she was having too much fun in the fantasy of off-ing the Goddess of Planeptune?
"Yes, well, Neptune tends to get a little under the skin, especially the more time you spend around her." With a sigh Noire began. "Originally I tried searching around Planeptune, doing research on their history to see if anything lined up with the cartridge that the imposter Uzume showed us, however I couldn't dig up anything. With no leads left I decided to try the same from every other nation, only to get a call from Blanc asking if I'd been noticing anything weird lately."
"Weird?" Nepgear found that odd; Blanc never really labelled things as weird, opting to call them annoying at best. If Lowee's Goddess called something 'weird', then it usually meant trouble.
"Apparently she noticed how large groups of her citizens were migrating from the nation out to other lands. According to her reports upwards of twenty people at a time would leave, only for around three or four to come back for a short period, and then leave again a few days later." The more analytical woman crossed her arms and paused her explanation as the cave began to open up a little, with a bright light raining in from above at the end. "Hold that thought..."
The group came to a stop in the opening, noting how the light above was less natural than when they entered. Having an almost golden tint, Uzume and Big Nep were the first to point out the strange set of changes this section of the ruins had compared to what they'd seen so far; off-color moss was the least of their problems now.
"Hey, these markings kind of look familiar." Uzume said, walking closer to the odd shapes and such drawn on the walls. Unlike before, these ones were less of people and more item based. There were still people, but they were 'different'.
"Hmm..." Big Nep scanned over the artwork, speaking her mind as she did so. "Strange... it kind of looks like... a series of scenes."
"Like before." Uzume commented, only to cock a brow as she backed up and overlooked the whole thing. "Actually, these ones look... connected."
Noire came closer as she slithered her vision over the wall.
"How so?" The girl inquired, and Uzume gave her thoughts.
"Well... it starts here." She walked over and took a spot at the beginning of the string of works. "See how there are two figures walking away from one another, and note how each is colored in..."
"Red and blue." Noire threw out, her eyes narrowing with the thought. "Just like the cartridges."
"Yeah." Uzume moved to the next image. "And right here, the blue figure is surrounded by others. Gray, green, and white; they're... doing something, but I can't tell what it is."
"Hmm..." Nepgear wandered over and pointed. "It kind of looks like they're giving the blue one something. See how their colors are brushed over towards it."
"Weird." Big Nep threw out, looking over to the last of the images. "But what's this one supposed to be?"
Nepgear in particular focused on the last one so courteously mentioned by the human variant of her older sister. It was obviously a heart, but unlike the rest of the images it was a solid purple, with a sort of red glow around it. Now, making assumptions on what they'd seen up to this point, one would guess it symbolized attachment of some sort, as in most circles hearts were a symbol of love.
The third of the four images showed the two colored figures again. This time though there was a clear background, with a far too familiar tower stuck right in the center.
"Hey, Nepsy and Gearsy..." Uzume began. "I've ruled Planeptune before, long ago and all that, but I never did get to check how long the tower has been around. Did Histy ever tell you about that?"
"Nope." Neptune the smaller said. "Thought never even crossed my mind to ask. What about you Nep junior?"
"Well, no, I never asked either, and Histoire never brought it up." Nepgear explained, all the while her mind raced to try and figure out what that heart meant. There was no purple in the image up to that heart, and the absence of blue was also a concern.
If the colors were indeed the cartridges, then it stood to reason that the red around the heart was connected to the cartridge counterpart in some way, however the blue was nowhere to be seen. Purple was the national color of Planeptune as a whole, much like how white was to Lowee, and black to Lastation; did it even bear mentioning Leanbox's owning of green?
Sure, Planeptower and the purple color could mean it had something to do with the nation, but they were in Lowee; why was Planeptune imagery here of all places?
"I get it now!" Neptune the little proclaimed with a fist pump. "This is one of those legendary prophecies! You know, the kind that foretells a hero's coming to save the word from evil! See..." With a smug look she waved to the purple heart. "My nation's color, meaning this is a prophecy of me. I meet the bad guy, face them in the final showdown, and defeat them with the power of friendship... or something along those lines."
"Uh, right." Noire crossed her arms. "Neptune, only the heart is purple. The two figures shown are very clearly red and blue."
"Maybe the blue was once purple, and only shifted over time." Neptune replied, only for IF of all people to jump in, apparently having fallen off her high.
"I don't know Nep, if that was the case then wouldn't the heart be blue too?" And like that the Goddess's look froze, and Compa went in for the kill. "Iffy's right Nep-Nep. I mean, the red kind of reminds me of Uzume here, and if the blue really was purple at some point, wouldn't that mean you'd be fighting her?"
This double whammy broke the short Neptune down... you know, like a puzzle or something; easily fixable soon after.
"I... guess." She straightened herself once more. "But don't think for a second I've lost my status as protagonist."
Everyone's silence was not the reaffirmation she was looking for - Nepgear at least cheered her on.
"I still see you as the protagonist."
"Thanks little sis. At least someone still understands my central involvement in events!"
"Right." Noire sighed. "How about we just get a move on already; the relic's chamber won't find itself."
Once more they took off, presumable in search of a way back to higher ground.
.
.
"Can I get this one?" The tiny girl held up a small casing, and Kurome - as was her duty - nodded gently as she scanned the game; processing the payment and handing it to the girl's mother. The pair left with a soft look of gratitude, and she was alone again. Sure, Kurome never really bothered to smile beyond that of a light grin every now and then, but nobody else in the store looked to mind.
Part of her wondered how she even ended up in this situation to begin with, and then she remembered the events of that morning, which were immensely more exciting than her position in the game shop.
Warechu - as ever - was the first awake, and had apparently taken over the morning chores. As Kurome cracked her eyes open for the first time of the day, she'd been greeted with the figure of the rat in an apron - broom in his paws.
"You're up, good." He'd paused his sweeping and pointed out a shirt sitting innocently on the table. "You'll get to tell Chuko your size at work, chu. For today she said to use Linda's spare uniform."
"Work?" Kurome was still rather fuzzy in the head, but luckily Warechu seemed to notice this.
"Well, yeah. You're running the place today, alongside Chuko that is. I have my day off, and Linda got a call from the boss to help spread a few of the gang's colors. Sorry, chu, but you're on your own for training." He offered a solemn bow. "My condolences."
It wasn't nearly as dreadful as Warechu made out, however this was apparently because a brand new modern game was released, and seeing as how Chuko's shop focused on the old stuff, there wasn't a sudden influx like a less knowledgeable person might assume. Apparently people will wait in line for days before a product's release, meaning they can't exactly be here when the thing they want so badly is elsewhere.
This made the training she'd received more lax in a sense, which amounted to basic things like stocking and working cash.
One of the first things the manager mouse said upon Kurome walking in was to meet her around back. Kurome had been asked her size, and told afterwards it would take a few days to get the proper uniform. The girl didn't mind this so much, as through a stroke of luck, Linda's uniform was near perfect, only being the tiniest bit tight.
Considering how her bust was a little more... developed than the pale one, the use of the smaller shirt only really felt tight around the chest, but not so much as to cause pain, so long as she didn't do any extreme flexes that was. Afterwards, Kurome was given a quick overview of the shop, and even a mock purchase by Chuko herself, who played the roll of the customer.
Speaking of customers...
"Hey beautiful, how's your day~?" Apparently a couple guys were pushing their luck. Kurome wasn't a barbarian though - at least not yet - so she held her much less appropriate retort back, instead shooting a flat stare. Her silence must have done something, as the young man tried his luck again. "You must be feeling pretty dull right about now; such a cutie locked up inside this dump."
Kurome, realizing the problem wouldn't leave on its own, opted to try a different strategy. The most important part of the job according to Chuko was, and she could quote it almost instantaneously with how cliché it was...
"Live and breath the sale"
The little lady was firm in her belief that every conversation on the job was an opportunity to promote the product and service, and so she'd requested that every dialogue exchanged with customers pointed towards 'buying' in some way. Chuko didn't make this a demand however, rather a request for when the chance arose.
Chuko also informed Kurome she was allowed to keep her lazily careless attitude as well. This wasn't because the mouse approved of her apparent way of presenting herself, but rather because it 'fit the aesthetic' of her general appearance. The manager - who was also the owner - of the store wanted her employees to look 'natural' on the job, as to appear more approachable and trustworthy towards the customers.
Kurome offering smiles and giggles would look 'too fake' apparently.
This was a benefit for the girl, as it meant she didn't need to waste energy pretending to give a shit about her job. So long as she wasn't outright rude or dismissive of the shop, Kurome could say as she please; within family friendly confines anyway. It was through these loose bonds that she could ease the boy off her without resorting to violence, and subsequently improve the business mouse's viewing of her; having a merchant in one's pocket could be useful later on.
"You might want to stop, little boy." She let out with as much enthusiasm as a brick wall. "I only shoot for men, not kids."
"Oh ho ho~" He offered the cheesiest looking smile Kurome had ever seen, and she had to actively repel the cringe digging its way out from within. To say the young teen looked stupid would be putting it nicely. "I can assure you, I'm no boy." He stretched a little, flexing his non-existent muscles not so subtly. "I am one-hundred percent man."
You're the type of guy I'd expect to cry if I raise my voice. Keeping her rebuttals under wraps was difficult, but the prospect of humiliating him in other ways was too good to pass up.
"Right." Kurome crossed her arms, her face retaining the look of doubt from before. "Let me guess, FPS and nothing else." He locked up a second, but before a response came she shot again. "Maybe multiplayer, but you're always middle of the board."
"Please." His bravado was faltering, but it looked like this kid was a little more stubborn than most. "I'm anything but average."
"I doubt that." Kurome let loose, and the guy sent a mildly off-point look; he was starting to crack.
"Yeah? Well then, what would you call a real game then, huh?"
Hook, line, and sinker. Kurome allowed her smirk to come back in full force, and she walked back from the counter towards the wall of games. Allowing her eyes to scan over the displays, she stilled and pulled a particular game down, walking back with a devious grin.
"You got an L24?" An older console from her own time, but with a cult following if their current stocking of compatible games had anything to say.
"Yeah." He stated as she flashed the game to him; she'd give him points, but not too many as she expected his possession of it more akin to a 'hand-me-down' than any real passion or care to collect.
"You ever play this?" Kurome handed the young guy the case, and slowly he scanned the back.
"Hold up. This is a puzzle game." He offered an insulted look. "You kidding me?"
"Not even a little." She let out a faux sigh. "I guess you really are a little boy, otherwise you'd have known about 'K.O. Monsters: Puzzle Bout'." The woman noticed the sudden look of ire teasing his face; men and their pride, always so predictable. Regardless she carried on. "Most people only beat this one on easy mode. Some say only real challengers can complete a perfect run of the highest difficulty, and that isn't even touching the competitive scene it once had, which was rumored to have battles that only lasted a minute long."
"It's a puzzle game, how hard can it be?" He sent a skeptical look, which she deflected with her taunting smile.
"I've seen plenty of babies underestimate it before, but hey, if you think you've got the guts, its currently on discount. I'd take this sucker while you can, boss doesn't throw things on sale often, and it just so happens we're nearly out of stock on these bad boys." Kurome felt the satisfactory sweetness of a swindled sucker on the very tip of her tongue.
The way her arrogant customer was looking over the case pretty much confirmed his decision already, and Kurome couldn't help but take pleasure as he looked to his friend. Both nodded and he faced her again.
"I'll give it a go, and I'll be back to let you know how simple it was."
"Really?" She smirked, twisting it lightly as her eyes lidded the faintest bit. "I'd consider that impressive. Of course, only if you can actually do it."
His money and determined smirk won her another purchase.
Author's note.
...
Well, Kurome power-selling retro games wasn't something many of you were expecting, was it?
Yes, there is the matter of Linda, but we'll get to see what she's up to next time, so for now just relax and enjoy the show.
Uzume and friends also seem to have stumbled on to something strange; ancient depictions of what looks like a legend involving Planeptune. Ignore any premonitions and predictions; most are usually false. Ghosts and legends of doom aren't real, what are you talking about?
Until next time.