Hyperdimension Neptunia is owned by Sega, Idea Factory and Compile Heart and whomever else worked on it.

Well, this ended up being a very long chapter.


Chapter 30

"I'm really surprised they left so fast." Histoire said as she heard back from Pudding. "I would have thought that they would relax in the baths and share stories before leaving first."

"Master Neptune prefers to get stuff done right away, dood." The Prinny explained to Histoire. "Believe me when I say this, Master Neptune might like to sleep for days on end when she can get away with it, but she doesn't put off things that are important anymore, dood."

The book fairy gave the Prinny a surprised look. "...I suppose that a lot happened, huh?" Pudding nodded at her. "Tell me... What happened to make her like this?"

Pudding spun around with its flippers above its head for a little bit while humming and making thinking sounds. "Okay, so... Master Neptune and I met when Master Neptune was sent to Hades hundreds of years ago, dood." Histoire nodded as she listened in. "See, Master Neptune was... Well, Hades is where people who die and get turned into Prinnies go, dood."

"But..." Histoire trailed off. "Did she die?"

"Kind of?" The Prinny shrugged. "Master Valvatorez said that Master Neptune shouldn't have been there, but since she was there, he was going to train her, dood."

"And..?" Histoire trailed off, wondering what the training involved.

"Well, being treated worse than a Prinny during training from the Netherworld's best Prinny Instructor drilled things into her, dood." Pudding nodded at Histoire.

"...I simply must meet this Valvatorez and learn how he did it." Histoire couldn't imagine anyone getting Neptune to learn her lesson for anything. "I can't imagine it was easy."

"At least twenty-five years, dood." The Prinny told her. "But the training allowed Master Neptune to meet me and other Demons and she made some good friends. Aliens had taken over Gamindustri during that time too. Celestia helped Master Neptune and the other CPUs free the world too, but it left them with a big debt."

Which was a massive understatement. The interest on those debts they owed Celestia still weren't paid off, even after so many centuries.

"So..." Histoire trailed off as she thought about it. "Between whatever sent Neptune to Hades, Valvatorez and other stuff, Neptune stopped being lazy?"

Pudding shrugged at Histoire. "Well, Master Neptune likes to sleep for days if she can get away with it, but that doesn't happen very often for one reason or another."

Which was also an understatement. She had once slept for a week straight and it had taken a rampaging group of Ancient Dragons to get her to wake up.

Histoire nodded and looked up as B-Sha walked into the room. "B-Sha?"

The blonde girl looked upset and she sighed. "I'm worried, Histoire. Nep Nep helped me out a lot and she's really strong, but I'm worried about her."

"You too, huh?" A new voice spoke up and B-Sha turned to see C-Sha, K-Sha and S-Sha walking into the room as well. "I'm worried about Blanny."

"Noire..." K-Sha sniffled, "Noire left without telling me and..."

S-Sha just scoffed and looked away. "So stupid, that dummy's going to get hurt."

"Master Neptune will be fine, dood." Pudding told them. "So long as she doesn't do something stupid like trying to overclock herself when she has a bunch of Shares or something."

The others looked at him.

"...What? Master Neptune says that overclocking a CPU works wonders when you need to power up your computer, dood."

"But that's a computer, not something flesh and blood." B-Sha pointed out. "But then again, Nep Nep is a CPU and..."

"Yeah, about that," C-Sha spoke up, her voice and demeanor extremely serious. "There's no way I'm letting something like that happen to Blanny. B-Sha, you still have your Gold Crystal, right?" B-Sha nodded, wondering why C-Sha was asking. "Good. Because so do I."

(-)

Meanwhile...

After reaching the flying fortress of AffimaX, everyone looked around at the ship with wonder and surprise.

"Wow! It's so retro!" Neptune's eyes sparkled as she looked around at the chrome-colored metal floors, walls and ceilings. "I think this style was phased out over six hundred years ago in the other world." She giggled as she looked around. "Wow, physical door locks and computer consoles?" Her eyes sparkled as she looked at them.

"I don't know about retro," Nepgear said as she looked at the technology, "but man, this is so cool!"

"Nepgear!" Neptune turned to her sister and the other CPUs had to take a step back as both sisters had sparkles in their eyes. "Let's strip this ship bare and take it home with us!"

"Alright!" Nepgear nodded and pulled out a giant toolbox from her back pocket. "I'll start on the far left ones, you work on those over there." She pointed to the computer console near the entrance.

"Alright!" Neptune nodded as she pulled out some sort of fancy screwdriver. "I bet I can take my stuff apart faster than you can!"

"Oh yeah? I'll prove you wrong!" Nepgear said as she pulled out a hammer, a pair of pliers and a screwdriver.

Noire and Blanc both had disturbed looks on their faces. "Oh no, there's two of them now." They said in the same deadpan tone of voice while Rom and Ram both giggled.

Vert and Uni looked at each other and sighed, before nodding. Vert went to Neptune and firmly grabbed her left ear while Uni went over to Nepgear and gave her a hard smack on the back of the head. "Now, now, if you take this place apart while we're in it, it might fall or explode on us."

"Remember when you were trying to make enhancements to the satellites?" Uni asked Nepgear, who was rubbing the back of her head while laughing nervously. "I'm sure that those poor school students still have nightmares over what happened."

Neptune let out a yelp as she was jerked off-balance so hard that she almost fell onto her head to avoid her ear from being ripped off. "Jeez, Vert!" Neptune lightly slapped the hand away. "Fine, fine, I won't take the cool retro ship apart." She put the screwdriver away while rubbing her ear.

"So how about we stop messing around," IF said, her face and voice expressing some disappointment with both Nepgear and Neptune, "and find the machine that's being used to manipulate the world."

"Probably on the bridge." Blanc pointed out. "Let's go." The others nodded and made their way through the ship.

(-)

After making their way through the ship and smashing every random box and security bot, the group of ten found themselves running down a hallway before stopping as someone in blue armor and a metal shuriken walked out to face them.

"Woah!" Ram's eyes sparkled. "A ninja! A real ninja! So cool!"

"Super cool!" Rom repeated as she squealed in delight.

"Oh," IF smirked as she saw who it was, "if it isn't the ninja we faced at the arena. Here for another humiliating defeat?"

While the others were either hyping themselves up or taunting the ninja, Uni had a look of dismay on her face. "...It's you... But why are you here?"

"Uni?" Noire looked at her sister, surprised at the look of pure hurt and dismay on her face. "What's wrong?"

"Why are you here, Jiro?!" Uni demanded. "...You lied to me." An angry, tear-filled look came to her face as she glared at the ninja, who fidgeted under the weight of her gaze.

The ninja was silent for a moment before nodding. "I cannot ask you to forgive me, Lady Uni, but the truth is, my name is Steamax, the loyal right hand man of General Affimojas of AffimaX."

Uni gritted her teeth. "I see..." She managed to growl out. "I'll..."

"Why don't you handle this then?" Neptune suggested as she leaned against a nearby wall. "You and him seem to have a history together, so why don't the two of you work out your problems?"

Noire gave Neptune a confused look, but sighed and walked over to Neptune. "Fine, if that's the case, I won't interfere."

"I'll help." Nepgear said as she, Rom and Ram stepped forward.

"Are you sure this is a good idea, Nep?" IF asked as she, Compa and the CPUs stepped back. When Neptune nodded, IF sighed and nodded. "If you say so."

"Yeah..." Neptune said as she heard Uni arguing with Steamax but she wasn't listening as the scene shifted and changed.

*Flash*

"Why?" Plutia gave Purple Heart a look full of betrayal and pain. "Neppy, why are you... WHY?!"

Purple Heart said nothing and looked around the ruined city-scape of Planeptune. "You know that even if we're just mortal-sized, Plutie, that a fight in HDD between two CPUs only causes massive destruction." She then looked at Plutia and then at Peashy. "And what have you got to say for yourself?"

"...Ploot started it."

Purple Heart's eyes twitched in annoyance. "I don't care!" She swung her arm to the side. "Right now, you two are in so much trouble. Go back home now!" She pointed to the residential Basilicom. "And go to your rooms when you get back. If you don't, I'm going to punish the both of you even worse than just sealing you in your human forms!"

Peashy grumbled but walked off while Plutia glared at Purple Heart, who gave her a stern look in return. "Neppy... You were easier to deal with in the past."

"...That Neptune died in Hades, Plutie." Purple Heart told her. "Now go." Plutia grumbled but did as asked and Purple Heart sighed, hanging her head. "Why is everything like this?" She asked as she felt tears rushing to her eyes. "Ouya... Stadia..." She muttered, a pained look coming to her face as she remembered having to seal her daughters away less than a month ago. "And now you two..."

She stayed there, her head hanging down in dismay. "...What should I do?" She looked up to see a familiar person hovering over her. "Vert... What should I do?"

Green Heart floated down and pulled Purple Heart into a hug. "You did the right thing, Neptune."

"I'm so tired, Vert." Purple Heart said softly as she rested her head against Green Heart's chest. "I'm just so tired."

"I know." Green Heart whispered and rubbed Purple Heart's back. "I'll help you." She smiled as Purple Heart looked up at her. "No matter what it is, I'll help you."

Purple Heart smiled at her. "Thank you."

*End Flashback*

Neptune was brought out of her memories as she felt someone shaking her. "Huh?" She looked at IF in confusion. "Did I do it again?" IF nodded and pointed down the hallway. "What..?" She trailed off as she saw who was behind Steamax. "...Ouya, Stadia..."

"Oh look," Stadia scoffed as she stood there with her arms crossed while giving Neptune a dirty look. "Mom's in a group of ten against one person. Why am I not surprised?"

Ouya fidgeted and looked at the CPUs next to Neptune. "They really do look like Aunt Noire, Aunt Vert and Aunt Blanc, don't they?" Stadia nodded.

"Yeah, I thought that it was weird how they looked the same, but I was more concerned about big sister than that."

"Lady Stadia. Lady Ouya. Why are you here?" Steamax asked.

"To kill mom, nothing more." Stadia told him while still glaring at Neptune. "Or have her kill us." She was engulfed in a white light, as was Ouya, as the two transformed into their HDD states. "After all, that's the only fate for weapons like us." A blade of energy snapped into her hands.

"It might be fun," Gray Heart smiled as she twirled her yo-yo around. "After all, there's three ancient relics along with mommy."

Neptune looked at them and saw how the CPU Candidates were looking unsure about what to do. "Fine, Ouya, Stadia, if you want to fight me, let's do it in the other room so that Uni and her boyfriend can work their differences out."

Both Steamax and Uni went stiff upon hearing that. "Wh-wh-what?!" They yelled at the same time.

"That's fine with me." Rainbow Heart nodded as she watched Neptune and the other CPUs leave with IF and Compa. "And you," she pointed at Uni, "were acting like a girlfriend who found out her boyfriend had been keeping a big secret for a long time."

When Rainbow Heart and Gray Heart both left, Nepgear gave Uni a confused look. "Uni got a boyfriend and didn't tell me?" She pouted and looked at Steamax as Uni and Steamax both sputtered denials. "...I approve! A robot boyfriend is awesome!" She gave Uni a thumbs up even as Uni and Steamax both face-faulted hard onto the floor.

Rom looked at Ram in confusion. "But I thought Miss Uni and Miss Nepgear were girlfriends?"

Ram scratched her head in confusion. "...Maybe Uni plays for two teams?" Rom's eyes widened as she realized that Ram was right and she nodded.

"Yeah! Switch hitter!"

"WHERE DID YOU TWO HEAR THOSE TERMS?!" Uni yelled as the twins just smiled at her obvious frustration and embarrassment. "WHY ME?!"

(-)

In the other room, Rainbow Heart and Gray Heart watched as the others transformed. Rainbow Heart narrowed her eyes at Purple Heart. "If you're ready, let's get ready to die."

"What did you do to make them want to kill you so much?" Green Heart asked Purple Heart.

"I sealed them away for hundreds of years because I was trying to find a way to make it so they could live a normal life without worrying about transforming." Purple Heart answered Green Heart.

"And what good has that done?" Gray Heart asked while twirling her yo-yo. "All it did was seal us away until our new boss found us, mommy."

"Looks like we'll have to put these punks down." White Heart grinned at the two CPUs. "I hope you can take at least as much of a beating as your mother."

Rainbow Heart just grinned at White Heart. "You really are like Aunt Blanc."

"I guess I'll take on Aunt Vert and Aunt Blanc's look-a-likes." Gray Heart said and looked around. "Well, there's not a lot of room, but we can fight in these cramped quarters."

Rainbow Heart nodded and rushed at Purple Heart, only to be intercepted by Black Heart. "Really?" Rainbow Heart asked as her energy blade clashed against Black Heart's sword.

Black Heart narrowed her green eyes at Rainbow Heart as she pushed back against the other CPU's energy blade. "It seems to me that you're blaming your mother for something that she can't control."

"She could have killed me and Ouya when we asked her to." Rainbow Heart pointed out as she pushed back against Black Heart's sword. "Unlike you or her, I have no choice, as soon as I'm near a CPU in charge of the world, I have to fight them. What about you?" She snarled at Black Heart and kicked her away. "Are you forced to do anything? Or have you had to make a hard choice that haunts you for all time?"

"Enough!" Purple Heart yelled as she rushed in and traded blade strikes with Rainbow Heart. "Stadia, please! I found a way to help you for real this time."

"You lie!" Rainbow Heart yelled as she swung her sword in, only to have it parried by Purple Heart and when Rainbow Heart created a second sword to strike at Purple Heart, it was parried as well, causing the two CPUs to spread their arms apart as their faces came close to each other. "Why do you want us to suffer, mom?" The look of hurt and betrayal in Rainbow Heart's eyes was unmistakable to Purple Heart, who knew better than anyone what that look was.

"I don't!" Purple Heart gave her daughter a pleading look. "I finally have a solution. Please, Stadia," tears welled up in her eyes as she saw her daughter in front of her, "please..."

She wanted nothing more than to grab Rainbow Heart and pull her into a hug, to let her daughter cry and vent and scream. To hug her and let her know that she would finally fix what was wrong with them.

But most of all, Purple Heart wanted her family back. "Please Stadia! I love you and Ouya! Please!" She begged her daughter.

"STOP THAT!" Rainbow Heart yelled as she leaned back, dismissing her energy blades as her body suit changed to black with red trim. She grabbed Purple Heart's wrists and rolled onto her back, before she kicked Purple Heart away from her while letting go of her wrists. "You can't help me and you know it!"

Black Heart rushed in with a yell while Rainbow Heart turned to face her and time seemed to slow down as she got closer.

Purple Heart shook her head and gasped as she saw what was going to happen. "Noire! No! It's a trap!"

"Too late!" Rainbow Heart grinned as she seemed to disappear before reappearing a moment later, her elbow buried deep into Black Heart's stomach, causing the white-haired CPU's eyes to shrink to pin-pricks as her mouth opened and her tongue stuck out with some blood coming out of her mouth. Rainbow Heart pulled her arm back and fully faced Black Heart. "Useless!" She yelled and punched Black Heart in the face with her left hand. "Useless!" She punched Black Heart's left breast with her right hand. "Useless!" The next blow hit Black Heart in her abused stomach. "Useless!" The next blow was into Black Heart's chin. "Useless! Useless! Useless! Useless! Useless!" Rainbow Heart yelled, her words coming out more and more rapidly that they started to blend together as she pummeled Black Heart over and over in every vulnerable part; her chin, breasts, stomach, armpits, none were spared. "COMPLETELY USELESS!" Rainbow Heart let out a scream as she finished with a hay-maker that hit Black Heart in the jaw so hard that she was sent flying across the room, bouncing on the floor several times until she was stopped by the far wall.

As her processor changed back to its original blue with purple trim Rainbow Heart stood there panting from that attack, which took less than three seconds to implement. She turned around, only to get punched in the face, knocking her onto her butt. Rainbow Heart grimaced at the pain and rubbed her right cheek. "That hurt, mom."

"I taught you that to protect you when you were in human form, young lady." Purple Heart said. "Would you listen to me for once?" Rainbow Heart glowered at her but didn't say anything. "I know someone who might be able to help you and Ouya out."

"Don't lie." Rainbow Heart growled as she stood up and reformed her energy blades. "You're just saying that to get my hopes up and then you'll seal me and Ouya away again and this will only happen again in the future."

Purple Heart had a hurt look on her face. "Please, I really was looking for a way to help you two while you were sealed away. Why didn't you ask Plutie or P-Ko what I was doing over the centuries while you were sealed away?"

"Big sis is an idiot in her human form and Aunt Plutia gets a hurt look on her face whenever she talks about you." Rainbow Heart said and took a swipe at Purple Heart. "What happened? When we were awake, you three were super close to each other."

Purple Heart didn't say anything as she and Rainbow Heart clashed weapons. As Purple Heart blocked an overhead slash from Rainbow Heart, memories flashed in her mind.

"Hey!" Stadia and Ouya walked into Neptune's office in tank tops and shorts while being absolutely filthy. "Look at what we caught, mom!" They stepped aside to show a large pig that was tied up and trying to get free, causing Neptune to laugh.

The mud that they had tracked into the Basilicom was a pain to clean and Ouya and Stadia were forced to help the cleaning services with the mess.

The only saving grace was that the mess wasn't at the residential Basilicom, because Plutia would have gotten pissed if her home was made filthy like that.

Rainbow Heart leaned back from a stab to her face and her eyes started to shimmer as a memory came to her mind.

"I already know how to fight with a sword." Stadia grumbled as she held a training sword.

"Yeah, but I just want to teach you some of the skills I learned in my life." Neptune smiled at her taller daughter while holding a cypress stick in her hands. "Besides, I haven't had a lot of free time lately and I wanted to spend my day off with you."

Stadia found herself blushing but she shook it off and grinned at Neptune. "Alright, mom, here I come!"

The two launched themselves at each other, their blades clashing while they had similar looks of longing and anguish on their faces. "Mom..." Rainbow Heart spoke up again. "Just kill me this time."

"I'm telling you, I have a way to help you!" Purple Heart protested and doubled over as Rainbow Heart suddenly swung her feet forward and blasted her feet into Purple Heart's stomach.

"STOP LYING!" Rainbow Heart yelled and cried out as she was blasted from behind, causing her to stagger forward before falling onto her face.

"You forgot about me, huh?" Black Heart smirked as the energy of her Tornado Sword dissipated. When Rainbow Heart got back up, she held her sword up in front of her. "Unlike Neptune, I don't have memories of you holding me back."

"Just like Aunt Noire." Rainbow Heart muttered as she reformed her energy swords. "You really know how to shut off your emotions and be as ruthless as you want, huh?"

"If it's to protect the world, I'll do what I need to." Black Heart said and rushed at Rainbow Heart, who blocked the sword strike with her energy swords.

Rainbow Heart smirked at Black Heart. "I've heard that one before." In front of her, she wasn't seeing the Black Heart of Hyper Dimension, but the Black Heart of Ultra Dimension giving her cold eyes. "Even though you're my aunt, you're still willing to kill me, huh?"

"If you want to talk, just surrender!" Black Heart proclaimed.

Not far away, Purple Heart turned her attention to Gray Heart and watched as her daughter used her yo-yo to pull Green Heart off balance and into the way of White Heart's attack, giggling as Green Heart took damage in place of Gray Heart. She winced as a surge of power was sent through the wires and into the two CPUs, causing an explosion.

Gray Heart giggled and pulled the yo-yo back before looking at Purple Heart. "Well, mommy?" A wide grin came to her face. "Am I a good girl?" Seeing Purple Heart give her a sad look, she sobered up. "Seriously, mommy, why didn't you kill us after the dinosaur cultists made it impossible to seal our HDD away again?"

"You know that I could never do that." Purple Heart told her. "No matter how long it takes, I'll find a way to save you and Stadia so we can live together as a family again."

Gray Heart gave Purple Heart a look of melancholy. "I don't want to be used as a weapon anymore." She snapped her right arm out and her yo-yo lashed out, striking White Heart in the head.

"Damn brat!" White Heart grabbed the yo-yo by the string and yelped as she pulled her hand back, staring in shock at how bloody her hand was. "The hell?!"

"Micro-thread fibers can cut through flesh and bone pretty easily." Gray Heart said and looked at Rainbow Heart, who was crying out in pain as an explosion of fire engulfed her. "SIS!?" She ran towards where Rainbow Heart was slumped against the wall.

Purple Heart looked at where the explosion was and saw that Black Heart was knocked back, being covered in burn marks. "You used your own Volcano Dive on yourself?"

Black Heart smirked at Purple Heart. "No one ever sees that one coming." She grimaced and fell to her knees. "Hurts like a bitch though."

"Hey, brat!" White Heart yelled as Gray Heart ran past her. When the other CPU looked at her, she gasped as White Heart spun around a few times. "Zerstorung!" Gray Heart's eyes bugged out as White Heart's axe slammed into her stomach, sending her flying into the wall next to Rainbow Heart with enough force to leave an indent. "Finish them off!"

Green Heart looked at Purple Heart. "Neptune..."

Purple Heart nodded at Green Heart. "Just don't kill them." She held up her hand as several blades formed in the air.

"I have enough control over my moves." Green Heart smirked as several sigils formed around her. "Blade and Spear." She snapped her fingers as several stone spears erupted outwards while several swords fell down around the two downed CPUs, causing an explosion that engulfed them.

Purple Heart waited until the smoke cleared and she saw both Ouya and Stadia in their human forms, slumped against the ground, but both of them were clearly breathing. She let out a sigh and ran over to them, ignoring the cries from her friends as she dismissed her sword.

When she got to them, they both looked up at her with tired expressions. "Mom..." Stadia whispered. "Just..."

Purple Heart pulled them both into hugs and held them tight even as tears fell from her eyes. "I love you both too much to do that."

Both Ouya and Stadia trembled before hugging Purple Heart back and sobbing into her chest.

Even if the situation wasn't ideal, even if they all knew they'd be fighting again as soon as Ouya and Stadia recovered, they couldn't help but enjoy each other's company.

Because, even if it was just for a few moments, they could be a family again.


Damn onion ninjas.