Well, I can't say that I didn't see this coming. Sooner or later, someone was going to look too close, and it's only fair that it was one of the more observant people that found out. I mean, it was unlikely that Nepgear would stumble across it, since she's not suspicious of me.

I mean, this isn't ideal but I'm sure it'll work out.

Right?

Ugh.

With slow, annoyed steps, I walk back into the Basilicom. The guards around me give me a quick look, before I just stare at them for a moment and keep walking. Out of the corner of my eye, I can see one of them shrug at another, and head off - seems I'm not a big threat.

Hooray.

Hopefully, it's just something simple like missing forms or something that I can sort out, so I can get back out to saving this goddamn world, instead of being held up by bureaucracy.

I mean… Uh, it's not me per say that will be doing the saving, but the help is useful, right?

At least I think it is-

"Is something wrong, Sir? You stopped." states my current escort.

"Right uh, sorry. Got caught up in my thoughts." I reply, shaking my head. I can't help but feel as if someone's pointing a weapon at me. "Let's just hurry this up."

With quicker steps, I make my way back towards the office. I already know the path, so it's relatively easy.

Soon enough I'm at the destination - Kei's meeting room.

"Come in." speaks the Oracle's voice, as I reach the door. I look over my shoulder at the Basilicom guard, before stepping inside.

The office is just as infuriatingly prim and proper as before. Let's get this over with.

Closing the door behind myself, I'm nearly taken aback by my 'greeting'. She's staring at me like a specimen on a petri dish, and honestly, it's quite unnerving - complete focus without even the slightest hint of emotion. Stopping mid step, I stand still. Does she have some sort of plan for what she wants me to do? She already micromanaged everything else, so maybe I need to sit somewhere specific?

She stares back. And so I stand for a few moments, before she finally clears her throat. "You may sit."

And so I do. I shake my head slowly.

Carefully, Kei flips through her papers, before seemingly deciding upon where to begin.

"So… It has come to my attention that…" she begins, but I cut her off.

"Look, uh… I'm not exactly the most self-controlled about what I say. Can we keep the questions a bit simple? If you ask blunt questions, I'll do my best to answer them accurately and succinctly, but if you try to pussyf-... Uh, tiptoe around things, I-... Well, I don't like being led around like that." I state, trying to keep my voice calm.

The grey haired woman stares back for a moment, before nodding slowly. "Those terms appear to be acceptable."

I can see her pull a few sheets of paper out of her pile, moving them under the desk, likely to the recycling bin. Phew, maybe I'll be out of here in record time?

"I suppose we should cease wasting time then." states the Oracle, tapping the desk. "What is your current affiliation with the Candidate of Planeptune?"

"Hired help." I reply. It's not exactly the best description of what I do, but everything else would be more complicated and not get the point across as well.

"Duration of employment?"

"Are we talking since when I joined or until I leave? Either way, I was 'hired' three days ago, and I don't know when I'll be leaving -" I stop myself from going further on that, since she doesn't need to know about my insecurities, "But I assume it'll be when this mess is over and done with."

Kei nods, pausing to scribble down notes for several moments. I furrow my brow. Seriously? Is this an interrogation?

"Method of payment?"

"Although I'd love to say pro-bono - uh, that's the right word for it?" I get a shrug back. "I am paid in food, and board. I also take guild quests that could be done in the areas we go to, and take credit for those."

The oracle raises an eyebrow at my last statement.

"What? I make money where I can." I respond defensively. Stop that, dammit!

"Any affiliation with ASIC?" she continues

"None." Zero pausing there, thank goodness.

"Home nation?"

"I'd rather not say."

The Oracle again stares at me, trying to gauge my expression, I guess. I have no idea what expression I do have, and I've never been the best at controlling it anyway, so…

"Is there a reason for that?" she responds again, several moments later. Seriously, she needs to lighten up a bit.

I begin to speak, before I cut myself off. No, she doesn't need to have that answer.

"I'd rather not say."

There's a deep breath, before she shakes her head.

"We need to at least know that information, as we cannot locate your personal information on the Lastation database."

"Who's looking?" I reply, but pause, knowing I've overstepped.

"We are." is the reply.

"Look, please just… don't, alright?" I don't have a good answer, and I can see this being a sticking point.

"Plea-"

"Next question, please." I cut her off. Not yet. I'm not willing to go out in the open just yet.

Before my eyes, I can slowly see the woman across the table's expression slowly chip and break away at the stony impassiveness it had before. The beginnings of a frown and a glare are beginning to show themselves.

"Do you follow Lady Black Heart." Ahh, there we go. Starting to hit the big money questions.

"No."

Once more, the Oracle blinks back at me. "Which goddess do you follow?"

"I do not follow a goddess."

Again, there's a long pause as more notes are scribbled down on me. I can't help but feel curious about what she's writing.

"Why are you associating with a CPU Candidate, then?"

"I am associating with Nepgear." I emphasize, "due to the fact that one, she is responsible for hiring me, and two, I do not particularly fancy dying when ASIC somehow manages to end the world in some sort of inane scheme."

An eyebrow is raised in response. "Do you truly believe ASIC will attempt to accomplish something like that?"

"I do not know. All I can do is expect the worst, and hope for the best." I shrug. I honestly don't know what happens if they win. Never saw it in the game.

There's a nod back. More notes. Seriously, just… Ugh, I know I asked you to- Do you really need to have a file on everyone?

"What chances do you believe… Nepgear… has to succeed in her task?"

"The retrieval of the CPUs from the Gamindustri Graveyard?"

"Correct."

"At the strength we're at now? I'd say… Uh, it's not zero but it's pretty damn close." I state, looking Kei dead in the eye to let her know that I'm serious. "I've never had the misfortune to meet any of the CFWs myself, but from what I've heard, they're definitely terrifying on the battlefield. Right now, we only have three frontline fighters, in which I am counting myself, a single battle-mage, and a medic. We have no ranged support, basically no magical capabilities, and going into the graveyard right now would be suicide."

There's a nod of approval from the Oracle. "So you believe that the situation is… in a difficult place?"

What are you getting at?

I lean back, taking a moment to catch my breath. "That's a really weird way to put it, but sure, I guess?"

There's a pause, so I take my own shot in the dark.

"May I ask a question of my own?"

"You may, as long as the question is relevant."

"What purpose did you have, setting Nepgear and Uni to encounter one another at Septent Resort?"

The Oracle blinks at me. "Pardon me?"

"The Hematite is too pure to have been merely carried around by a monster, and the sharp edges on the stone resembled the faults created by manual mining. Thus, I have reason to believe that the ore was planted there, for a specific reason."

The Oracle remains silent.

"Look, let me put this in words you can understand." I state, trying and failing to keep the anger out of my voice. "I don't actually care that you made us run around for nothing. I don't even really care that it was set up. But from what I heard, your little puppet show was this close to causing disaster. Don't you care about that at all?"

"I am not the one being interviewed here." is the canned response.

"This isn't an interview, you know it. It's an interrogation, but seriously!" I fume.

"Look, you're not good with people. I get that. But for the love of god. At least open your eyes! Do you have any idea what would've happened if I hadn't stepped in when I did? You're hurting people, Kei, even if you aren't aware of it!"

More silence. I'm starting to lose it. Why isn't she reacting? Is she not listening at all?! Does she have no idea what she did- and what she will do to Uni?

"Now, I'm sure you're the absolute master of the desk job and whatever, but you, Kei, suck at working with people. Completely and utterly! Why don't you just… Iunno? Hire a secretary or something? Go back to working your soulless little robot heart at doing what it does best?"

The Oracle's mouth opens slightly.

I shake my head slowly. "Look. Just… I'm… Fuck it."

I get up, push myself off the desk, and turn away.

"This interview is not over." I hear Kei, a dangerous tone in her voice.

"It's over." I sigh. "Look, I need to calm down. If you still want to micromanage me to death, maybe some other time, but right now, you're getting nothing of value from me, just like I got nothing of value from this entire thing."

I can practically feel the death glare on my back as I step through the door and close it behind myself. One of the guards gives me a questioning stare, but I shake my head and keep walking. I said some bad things, but I'll be honest, someone needs to say them to her.

And really, a person like me really is the best at taking the fall, aren't they?

I'm hungry, and it'd be good to get my mind off of this mess.

Belly full, and ordeal with Kei nearly forgotten - as it should be - I take the time to stroll through Lastation's streets.

The city itself, from what I can tell from one of the convenient nearby map kiosks, is pretty much divided into nine major sections, with roads running through the sections, like the spokes on a wheel. The sectors seem to mostly be for keeping the main population away from the industrial sector, which seems to be mostly smog-spewing factories. Of course, it's not purely industrial, with a spattering of apartment complexes near the factories - probably cheap housing for workers.

It's located in the southeast, extending partially towards the south and east sectors, which mostly form a buffer by being mostly warehouses.

Didn't Uni say she was in the east sector? Then that'd mean that someone is working out of a warehouse, or something. Either that, or they were in a back alley somewhere.

The north, northwest, west, and central sectors seem to be mostly dedicated to housing, and the northeast and southwest sectors are commerce.

Basically, this city is far too over-engineered. Right now, I'm in the northern sector.

There's rows upon rows of houses to each side of me, each just slightly different from the next. Still, each and every one fits a general mold.

Would I ever want to live here? I don't actually know. I can't even imagine settling down, but… that has to happen at the end, right?

I pass people on the streets: each walking with purpose as they stride towards either their jobs, or some other, urgent errand. But I'm here. I'm just here…

I shake my head, as I pick up the pace. There's more of the city to see.

The northeast sector is different. Rather than the spattering of individual houses, the structure is instead that of various stores of many different types, from fabric to machinery, to food.

I glance from window to window as I continue my walk. Magazines, sausages, furniture. It all gazes back at me, through thin panes of glass. I can see people haggling with one another from one shop to another, and even a street vendor selling hotdogs for insane prices.

Just like home.

I pause just before an antique weapon shop. Several weapons of many types gleam behind the door.

Y'know what? Let's take a look. As much fun as melee weapons are, I'm not going to throw away a chance to try something new.

Smiling, I open the door and step inside.

Rack after rack of weapons greet me on the inside, as does the enthusiastic cashier, a red-haired woman wearing a green bonnet. "Welcome! What can I get'cha?"

I smile back. "Just checking out the setup, will tell you if I see anything that suits my fancy."

I don't expect to be able to buy anything with my current budget, which is still sitting around at a little bit over a thousand credits. Still, it's a good idea to take a look, right?

Okay, so what's my current setup: My knives work pretty well as a holdout weapon, I've definitely got short range covered with my knives and Seamus, so that just leaves long range as my weak point.

What'd be the best way to cover that…

"Do you have any cheap handguns?" I ask the cashier, leading the woman to walk over to where I am.

"We do, but they're a bit… defective." admits the cashier, as she leads me over to a cabinet full of handguns. "These particular guns date back to when the manufacturers were still working out the perfect balance between rate of fire and power. They were really popular a long time ago, but fell out of favor the minute better guns came along."

I raise an eyebrow in response. "What do you mean?"

"These guns aren't very good against monsters. You're an adventurer, right?" I nod back in response. "So, monsters tend to attack in groups, right? With a gun like this, you need to reload it too often to really use it effectively."

Considering how I'm thinking of only using this to plink distant targets, that's not an issue.

"I… see." I answer. "How exactly would one reload it, anyway? I mean, does the ammunition replenish, or do you have an infinite ammunition pouch to go with it?"

"This your first gun?"

"Bingo."

The cashier sighs. "I'd recommend a better gun, like a rifle or a shotgun. One of these things will only get you killed."

I shake my head at her. "I'm not planning on using this thing as my main weapon: only as a sidearm."

That gets a blink back in confusion. "Sidearm?"

Sidearms… aren't a thing here?

"Y'know, as a secondary weapon? Or… tertiary weapon, in my case. I'm not dumb enough to use a low-ammunition weapon as my main."

The cashier gives me a strange look. "... Are you sure you can even use the gun? We have a range out back, if you need to test it out.."

I shrug. "I'm feeling lucky. Can I try out the revolver-looking one?"

I'm led to the back, where an impromptu shooting range awaits. A target sits, a good three or four metres away.

The cashier hands me the gun, along with a small, light pouch. "The pouch contains the ammunition. It refills itself as you spend the ammunition within the gun."

Opening the pouch and looking inside reveals only six bullets. So this is how it works here, huh?

Carefully, I dismount the ammunition housing, and load it full of bullets. With a satisfying click, I mount the housing back in its original position, and aim the tip of the gun downrange. I can definitely understand the reluctance to sell me the gun, though: it took me a good thirty seconds to reload this thing. Finally, I cock the hammer of the gun, and fire towards the target.

Ow.

Okay, recoil is definitely a thing here. It's a bit like someone punching me in the bicep, firing this thing. On the plus side, it's definitely a lot quieter to fire these sorts of guns than one in real life: I don't think I'll even need hearing protection for this one.

No debris either, so I'm mostly home free.

The bullet impacts a good couple of centimeters away from the center of the target, but considering this is the first time I've fired a gun, ever, that's not bad.

I turn towards the vendor, who nods back. I guess I'll keep shooting.

The next five bullets are about as accurate, striking the target around the bullseye, but only one hitting within a centimeter of the dead center. Still, not bad.

The gun emptied, I nod back to the vendor. "I'll take it."

"You sure? Wouldn't it be incompatible with your other weapons?"

I answer that, of course, but whirling around and throwing a knife into the target. Sadly, I'd say my aim is better with the knife than with the gun, striking far closer to the center than any of my shots earlier. I guess I've got another thing to practice.

"I'm sure." I grin, watching the merchant's confused blink. The knife sticks there for several moments, before it despawns, leaving a pristine target behind. Guess they regenerate? How handy.

The gun by itself is only six hundred credits. The holster for it sets me back another hundred, and the pouch another hundred fifty. Considering how the pouch is supposed to be compatible with 'any' single-handed gun, and be able to mimic any 'preset' ammunition, I'm amazed it went for that cheap.

So, now standing outside, with a brand new gun in my hand, I do the first thing I can think of.

I wander off towards an electronics shop, buy a roll of duct tape, a laser pointer, and make an impromptu laser sight. Because why not. This is my weapon now: I'm going to do what I want to do. And what I want is the ability to actually know what I'm aiming at.

I'm whistling to myself as I head towards our meet-up point. Like clockwork, Nepgear is there with the girls, clutching some kind of disc in her hand. "Hey, Derek!"

I wave back at her. "Sup, Gear? Did you manage to get the Mascot?"

"We definitely did!" chirps the Planeptune Candidate. "What'd Kei want to talk to you about?"

"No idea. I told her she sucked at her job and that she should retire and hire a new secretary." I answer, face unmoving.

"Hahaha…" begins IF, smirk across her face, before it drops. "Holy crap, you actually did. Are you completely insane? Do you want to be arrested?"

I shrug. "No idea. I got myself a new handgun too." I reveal my new toy, although the effect is sort of ruined by the random inclusion of a laser pointer duct taped to the bottom.

"Uhh... What's wrong with it?" asks Nepgear, head tilted to the side. "It looks like it's not supposed to look like that."

"Quick-n-dirty laser sight." I answer, as I flip on the laser pointer and point it at a nearby wall. "It's not the most accurate thing, but it'd be better for on-the-run firing. Thought it'd be nice to be able to take down flying targets, and it's not like… Well, if it's not entirely accurate I can always take it off and putting it back on somewhere else."

"So who do you plan on giving that gun to, then?" asks Compa.

"I don't understand. I plan on using it." I answer.

Compa stares at me strangely. "I didn't know it was possible to use two different types of weapons…"

I'm staring back at her now. "You're joking, right? You saw me using Seamus earlier, right? That's a different weapon type, right there."

"I thought that was only for jokes." adds IF, taking a sip of a drink. "Yeah. I can't think of anyone who uses two different types of weapon at the same time. Isn't that a lot harder to do?"

I shrug. "I mean, yeah, the gun's pretty much going to be used against specific things."

There's shrugs all around. "I mean, if you want to not specialize, then you can be you, I guess." answers the agent. "Still, we should tell Kei that we're headed up to Lowee now. Nepgear, you've got your winter clothes, right?"

"Yep!" answers Nepgear, before she explains what I missed. "We actually arrived back at one, so we went shopping instead. If you had run into us, we'd have been able to help you buy your stuff too!"

RED adds her own opinion: "It'd be nice to have someone to carry around our bags for us, too!~"

The guards give me another strange look as I strut back towards the Basilicom, but again, they do nothing.

Kei, on the other hand, does a little bit more than nothing. Just barely, though.

"Understood." answers Kei. Her gaze on me is cold, and emotionless… Just as before.

And that's the only thing she says, before she leaves the room.

"What the hell did you do?" asks IF, as she turns towards me.

"I told her she sucks and then left mid-interview." I reply, shrugging. "I'm amazed I wasn't dragged back."

There's an eye roll from IF, but with all of our tasks completed, we turn to leave.

Just in time to nearly collide with a familiar face.

"Oh, hey Nepgear! How are you doing?" asks Uni, having just stepped in through the front door.

Wasn't she hiding behind a desk in the games?

"Oh, hey Uni! Are you feeling better? I'm really sorry about last time." smiles Nepgear, all too happy to have a friendly face to talk to.

"Oh, no problem. I was just having a bad day." answers Uni, although she's scratching the back of her neck nervously as she does so. Yeah, bad day.

"We're headed up to Lowee next, do you want to come with us?"

Uni seems to mentally run something through her head. "No, sorry. I can't. I've got things I need to do here first. I might be able to meet you in Leanbox, but even that's not a sure thing. Sorry about that, but the nation comes first, right?"

Nepgear nods, and exits the door, followed closely by RED, IF, and Compa. I, being the last one in the Basilicom, take it upon myself to fall upon the sword.

"Oh, and Uni? Sorry 'bout Kei. She might be in a bit of a bad mood." I state, as I dash through the door.

"What, what about Kei? Derek? WHAT DID YOU DO?" come the panicked shouts from behind me, but I don't stop running.