Location: Lastation
"We're not going to have any luck finding this Nation's Mascot are we?" Compa asks with a discouraged tone
IF sighs, "looks like we'll have to pay a visit to the Oracle of the nation"
"Oh, that's right" Compa brightened up immediately, "Iffy, why didn't we go to the Oracle first?" she asks with a tilt of her head
"If I'm being completely honest, I don't want to interact with her" IF says
"tú y yo, cariño, tú y yo" Nepgear mutters under her breath
"she doesn't have the best reputation" She finishes her statement, "the heck was that Nepgear?"
"Huh?" the Lilac haired girl looked at her brunette friend with a puzzled look on her face
"The thing that you just said under your breath"
"Oh, that… don't worry about it" Nepgear says with nervous giggle
"Gear…"
"It's nothing bad, Honest" Nepgear said while raising her hands placatingly, "it just slipped out"
"This is one of those things, isn't it?" IF asks tiredly
"Kinda?"
"Ge-Ge…"
"Look, I get it" Nepgear says with a sigh, "its annoying, I know which questions will lead to what questions that I can't answer"
"Can you at least translate what you said" IF asks annoyed
"No questions on why I said what I said?"
"Fine!"
"I said, 'you and me both, sweetheart, you and me both'"
IF just looks at Nepgear, she so wants to ask her what she meant by that but she just basically swore that she wouldn't
Plus its nice that someone else shares the same sentiment as her even if she doesn't know why or how the Lilac haired girl knows that Oracle
Or even what her beef with the Oracle is
Location: Lastation Basilicom
"Excuse us" IF says as they enter the Lastation Basilicom
Inside was only one person
The person was a short woman that has the proportions of a child, she has white hair and blue eyes, and is wearing an extravagant suit with shorts instead of pants
"Welcome to Lastation, I am Kei Jinguji, the oracle of the nation" she greets them, "it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Miss IF and Miss Compa of Planeptune"
"I Believe you have questions for me" she goes straight to the point without missing a beat
"Eh? How do you know us" Compa asks confused
"Intelligence gathering is part of economics, I've gathered information on the two of you since your arrival" Kei answers evenly
"Yeah, She definitely earned that reputation" IF says dryly
Nepgear hums in agreement to IF's statement, "we're looking for Lastation's Mascot, I'm assuming that you know where it is"
"Whether I do or not is irrelevant"
"Is that right…?" Nepgear says, her irritation already spiking up
"Indeed, instead I want to ask you how much is this information worth to you" Kei continues on without noticing or just ignoring Nepgear's ire
"Its value?" IF asks with pursed lips
"Of course, a proper exchange of information through an agreed upon value system is the key to business" it could just be them but Nepgear and IF could hear a level of smugness in her voice
"But we don't have much credits…" Compa says as she looks through her bag
"That's quite alright, there is no money required, rather, I'm willing to trade the information for a… Personal… Favor"
"What kind of personal favor"
"Lastation is currently developing a special item and we are missing some very crucial materials" Kei says looking the trio seriously, "a Hematite crystal and a Treasure gem"
"WHAT?! You know just how rare those items are!" IF yells at her
"Iffy, how rare are those items?" Compa asks
"So rare that even finding information on where to get them is considered a lost cause" IF explained to her friend, "this is an extremely one-sided deal"
"How unfortunate, it seems I misjudged just how valuable this information is to you" Kei said with a smile on her face
"You…!" IF was getting extremely frustrated with the woman
"There is also something else I will need, I need the information of what happened 3 years ago in the graveyard"
"How did you know about our trip to the Graveyard?"
"Circumstantial evidence, but how can I be wrong with Miss Nepgear standing in front of me"
"So you knew about Nepgear all this time"
"Well? Where is Noire? Why are you the only one back?"
"Jodida zorra sabelotodo" Nepgear says out of nowhere with a surprising amount of venom in her voice, surprising everyone else
"Pardon" Kei says
"Did I stutter perra?" Nepgear says, "you seem to love twisting this 'deal' further and further into your favor"
Kei was surprised by Nepgear's push back
"So let me make you understand how much value that your information has" Nepgear continues, "36 hours"
"36 hours?" Kei asks
Even IF and Compa looks confused
"36 hours, that's how long my Aces need to brute force finding the Mascot" Nepgear said, "that's how much of my time that you'll be saving by giving me that information"
"On the flip side, your 'personal favor' will take days if not weeks of my time that I value very much, so tell me who has more value available to them, hmm?"
Kei was understandably flabbergasted into silence
"IF, Compa lets go, our business with this Zorra empresarial repugnante y sin empatía is done" Nepgear turns around and starts making her way out of the Basilicom
IF and Compa quickly follow after Nepgear
Later
A short distance out of Lastation proper
"Ge-Ge, can you actually find the Mascot in a day and a half?" Compa asks Nepgear
Nepgear said nothing as a portion of her shadow split off
The portion of shadow that split off split further into two shadow pools
Out of one emerged Magi, kneeling respectfully behind Nepgear to her right
Out of the other emerged a fair skinned girl with green cat eyes who is wears a white and gold priestess outfit, she has shoulder length golden blond hair that is left flowing
"Gear?" IF calls to the lilac haired girl
"Iffy, Compa, meet Trink" Nepgear says with a smile
"Hello~" Trink spoke with a sweet tone of voice
And then IF and Compa saw the odd and slightly disturbing feature about her is which is that she has an abnormally long tongue that can reach the base of her neck
"Girls you know what to do"
"Yes, Lady Nepgear" they said in Union
Magi was swallowed by shadows before a pitch black shade Fenrir with deep crimson eyes takes her place while Trink was covered by yellow lightning and a gold and black lighting eagle with vivid Green eyes takes her place
The pair of them just take off to wherever Nepgear decided they need to go to
"So that's it? We just wait for a day and a half" IF looks to Nepgear for confirmation
Nepgear nods, "yep, so who wants to go do some quests and get some precious shares from ASIC?" she asks with a grin
AN: Canon? what canon? we're derailing this ship buddy!
Translations:
Jodida zorra sabelotodo = Fucking know-it-all bitch
perra = bitch
Zorra empresarial repugnante y sin empatía = disgusting unempathic business bitch (basically)
I forgot to add the translations when I posted the chapter, oops