Here again, with more stuffz for y'all!

Unlike 90% of the other Nepfics, this one has proper grammar and punctuation!

Well, at least I sure hope so.

That said, let us start the show!

Disuclaima: I'm certainty not Compa, desu! Neither Iffy, for that matter!

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•Beneath Her Emerald Gaze•

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I still remember it clearly, even after so much time.

When I first met her, it was just another mission.

Neverending car horns. Incessant chatter cutting through the air. Innumerable footsteps from all sides. The warm sunlight coming from the clear skies.

It's a normal day in the bustling capital city of Leanbox, just as it has been for much time. In a way, it's almost as if Green Heart hasn't been absent from the Land of Green Pastures for a whole year.

Amidst the moving crowds, two figures stand still on the edge of the sidewalk, careful not to block the way for any hasty citizen.

One is a mature woman clad in a black suit, with striking scarlet hair which descends freely to her upper back and piercing green eyes staring pointedly at the one before her.

The target of the supposed glare is a similarly sized girl covered by a long brown coat which descends to her legs, long hair a pure blue flowing with the breeze and violet eyes nervously darting around the place, averting the woman's sight.

'Protect the famous idol until ASIC is no longer a threat' my superiors ordered me, and my sense of duty did not allow me to protest.

"S-So, um..." the girl bashfully begins, finally finding enough courage to meet the woman's eyes. "A-Are you t-the o-one they s-sent?"

Emerald orbs narrow, and just on cue the idol noticeably flinches.

'It is as if this girl is terrified of her own shadow... How pathetic.'

"Indeed. I am Cave, from the Special Missions Department," she responds in a professional tone, resisting the urge to roll her eyes when the girl lets out a relieved sigh. "You must be Miss 5pb., right?"

"Y-Yes!" the girl squeaks, only for her face to redden afterwards. "I-I mean, I am."

It truly takes willpower for Cave not to scoff.

"As you know, I shall act as your bodyguard from this day on. In the case I find myself unable to do so, a second agent from another department shall be deployed to work in my stead," the woman calmly explains in a level tone, eyeing the idol without any discernible emotion. "As such, you will always be accompanied by someone. Do you understand?"

5pb. nods nervously, far faster than any normal human being would ever think of nodding in a social environment.

Once again, Cave almost rolls her eyes at the sight.

Me, the unsociable woman who had no interest in anything besides work, was to protect a young idol for an unspecified amount of time.

Green eyes proceed to scan the area, clearly seeking something. "May I ask why the change of plans? Meeting in such a place is unsafe."

"T-The recording was rescheduled t-to start earlier, s-so the Producer told me we'd meet on the way!" Noticing the woman's raising eyebrow, 5pb.'s panic only grows. "I-I-I'm sorry! B-But my usual bodyguards are always f-following me! S-So there's nothing to worry about!"

'That still sounds like idiocy if you ask me.'

Instead of voicing her thoughts, Cave lets out a simple hum of understanding. Just on cue she spots several citizens throwing them occasional glances, from a woman on her phone on the other side of the street to a young man seated in a nearby bench.

She knows a fellow bodyguard when she sees one, and there are many of them.

It's simply sad how they are utterly useless.

'They seem close, but they are actually too far. I could have killed this girl several times by now, and they would be utterly unable to do anything amidst the crowds.'

This time, a mostly contained scoff manages to escape her lips.

'Amateurs.'

"B-But, anyway!"

Cave's eyes once again fall onto the embarrassed girl, noticing how she shifts uncomfortably at that. "Yes?"

"W-We should be going! I-I'm even later now!" Lyrica declares, and before the woman is able to respond, she does the unthinkable.

She walks away.

Hastily.

A flash of surprise crosses Cave's face, only to fade not even a moment later as she takes off towards the idol.

'What sort of person rushes ahead of their bodyguard?!'

The grimace which reaches her lips is wholly understandable.

It seems this girl will be a troublesome one...

To this day, it still sounds like a bad joke.

Even so, I am glad for their awful sense of humor.

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At first, I did not think much of her at all.

But when I saw her sing, I truly believed I was dreaming.

"Alright, I think we're all set," the young man clad in a gray business suit declares from his seat, placing the large headset on his spiky raven hair.

Leaning towards the panel in front of him, cyan eyes wander around for a moment. Eventually, he presses one of the innumerable buttons, speaking as he does so. "Whenever you want to start, Fives."

Across the glass, inside the dark soundproof room, 5pb. nods with a small smile. Instead of starting immediately, however, the girl takes her time in adjusting her outfit, from shifting her own headset slightly to running her hands through her mildly revealing idol clothes in order to smoother any wrinkles.

"Is that truly necessary?"

At the question, the producer lets go of the button and glances at the speaker, namely the red haired woman equipped with a similar headset standing next to his seat, arms folded as she observes the idol. "Excuse me?"

"These clothes," Cave clarifies, gesturing towards 5pb.. "Why use them for a simple recording?"

"Ah, she actually wears these more often than not," the man answers with a shrug, a calm smile on his features. "But if you were to ask me, I'd say she wants to feel like she's onstage."

Slight confusion crosses the woman's face.

"... I see."

However, she decides not to press any further.

'She truly is a strange one...'

It was not her heavenly voice which surprised me. Far from it.

"Oh, she's starting!" the young man suddenly says, an edge of excitement clear in his voice. "Here's a friendly advice, Ms. Bodyguard: don't tear your eyes off her."

A quizzical eyebrow raises, courtesy of the somewhat confused Cave. Why does he sound so eager to hear the girl sing? Is he not used to working with her on a daily basis?

Emerald eyes point at the idol across the glass. Her hands are clasped together as if to pray, and her eyes are closed, violet orbs completely hidden from view.

Suddenly, she opens them.

At once, a barrage of words flow from her mouth in a beautiful voice. On cue, her body starts moving alongside the music, slowly at first and then gradually increasing in speed.

Spins, sidesteps, not a single movement is wasted by the idol as she sings and dances as if in front of a crowd, executing the glaringly complex choreography perfectly.

The stuttering mess of a girl Cave met earlier is completely gone, and in her place is a confident diva who knows the spotlight is hers.

Before the woman knows it, she's completely absorbed by the sight.

In a moment, her whole being changed, almost as if a hidden switch had been turned on in her very soul.

The music is an active one, far from Cave's preference. And yet, as the once shy girl holds what is nothing short of a private show to her, the woman finds herself inexplicably drawn to it.

It makes no sense, but it feels right.

"So?" the producer begins, a wide grin present on his face. "She's far better live, isn't she?"

It's not as if she'd know how the girl is otherwise, Cave silently muses. However, she still nods, green eyes never leaving the idol.

'She might be interesting, after all...'

Perhaps this won't be such a troublesome job.

And so she caught my attention, far easily than I thought possible.

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When I accepted the job, I saw it as just another bodyguard assignment, not caring about the specifics of protecting an idol.

It is not a surprise, then, that I eventually paid for my ignorance.

Under the cloak of the darkness, two figures move through the dirty alleyways of Leanbox.

Distant chants make themselves known amidst the night, innumerable voices shouting '5pb.' over and over, long after the show has been concluded.

They might sound far, but that doesn't matter. Unfortunately, it's not as if the loud ones are the only enemies.

A sudden turn right, a hasty sprint, the vaulting of a fence.

The woman has to admit, she's impressed, if not utterly flabbergasted. The 'defenseless little girl' she has to defend is far more resourceful than she thought.

5pb. moves with almost the same speed and grace as her, leaving Cave to wonder just how the idol trains her body. From jumps worthy of Olympic medals to complex acrobatics, the blue haired girl clad in her long brown coat, hiding her idol outfit underneath, seems far more used to this than she should be.

It's disconcerting, in a way.

A sudden call. The woman places the phone next to her ear, not stopping for a moment as she listens to the instructions.

Not wasting time, she turns right, the girl doing the same alongside her.

'There!'

Parked near the sidewalk is an inconspicuous gray car with dark tinted windows, one which a normal middle-class citizen would be able to buy. And yet, the small sticker located ten centimeters underneath the handle of the rear door, a musical note exactly like the one on the idol's stomach, tells Cave all she needs to know.

There's no chauffeur. Instead, just as they reach the vehicle, the woman immediately pulls the front door open and falls on the motorist seat, shooting a quick nod at the middle-aged man seated on a nearby bench.

Turns out the hidden bodyguards are actually quite useful, even if only to support her.

Realizing the engine is already running, Cave simply closes the door before waiting for 5pb. to get on the front seat and do the same before stepping on the gas.

As the car departs, she spots on the mirror several shadows exiting the alleyway. Fortunately, not one seems to notice them, eliciting a rare sigh of relief from the woman.

'That was far more troublesome than I expected...'

"You didn't need to do that..."

At these words, Cave sends a brief sideways glance at Lyrica, only to realize violet eyes are focusing at her with a semblance of... hatred? Annoyance?

Disappointment...?

"You didn't need to do that, you know..." the girl slowly repeats, surprising the woman with her lack of stuttering. "You... You hurt them."

At first, I did not realize what I had done. I was utterly unprepared, and simply followed my instincts.

"They were a threat," Cave calmly explains, tone as professional as ever. "It is my job to ensure your safety."

Besides, it's not as if a few kicks and energy shots would hurt anyone too badly. If anything, they'll have some annoying muscle pains and small burns for a few days, but nothing more.

"Even so..." 5pb. trails off, eyes pointing outside as she searches for the correct words. "It's not like they really wanted to hurt me. They were just... fans who didn't know any better."

For a moment, the words don't seem to phase the woman at all, green orbs completely focused on the street.

And then, her eyes widen unnoticeably as she suddenly realizes.

'Civilians.'

That's what they were. Those ones she attacked without warning were nothing more than civilians.

It was a completely unnecessary action. It could have been avoided by simple intimidation or outright skipped had they ran away first.

Cave didn't fight off assassins.

She hurt citizens who couldn't even fight back.

'Curses...!'

A soldier so used to fighting she could not properly analyze a slightly more mundane situation. That was me, as sad as it sounds.

"A-Also..." the idol's voice suddenly breaks the woman out of her thoughts. "Y-You should see this..."

Emerald orbs once again glance at the girl, only to see a phone being shived at them-

'Wait.'

This time, Cave's eyes widen noticeably.

On the screen is most certainly a news site, and a famous one at that.

That's not what catches the woman's attention, however. Instead, it's the peculiar photo displayed there. Most specifically, the photo of her carrying 5pb. bridal style whilst gracefully ramming her right shoe against the face of a random fan amidst the pseudo-rabid crowd.

Also, the headline exactly above it.

BULLET DANCER

Mysterious beauty runs off with 5pb. in her arms!

Inaccurate, Cave silently muses to herself. She only carried the idol like that for, at most, one minute, and they didn't escape with the redhead holding her.

Also, she did not use magic bullets then, which means that the title is referring to the pair of energy weapons she used instead, and the fact that they seemingly acknowledge both her firearms and the continuous use of her arms to hold 5pb. is nothing short of inconsistent.

But, of course, that's not the problem at all.

A grimace crosses the woman's features. This time she has really done it.

"E-Everyone saw t-that..." the girl begins, stutter back in full force alongside a scarlet blush. "P-People are talking now..."

'Of course they are...'

Bodyguards don't need any spotlight, and yet that's exactly what she has brought onto herself with such a bold and thoughtless move. Tomorrow's news will certainly reveal her identity and occupation, effectively destroying her spot in the inconspicuous background.

It's much easier to be just 'that one bodyguard in a suit' when a close-up of your face isn't in the front pages, after all. She already protected many important figures without becoming important herself, and that's exactly how she wanted it to continue.

Becoming a celebrity herself will be nothing but a hassle, she just knows it. Not only for this job, but perhaps for all the others to come.

Cave might as well give up on ever going undercover again.

'How grand...'

This is undoubtedly the biggest mistake she has ever made during her whole career–no, her whole life. Chika is surely laughing like an accursed hyena by now.

For the whole Gamindustri to know her name, occupation and the fact that she's 5pb.'s bodyguard-

"T-They're saying we're l-l-lovers!" the blushing idol squeaks.

'... What.'

Needless to say, that destroyed just about any thoughts going through the gaping woman's mind.

"L-LOOK OUT!"

"AH!"

And also her sense of self-preservation, if the near-crash which follows is of any indication.

That day, I realized just how disconnected I was from the real world. In that state, there was no way I could be her bodyguard effectively.

Also, that is how I found a dislike for the sensationalist media, but that is another story altogether.

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For as long as I can remember, I have always thought that she was something else.

It was not at first, however, that I realized just how amazing she truly is.

A green scenery, adorned by vibrant flora. Soothing silence, no one daring to interrupt it. A gentle breeze, rustling the innumerable blades of grass. Leaves float down at the sudden pull, coming to a rest under the shade of their trees.

Green eyes wander around the sight, almost as if admiring its beauty.

If only.

'The trees are too close to each other, a normal shot from afar is impossible, although I can't discard magic. An attack from above is surely a possibility, so I must stay attentive at all moments. There is also the possibility of an invisibility cloak, so-'

Even amidst such a beautiful forest, there's no way Cave would ever allow herself to lower her guard.

Although her posture seems slack and lacking, her hands are kept in such a way as to allow her to summon and use both a gun and a dagger in a moment's notice. In case the attacker is too close, she won't have time to analyze whether a pair of guns or a simple dagger would be optimal.

It might sound like paranoia, but, as Chika once put it, 'that's exactly your job description.'

Strange is the day she says something agreeable.

"R-Relaxing, isn't it?"

The woman glances back at the nervous girl with a shaky smile, currently wearing her idol outfit. Amaranth eyes encounter emerald, obviously waiting for some kind of answer.

"Indeed," Cave curtly responds with a small nod, not missing the barely concealed disappointment in 5pb.'s expression.

"I can see why you like such a place."

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"...?!"

It takes a moment for the woman to realize with surprise that those last words were hers, and hers alone. For just an instant, instead of her client, it was almost as if she was speaking to...

To Chika.

Alarmed green meets wide violet, noticing the spark of hope shining in the stunned girl's eyes. At the sight, Cave silently berates herself for her mistake.

'That was unnecessary...! Am I growing too familiar with her?!'

I was only her bodyguard, and yet she still attempted to befriend me at every turn. I did not even notice when my defenses began to crack.

"Ah, Y-Yes!" the idol says in her familiar squeaky tone, undoubtedly surprised at the woman's apparent attempt at small talk, before visibly flinching at her own voice. "I-I mean, that's right. I haven't done it in a while, but sometimes I, um, go out on walks to calm myself down."

"That sounds..." 'Idiotic. Irresponsible. Dangerous.' "... nice."

"I-It is!" 5pb. hastily replies, obviously emboldened by the woman's strangely talkative mood. "B-Being an idol isn't as great a people make it out to be. There's much, um, work to be done, and under normal circumstances my free time is, well, very scarce."

The idol doesn't continue, and Cave realizes she's waiting for some sort of response. At this point, she can't simply act as if she didn't hear anything.

'A neutral relationship is good, but souring it will bring nothing but problems.'

That's basic knowledge. Needless to say, her instructors taught her to favor 'neutral' and avoid both 'good' and 'bad' like a plague.

Evading the latter is priority, of course.

'Curses...'

"Even so, it seems you enjoy it," Cave says the first thing which comes to mind. "I cannot imagine another reason for you to maintain your career."

For some reason, that elicits a quizzical, even if uneasy, smile from the girl. "Um, fame? Money? Attention?"

Blinking, the woman can't stop a light shade of pink from surging on her face. "Well, there certainly are those..."

Still, to think greed of all things is what drive this girl forward-

"But I do love it. Being an idol, I mean," as if reading Cave's thoughts, 5pb. continues, eyes now wandering around the forest as she speaks. "As long as I can bring joy with my songs, I don't care how many times I tire myself out. Even if I always collapse at night, even if I can't ever be fully awake in the morning, I still can't afford to stop, not when ASIC is out there terrorizing Gamindustri. I just... want to bring happiness and hope back, as much as it might sound stupid and idealistic, you know?"

For a moment, the woman honestly doesn't know how to respond. For the girl to pour out her heart like that... This conversation has taken a far too unexpected turn.

Still, Cave can't help but feel a bit... impressed? Confused? Amazed at her drive. To hold such a wish and yet realize just how naive it seems...

Just what is this girl?

However, it doesn't matter how beautiful it sounds.

"That does not sound like a healthy lifestyle," the woman reveals her opinion.

'My job also becomes exponentially more difficult if you wander around half-asleep.'

It's simple logic, really.

"Even so, it's the one I like, and no one is changing that," comes 5pb.'s voice as violet once more meets green, an easy smile on her lips. Strangely enough, that certainly sounded like a warning. "Also, I'm not the only idol around. For my fans, i can't just let others like Ai or Tsunemi reach the top first, can I?"

It seems she's also somewhat competitive, Cave realizes.

'She is naive, cynical, selfless, selfish and most certainly stubborn...'

Again, just what is this girl?

'5pb... You truly are an interesting one, aren't you?'

"Those two are quite good in their own right," the woman replies after a moment with a shrug, resuming their exchange. "However, I cannot see them becoming too popular. Ai dances well, but her voice does not have a big impact during her performances, and while Tsunemi is certainly much better in that aspect, her movements are somewhat stiff."

Useless knowledge, the redhead muses. However, that's exactly what she needs in order to 'ingress into society as a normal human being' or some idiocy like that.

At least Chika said so.

When did Cave start listening to her, again?

Just then, familiar giggles break her out of her thoughts and back to the sight of the smiling idol.

"It's a bit strange listening to you talk like this," Lyrica muses, the happiness in her voice anything but subtle. "Did you become an idol reviewer when I wasn't looking?"

And, for the second time, a shade of pink attacks the woman's face as she averts her eyes, obviously feigning disinterest. "I was simply stating my opinion, nothing more."

"Besides, it's also strange for you not to be a stuttering mess" is something which she might have retorted with had she not caught herself.

"Then I'm glad you have such interesting opinions." The smile that the girl shoots her is bright enough to darken the blush.

"W-Well, in any case..." Cave hastily begins, surprising herself with her own meek tone. "I believe we already spent far too much time here. We should head back."

A horrible attempt at changing the subject, of course. The woman has never cursed her inexperience with normal interactions so much as now.

Lyrica's growing smile is proof enough that she saw right through the redhead's intentions, but the silent nod which follows is nothing short of a massive relief.

Without a word, they turn around and start walking back towards the city, a million thoughts running through Cave's mind.

'I made a mistake...'

And what a mistake it was.

My interest grew unnoticed, and before I knew it our relationship was 'good'. I failed spectacularly, and so the damage was done.

Thankfully.

Also, you may notice how wrong I was about the other idols. These days, their fanbases are massive enough to rival 5pb.'s, after all.

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Of course, in my mind are more than just the nice memories of us together.

Believe it or not, we never actually had a massive fight, but there are some things which were... decidedly embarrassing.

Now this is undoubtedly the biggest mistake in Cave's life.

Revealing her identity to the world and becoming highly visible pales in comparison to this.

Faltering and befriending the one who was supposedly only her client feels like nothing but a misstep as of this moment.

Attempting to cook an egg in the microwave in a rare moment of stupidity doesn't seem so idiotic anymore.

Letting her giant scissors fall into an Earth Pipe and spending the next few hours running around Lowee's outskirts alongside Lyrica as they somehow kept being teleported to nearby pipe monsters sounds like a simple error.

That moment when she accused a sleepy panda of being a terrorist feels so distant now.

At this point, every single one of her past miscalculations might as well be completely forgiven.

Because this is so much worse.

Unbidden, narrowed emerald eyes analyze the mirror before them as if eyeing the most nightmarish abomination.

Cold sweat trails down the woman's face, her mind attempting to form a proper response to the sight before her.

The old dark suit which gave her a professional air is no more, instead replaced by the customized, technologically reinforced and magically enchanted battle outfit issued to her.

In a way, these clothes are quite useful. For starters, they are incredibly resilient, undoubtedly more than Cave herself. Then, there is the fact that, even though they cover a lot of skin, they don't restrict her movements.

Therein lies the problem.

They aren't restrictive because the cloth which touches her body is tight enough for her to feel as if she's not wearing anything at all under the corset-like piece. Heck, she can clearly feel the breeze coming in from the window hitting the parts it shouldn't.

That is the kind of outfit this is.

Honestly, It felt extremely awkward at first to feel as if I was wearing the most useless and inappropriately explicit outfit possible...

And, as if that wasn't awkward enough...

"This is an abomination," the words escape the woman's lips before she can stop herself. "I look like a magical maid girl."

"I-I don't think it looks too bad!"

"How so?" Cave turns her disbelieving eyes towards the girl standing behind her, the one reason why she even bothered to try on this horrible getup. "It clearly is a well made cosplay, not a battle outfit."

"E-Even so..." the idol trails off, nervous smile on her lips. "I mean, it reminds me of a few outfits I wore before."

"Lyrica." The woman blinks, mildly surprised at the girl's lack of understanding. "I am a personal bodyguard. That is not a good thing."

"B-But what's so bad about it?" The idol asks with a quizzical look. "I mean, you look..."

Just like that, she trails off, amaranth eyes staring straight into emerald, much to Cave's confusion.

One second.

Two seconds.

Three seconds.

Four seconds.

Just as the woman is about to call out to the silent girl, she suddenly perks up, realization clear in her features.

Without a word, she turns around and walks up to her drawer, pulling it open before reaching into it, obviously seeking something.

That just heightens the woman's confusion.

"... Lyrica?"

As if on cue, the girl freezes for a moment before turning around and walking up to Cave, a triumphant smile on her lips.

The redhead can't help but raise an eyebrow at the pair of black silky ties in her hands. "Lyrica, what are you-"

"Hold it," the idol cuts her off before reaching for her scarlet hair and doing... something, completely ignoring the quizzical stare directed at her. Soon enough, her hands retreat, ties nowhere to be seen. "There we go, take a look."

For the second time in just a few minutes, Cave finds herself blinking in confusion. Even so, she shoots a glance at the mirror and-

'Why is my hair arranged in twintails?!'

The woman can say without hesitation that shock isn't something she feels often. And yet, her utter inability to formulate a proper response surely cannot be anything else.

"Now you look even cuter!" Lyrica suddenly comments from her spot behind the redhead.

'C-C-Cuter?!'

For the first time she can remember, pure scarlet of embarrassment overtakes her features.

'How am I cuter now?! That implies I was cute before! I am not- I cannot be cute! I am Cave, one of the top operatives of Leanbox! Not a c-c-cute girl! I-I was cute when I was younger, not now! I am not cute, nowhere near cute, I AM NOT-'

If Cave's mind was already in disarray, now it might as well be at its breaking point.

"I am not cute," whe declares in a relatively level voice, although a bit haster than intended, as she turns around to face the idol. "This is simply ridiculous. I am a grown woman, not... cute."

"H-Huh?" This time it's Lyrica's turn to look confused. "But... you do look cute in that outfit."

'Gah!'

"You must be mistaken," Cave insists once again, crossing her arms in an attempt to regain composure as her blush slowly fades into nothingness. "I simply cannot look cute. It is most certainly not my... 'style', so to speak."

"Oh..." The idol looks almost crestfallen at that. "W-Well, I can't force you to wear it of you don't like it, but... I really think it looks cute..."

'Hnnnnng...'

Green eyes avert disappointed violet, unwilling to be convinced by such a sight.

'No matter how sad she appears, I am not wearing such an unprofessional outfit and that is final.'

I never went back to my old suit afterwards.

"O-Oh!" Lyrica suddenly jolts, realization crossing her face once more as she glances to the side. "I can't believe I forgot! There was also a letter with the box!"

"Hm...?"

Following her line of sight, Cave notices the white envelope sitting atop the bed. With a raised eyebrow, she walks up to it, hands touching paper as she brings it to her face.

Silently, the woman berates herself for her own carelessness.

'I should have noticed it far sooner...'

The number of assassination methods involving letters is truly astonishing, after all.

It's then that she notices a minuscule symbol near its edge, an almost unnoticeable yet familiar L. She holds it against the sunlight coming from the window, only to see the very same symbol across the whole surface. Lastly, the woman slowly rotates the envelope, noticing how the L doesn't rotate alongside it.

All the while Lyrica shoots her a mildly confused stare.

'... Safe.'

With that settled, Cave doesn't waste time in ripping the envelope and taking hold of the folded note inside, the symbol slowly fading as she does so.

Unfolding the paper, the woman lets her eyes wander around its contents, mildly eager to see what sort of important message-

'Wait.'

This... isn't from any of her superiors.

Not one she respects, at least.

I honestly hope you enjoy this gift.

Did you know they allowed yours truly to make the design?

Isn't it great? Isn't it amazing?

You always wanted to be a magical girl, after all~

Oh, by the way, the laser devices were my idea.

If you don't know what I'm talking about, look into the box again~

Also, producing custom battle outfits is costly, so no returning it!

Love, C.

"..."

For a few seconds, the redhead simply stares at the short note.

Little by little, her mind processes the message.

And then, just as the confused idol is about to call out to her...

*CRACKLE*

Cave crumples the sheet of paper with all her strength.

'And you wanted to be a princess, you insufferable-'

... I refuse to offer further comment on this particular matter.

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I can certainly recount accurately all my cherished times with her. However, actually doing so would be simply ludicrous.

In that case, I believe we should end this with a fitting memory of mine.

The vast blue sea extends itself as far as the eye can see, as if infinite in size.

Sounds of crashing waves gently cut through the silence of nature as the Sun slowly disappears in the faraway horizon.

Near the edge of the cliff, two familiar figures sit on the rocky ground, admiring the breathtaking view before them.

Where once was the Graveyard is now a lively bay surrounded by a mountain range. All around, many kinds of aquatic monsters, from flying whales to dolphins with the same ability, descend on the water only to raise again afterwards, as if playing an unknown game.

Visible under the water is the wreckage of what once was a corrupted symbol of fear, and before that a bittersweet remembrance of those long gone. Ironically, life is all which occupies it now.

The woman's lips tug upwards as she spots a shoal of fishes swimming around the old ruins.

"It is amazing how much time has passed..." those words escape her lips almost subconsciously. "I can still remember when it fell."

"Yeah..." The girl beside her nods, a serene smile on her lips. "It's such a beautiful view now..."

Cave lets out a hum of agreement, and yet a trace of disappointment shines in her eyes. "Unfortunately, it will not last for much longer."

"Hm? Why?"

"The Guild placed wards all around this area," the redhead calmly explains, smile fading. "As soon as they extract the monsters and all which is either useful or dangerous, they will fill the bay with enchanted sand in order to combat the Graveyard's corruption."

"Oh..." Sadness is clear on both the idol's features and tone. "That's... unfortunate..."

"And yet necessary," Cave calmly adds, green eyes glancing towards violet. "Sometimes things change, and there is nothing we can do about it aside from accepting."

"I know that, it's just..." A sigh escapes Lyrica's lips. "I... just don't have to like it."

The woman can't help but chuckle at that. "That much is true."

With that, both fall into a comfortable silence.

The moment ASIC fell, although there were still members on the run, my assignment was officially over. And yet, I never left her side.

"You know, I'm glad we didn't..." the blunette suddenly speaks, earning a quizzical look from the woman. "Change that much, I mean. You're still here, I'm still here... It's like you're still my bodyguard."

"... Indeed." Cave's expression brightens a little as she continues. "We have been like this for quite a while now."

Lyrica suddenly lets out a giggle. "It's a bit surprising, actually. I didn't think you would stay around this long."

"Hm?" The redhead raises a quizzical eyebrow at the words. "Why is that?"

"W-Well..." A bashful smile crosses the idol's face. "You were a bit... scary back then. You didn't talk much, you had this angry face like you could snap at any moment and you always seemed annoyed at me. You felt... cold..."

Cave blinks confusedly, a frown on her features. "... Was I truly that bad?"

"Yes, you kinda were..." Lyrica responds, embarrassment clear as she averts the woman's eyes. "B-But you're better now. You're nicer, you talk more, you... You're the one thing that did change..."

Before Cave can react, emerald meets amaranth, and, with the brightest of smiles, the girl lets out three simple words.

"You feel warm now."

"W-Wha..."

True enough, the scarlet blush which overtakes the woman's face certainly feels warm.

"I-I do not understand," the stutters a bit too fast, suddenly finding the bay beneath them very interesting. "I do not feel as if I have changed much."

Another round of giggles sound. "Well, maybe you really didn't. I mean, your hand..."

"Hm...?"

Curiously, green eyes glance at her hand on the ground. Instead of open, with her palm touching the rock, it's closed, as if she's holding something.

Something... like a dagger.

Just as always, Cave silently muses. Still, for Lyrica to notice it...

"You never stopped doing that," the smiling girl continues, happiness laced with her voice. "Honestly, how long are you going to protect me?"

"For as long as I can."

"...!"

In an instant, pure shock replaces whatever was on the idol's features, her whole body going rigid in surprise.

In the meantime, all which appears on the redhead's face is confusion.

'Why such a reaction? Just as she said earlier, it is as if I still am her personal bodyguard. It is simply logical for me to keep her from harm.'

Yes, I truly thought that. No, I did not see anything wrong with it. Yes, I see it now. Would you kindly wipe that smirk off your face?

"... Lyrica?" Cave tentatively calls out to her. "Is something the matter?"

Suddenly, the girl jolts, head snapping towards an invisible object coincidentally opposite to the woman. "I-It's n-nothing! I-I'm fine! Really!"

"Lyrica..." A frown crosses the redhead's face at the idol's panicked voice. There's no way this is nothing. "Are you certain of that?"

"Y-Yes!" Lyrica replies immediately, not even glancing at Cave. "I-I'm sure, honest!"

Green eyes narrow. Every word which leaves the idol's lips only raises the redhead's confusion.

However...

A sigh escapes Cave's lips, the woman pointing her eyes towards the horizon. "Very well..."

If Lyrica does not want to speak about whatever is troubling her mind, Cave won't force her.

Instead, they once again fall into silence, this time considerably more awkward than before.

In a way, it is quite funny. Back then, I was understanding enough to respect her privacy, but not enough to disrespect it.

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"You know..." Lyrica's voice suddenly breaks the silence, leading emerald eyes to focus on her. The girl seems considerably calmer now, watching the sunset with a small smile. "I... I really am happy that you still want to protect me. So... thanks, Cave."

"Hm?" The woman simply raises an eyebrow at first, but soon enough her lips tug upwards. "There is no need to think much about it. It is nothing more than my own wish to keep you from harm."

"G-Geez..." A shade of red overtakes the smiling idol's cheeks. "C-Can't you stop with the embarrassing lines? I-I'm trying to thank you."

Cave blinks quizzically. "What is embarrassing about the truth?"

"U-Ugh..." Unsurprisingly, Lyrica's blush darkens considerably. "T-There you go again... J-Just forget about it." Violet eyes turn towards the sight of the descending light far away. "C'mon, we're going to miss the sunset if we keep talking."

'Changing the subject... or was I the one who made the previous one awkward?'

Social interactions will never stop being confusing, the redhead muses as she points her green eyes forward. Perhaps she should ask Chika what's so embarrassing about those lines later.

"I-I'm just happy you're still by my side, you know..." the idol comments after a moment, not even turning towards the woman, as if to obtain some sort of closure for the conversation.

"Indeed." Cave's lips slowly form a smile as she nods. "I hope we can continue our friendship for as long as possible."

And thus they become silent one last time, the pair of unlikely friends admiring the sunset until its end.

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...

Or so I thought.

"I-I-I DON'T!"

At the sudden shout, Cave's head snaps towards the idol. "Lyric- Mmph?!"

She freezes, eyes wide. Her breath is caught into her throat, just as her heart beats faster than it ever did. In an instant, every single thought in her head is utterly destroyed.

For a moment, the woman attempts to understand her current situation, an ordeal made even more difficult by her scattered mind.

Lyrica shouted something, to which Cave couldn't respond to.

Why couldn't she respond, though?

Something covered her mouth.

Something is covering her mouth.

Lyrica is covering her mouth.

Lyrica is kissing her.

Her mind threatens to fail her for the second time.

It was not like a movie. There were no fireworks, neither did I 'feel' her emotions through the contact. It was a kiss, and nothing more.

It was also the best moment of my life.

The kiss doesn't deepen, and neither does it last. Lyrica slowly pulls away mere seconds later, much to Cave's confusing disappointment.

The damage, however, was done.

Amaranth looks deep into emerald, one as shocked as the other. For several long instants, they simply stare at each other in something much like horror.

Little by little, a heat creeps up to Lyrica's face, slowly covering it in a striking red. Her expression begins to waver, pursed lips trembling slightly as focus returns to her eyes.

And then...

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...

"I-I'M SORRY!" the girl suddenly screeches as she scrambles to her feet, pure panic written all over her face.

It's then that Cave jolts out of her trance. "Wha- L-Lyrica?!"

"SORRYSORRYSORRYSORRYSORRYSORRY-"

Before the woman can say anything, the girl turns around and takes off as fast as possible, visibly tripping a few times before stabilizing herself.

"H-Hey!" Cave calls out to the fleeing girl as she hastily raises herself from the ground. "Lyrica, wait!"

"I'M SOOOOORRRYYYYY!"

If she heard them, the idol certainly doesn't heed to the woman's words, instead quickening her pace even more.

Cave lets out a loud groan as scarlet overtakes her features, mind finally catching up to the situation. "Honestly...!"

Not a moment later does her feet start moving, the woman breaking into a sprint to chase after the runaway idol.

However, even as she finds herself in such a troublesome situation, an uncharacteristic wide smile still manages to find its way to her face, a familiar line echoing in her mind.

'What kind of person rushes ahead of their bodyguard?!'

And so, as the two figures carelessly descend the mountain range, the Sun disappears unnoticed, the spectacle completely ignored by its previous audience.

What they found is more deserving of attention, after all.

It was then that I knew it.

Somewhere along the road, without my knowledge, I fell for her, and she for me.

That should never have happened. Falling for your client is the most careless, irresponsible and unprofessional thing a bodyguard can do.

However, I cannot bring myself to regret it.

And, as long as I'm with her, I know I never will.

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And so I'm done! As always, thanks to G.N. Over-Kite for Over-Beta-ing this!

In the end, this ended up as a bunch of mostly unrelated snippets to show some kind of development. In other words, just what I was aiming for.

It's a good day when the plans don't change halfway through!

So, was it good? Horrible? Cringy? Eggplant? Pudding?

Leave your review and I shall know it!

Now, Real Life calls! Zetta, disappearing.

~Fooor noooooow~

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"And there you have it," Cave declares as she takes hold of the glass filled with alcohol on the counter, emerald eyes focused on the green haired woman atop the stool next to her. "The resume of my so-called 'love story.' I hope you enjoyed it, because it is the last time you shall ever hear of it." With that, she takes a sip of her beverage.

"Don't worry, I loved it~" replies the greenette leaning on the counter, idly shaking her own glass, as she shoots her friend the most insufferable of smirks. "It was so informative, after all. You could afford to lose bets more often."

As she places her cup down, a long sigh escapes the redhead's lips. "'Informative'? What, pray tell, did you learn from that?"

"Lots of things," Chika coos mischievously, a cat-like grin developing on her features. "Like, for one, how I was such a big help in landing you who's objectively the cutest girl in Leanbox~"

In response, Cave simply raises a quizzical eyebrow. "And how did you reach that conclusion, I wonder?"

"From the numerous mentions of my name, of course~" The Oracle cheerfully responds, grin morphing into an inexplicably more annoying smile. "Also, it's quite surprising how Miss Maturity went for a cute idol. What happened to wanting an 'adult relationship'~?"

"Heads-up, Chika." The redhead's lips tug ever so slightly upwards. "Your jealously is showing."

"Oh, I'm jealous now?" This time it's the greenette's turn to raise an eyebrow, smug expression still in place. "And how did you reach that conclusion, I wonder?"

At first, Cave doesn't respond, taking a deep breath whilst silently pondering on her next words.

And then, a rare smirk crosses her face.

"Because Lady Vert will never see you as a woman."

"...!"

In that moment, the whole world freezes.

The chatter which once adorned the bar's atmosphere is gone, as if it never existed in the first place. Numerous stares focus on the pair, each one aware of what is about to happen.

Ruby stares into emerald, Chika not displaying any reaction to the declaration of war.

Finally, her smile twitches.

"Barkeep, the strongest one you have," the Oracle's level voice cuts through the silence.

At once, the whole establishment erupts into cheers at the incoming battle.

And no amount of willpower could have stopped the chuckle which escapes Cave's lips.

'Bring it, princess.'

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•Beneath Her Emerald Gaze•

~END~

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