Hey guys welcome to Ultima Adventure 2: Leanbox! Now then I should probably get those pesky disclaimers out of the way so...I don't own Hyperdimension Neptunia as it is the property of Idea Factory and Compile Heart. I only own my original monster concepts, and the over all plot to this story. Now then since it's a brand new adventure in a strange and mysterious new Leanbox...Let's Make It Extremely Showy!
=HDN=
It is the thousandth year of the rule of the sole CPU known as Kurome who has ruled over Ultima Dimension with her four generals. While it is peaceful their are many rebellions, and most people live in ignorance to the truth.
The Treasure Seeker name Bushiroad AKA Bushi was exploring the Burned Cradle Woods one day following a map that lead her to a cave. After solving it's puzzle she discovered a room with a large crystal in it, and would soon discover three girls within it.
They all had amnesia and went by the names Uni, Nyx, and Ram. Curious about their past, and why they were sealed in crystal they set off to Tales Castle to talk with the sole goddess of this dimension.
Though when cutting through Old Lastation they were captured and detained by the Black Wing Rebels and their leader IF. She wanted to solve a puzzle to obtain what she thinks could be a weapon to defeat Kurome, but was outwitted as the three escaped, and Nyx claimed a black crystal shard after some tough trials.
Though another challenge awaited them as they had to cross the Gamindustri Graveyard in order to find the staircase to Tales Castle. In the last minute a machine called Killachine Hell stood in their way as their was an unintended pilot which was revealed as a young girl named Nepgear. Ram claimed a green crystal from the machine as well.
Finally arriving they met Kurome who seemed to have a keen interest in the crystals, and wanted them. Hearing the voices of the crystals they refused, and was met with violence from the goddess. They were shot out of the castle as the crystals they obtained fell to the land below waiting to be found again.
Leanbox is the land that the general known as Chika is in charge of, and while she is kind to those in public that is but a facade. She has a cruel and mean streak as she 'punishes' those who dare question her or simply look at her funny.
She's enslaved every person who was once part of a rebellion and forced them to do laborious tasks. To pass it off she's told the people that she is simply rehabilitating them so they would better serve Leanbox once they were out.
This is where our story begins as one night a black star tinted with silver falls from the skies from the direction of Tales Castle.
=HDN=
A young woman sighed as she watched the stars from her home on the outskirts of Leanbox's capital city "Another night, and another day waiting to get home." The young woman muttered.
While Leanbox was her birthplace, and she had a small home their it wasn't were she lived as she had moved to Planeptune years ago to start a business. Her business was fairly popular, and she had a pretty smart apprentice.
She had decided to close up shop a couple days ago to take a much needed vacation, and try and visit her family. Yet now she was wondering if it had been a good idea as yet again her parents tried to get her involved with the family business.
"Our family has always served Lady Chika and run her rehabilitation centers. You are next in line to do so Linda. So do it!" Her father had told her sternly many times in the past.
The woman, Linda shakes her head as she didn't want to think about it "Rehabilitation center. Yeah right. More like a slave camp." She muttered to herself and looks back up to the stars.
"I saw that place myself when I was a kid. When dad took me their I was ecstatic at first because I thought he had the best job in the world, but then..." Linda thought and shivers recalling seeing a friend of her's there that had gone missing.
Apparently her friends parents were rebels so by Lady Chika's 'good judgement' that meant anyone related to the parents were rebels to. So her friend was taken to the camp. After seeing that, and the harsh treatment they were given Linda hated her fathers job and blind loyalty to not only Chika, but to Kurome.
As she thought about this Linda scanned the sky looking at different constellations before her eyes settled upon a startling sight. It was a black star that had silver mixed in with it, and while it wouldn't normally bother her this one did because it's trajectory put it right on course to land near her house. It also didn't look like it was a small meteorite that was going to crash either.
"Oh shit!" She says and ducks down bracing herself as it came closer to the ground.
Linda bites her lip and hears the crash along with a small explosion, but it was actually silent after that. No rock chunks flying, nothing coming through the walls or breaking the glass, and it seemed that no one else was rushing to check out the odd scene.
Linda got up slowly "Huh? Okay I swear I heard a crash, but...no carnage from the impact or explosion?" Linda muttered, and out of curiosity she decided to head outside to check out what was their.
She slowly slipped out her door grabbing her favorite reinforced lead pipe as she did so, and walked towards the small crater that was in front of her. As she did so she got a bit nervous, and when she was close she tripped over the edge and fell down into it.
Linda let's out a yelp and then a groan after sliding down to the bottom, but was more surprised that she stopped because she bumped into something. Getting up she saw what had caused her to stop sliding and lets out a small gasp.
"Well...what the hell have you been through?" Linda muttered looking at the girl who looked beat up and out cold.
Linda looks at her a few minutes and then sighs coming to a decision as she picked up the girl and carries her into her home.
=HDN=
Deep red eyes opened as a blacked haired girl looked around the room she was in, and noticed that she was in a bed. She also noticed that she actually had a lack of clothes from how things felt.
Before she could say anything a door opened and someone came walking in. It was a woman in her late teens looking to possibly be in her very early twenties. She had gray like skin, chin length moss green hair, and wore a short yellow red top that was designed to look like a broken heart. Over it she wore a gray mouse theme hoodie coat that went below her waist that had the same broken heart patter near the bottom on each side. She also wore gray jean pants and black lace up boots.
"Well glad you finally woke up kid. Sorry about your clothes, but they were dirty and smelled so kind of had to clean them." She says.
"My name is not kid. It's Uni." The black hair girl now revealed to be Uni replied to her.
"Name's Linda. Now that we're antiquated maybe you can answer me a few questions Uni." Linda says and Uni muttered blowing some hair out of her face.
"And what makes you think I'll answer them?" Uni replied glaring at Linda.
Linda rolls her eyes "Sheesh relax. Besides I'm the one that found you, I'm also kind of cleaning your clothes, and I brought you food." She says and Uni noticed the tray of food she has and her stomach grumbles.
Linda laughs a bit and sets the food down as Uni blushes in embarrassment before digging into the food "Okay let's start with something simple. Where are you from Uni?" Linda asked her.
Uni eats a bit then stops to look at her "I actually got no clue really. You see I've got amnesia, and the most I remember is my name along with..." She then stops eyes widening.
"Nyx!" She then shouts realizing she was separated from her little sister, and was about to leap out of the bed, but was stopped by Linda.
"Whoa there! Who's Nyx?" Linda asked as Uni stayed on the bed and looked down picking at the food.
"Nyx is my little sister. We were traveling together with a few others before we got separated." Uni told her.
"Ouch. So you probably want to find your sister huh?" Linda says wincing a bit.
Uni nods and begins to eat her food in a hurry "Yeah. I can't just sit here eating while my little sis is probably in some kind of trouble." she says.
Linda sweat drops "Uh huh. Though maybe you should wait on your clothes first." She tells her plainly as Uni looked ready to get out of the bed.
Uni stops remembering that "Right...probably a good idea." she said.
About an hour later Uni was back in her outfit and put her hair up in twintails like she had them "Actually I got a question for you. Where am I?" Uni asked.
"Your on Leanbox Uni. Given your amnesia you probably don't know this so...Leanbox is a small continent of the coast of the mainland of Gamindustri." She explained.
Uni groans hearing this knowing her only two options off Leanbox would be to fly in that strange form she and Nyx went into against Killachine Hell or to hop on a boat for a long trip. Since she wasn't sure how to access that strange form she knew she was stuck trying to hop a boat ride back to the main land.
"Thanks. Now I know I've got to catch a boat ride to the main land." Uni said.
Linda raised an eyebrow "Unless you plan on becoming a stowaway or know of a hidden rebellion vessel I don't think you'll be catching a boat anytime soon. You need a pass to go from nation to nation." Linda says as Uni looks at her confused.
Linda sighs and takes out a card that was purple, white, green, and black and stamped on each color was a different symbol for a nation in silver. Stamped in the middle was another much larger symbol.
"This is what is known as a Nation Pass. Years ago Kurome established this to make it harder for rebels to get through nation to nation, and these things are impossible to copy or fake." She began and points to the purple colored section.
"Each color and symbol represent a different nation someone is allowed entrance into, but that's primarily for the nations capital cities where the basilicoms reside." Linda continued, and then points to the middle.
"That symbol represents if your allowed entrance into Tales Castle." She added on.
Uni sighed "I'm guessing it also has to be verified for traveling between nations right?" She asked and Linda nodded.
"Great. Now I'm never going to find my sister or the others." Uni muttered.
Linda looked at her and considered a few ideas "Hey there might be a way...I mean if you really want to get to the mainland." She says and Uni looked at her.
"And that would be?" She asked, and Linda smirked.
"Oh no. I'm not just going to tell you for free." Linda tells her hands in her pockets.
"Let me guess...It's going to cost me right?" Uni deadpanned.
Linda nods and Uni groaned "Okay I don't have anything on me to..." She started.
"Whoa. I don't mean that kind of pay. You see while I am here on vacation I actually do have some things I need to grab to take back to my workshop in Planeptune." Linda started.
"Though there is a lot, and if someone were to help me..." She added on with a smirk as Uni caught on.
"You'd say...help that person get to Planeptune with you?" Uni finished and Linda nods holding her hand out.
"We got a deal?" Linda asked.
Uni shakes her hand "You better live up to your end of it though." Uni says.
"Hey no worries I will, but it will probably take me a few days to get us a boat I can sneak you on with me." Linda said.
"Okay, but for now I guess let's just focus on getting these materials." Uni said to her and they both walk out of her home.
=HDN=
"So what all are we gathering exactly?" Uni asked as Linda brings out a list and goes to a bush bringing out two large baskets.
"Fresh fruits, berries, and whatever else edible we can get." Linda said as Uni looked at her confused.
"I thought we were gathering stuff for you to take back to your workshop." She states plainly with narrowed eyes.
"Yeah we're going to do that to, but this is just as important." Linda said to her.
Uni was still confused, but she understood and went along with it "So Uni you say you don't remember anything else except for your name, and the fact you got a sister?" Linda asks.
"Yeah. Not even a lead." Uni says.
Linda just looks back before shaking her head "Actually your wearing a lead." She said to Uni.
"Huh? You mean my clothes?" Uni asked grabbing some apples off a few apple trees.
Linda nods picking some berries "Yeah. Believe it or not a lot of the nations have different styles when it comes to clothes. Yours there look like something from Lastation." She says and Uni considers this.
"Maybe, but don't know if that's really a lead. A friend of mine kind of whipped up these clothes with magic." Uni said.
Linda glanced over hearing this "Bushiroad right? She's one of the only people I know who can whip up something like that out of nowhere." Linda commented as Uni was a bit surprised.
"Yep. Got to be her with the expression your giving me." She added on.
Uni was a bit curious at this "How do you know Bushi?" she asks.
"She's one of my more frequent, and best customers. Not to mention saves my apprentice whenever she get's into trouble." Linda said and Uni begins to think as something about what she was saying was familiar, and so was her name before it the answer struck her.
"Your apprentice...her name wouldn't happen to be Nepgear by any chance?" She asks.
Linda glanced at her and sighs "Okay I can only guess how you know her so...what kind of trouble has she gotten herself into this time?" Linda asks as Uni hesitates.
She knew explaining that would open an entirely different can of worms as she'd have to explain herself "Before I answer that I just wonder...what's your thoughts on Kurome?" she asked.
Linda froze up at this before her shoulders sag "I'm not exactly a big of her really. She hides away in that castle of her's and only comes out when it's convenient to her. Meanwhile that psycho is in charge of Leanbox and she causes lots of trouble." She says a hand clenched into a fist.
Uni watches and could see a whirlwind of emotions through her eyes "Linda...I'll tell you what happened, but it's kind of a long story so I suggest you grab some food for yourself." Uni tells her.
Linda does this and sits down as Uni tells her the whole story of what happened, and besides the occasional interruption to ask a question or clarify something she was silent. After she finished telling what happened in Tales Castle Uni looked to Linda a bit nervous.
Linda got up and had her eyes closed before smirking "I knew it. She's been hiding something from us this whole time!" Linda said.
Uni was taken aback by this reaction, and Linda noticed "Hey. Told you I wasn't a fan of her's, and finally got some evidence to back up a few suspicions I've had of her." Linda said.
"Sorry, but was just kind of surprised. So what kind of suspicions have you had about her?" Uni asked as they went back to gathering food.
"Well sometimes there is monster attacks within the Planeptune capital, and they just come out of nowhere. I always found that odd because with Kurome around it shouldn't be possible for them to get within the capital city." Linda starts.
"And I don't mean small monsters by the way. I mean big ones! Then Magic will appear to slay the monster in the name of the goddess before leaving. Yet each time she takes something, but can't tell what." She added on.
Uni nods "So you think Kurome is sending out this monsters somehow to attack Planeptune?" Uni asked.
"Maybe, but I think the more likely culprit is Magic. I don't think I mentioned this, but Magic is one of Kurome's generals." Linda said.
She then glanced towards another direction "Then there's the rehabilitation center..." She adds on with a growl.
Uni just lets her continue "That place forces former rebellion soldiers and anyone connected to them to work and follow the orders of the Warden in charge. Not to mention Chika is there often to." She says.
"Chika is another general right?" Uni asked and Linda nods.
"Yeah, but while she might seems sweet I've seen her true colors. She's psychotic and kills for fun or if you simply look at her funny." Linda said and shivers.
She then shakes her head "Anyways that place has a mine, and whatever their mining their gets sent to a select few places in Planeptune and Lastation." Linda adds on.
"How do you know about it if it's only sent to a select few?" Uni asked.
"Friend of mine. Found it weird, and we've been investigating it for a bit." She replied and both stopped as Linda looks at the basket's.
"That should be enough. Now follow me." She says and takes off with Uni following after her.
After about a half hour they arrived at what looked like the back entrance to a small cave. Leaning down Linda lets out a whistle, and a few seconds later she gets a whistle back. Hearing it Linda smiles and stuffs the basket through the small hole, and then takes Uni's and does the same thing.
"Okay we're good. Let's go." Linda said and takes off again.
As they did Uni looked back and saw a few structures over the cave that looked like what may be a fort or a mining facility.
She then recalled what Linda said about a Rehabilitation Center and what it really was. Uni while surprised at this didn't ask as it would be something to ask her about later.
Now though with that complete Uni was prepared to begin the real work of helping Linda find the stuff she needed. Then hopefully she could start searching for her sister once she gets to Planeptune.
Hey everyone, and first let me say that I'm sorry for the long wait on the sequel. I actually had three chapters of this written out, but I wasn't...satisfied with them so I decided to start this again from scratch. Anyways welcome to the Leanbox volume of Ultima Adventure which is starring Uni, Linda, and one more character. Now Leanbox has experienced some of the bigger changes, but it also has a very crazy general that will do anything to keep those changes as a cover up. Speaking of said crazy we may or may not be seeing her again soon, but for now their is a job for Uni and Linda to complete. So until next time this has been decode9!