Hyperdimension Neptunia is owned by Sega, Idea Factory and Compile Heart and whomever else worked on it.
Alright, time to do clean up of this mess before moving the plot along.
Chapter 42
Yellow Heart found her sisters in an isolated hallway with Stadia punching a wall while Ouya was sitting on the ground, looking troubled. "That wall did nothing wrong, you know?"
Stadia spun to face her and Yellow Heart mentally sighed at the look of pain, confusion and anger on her younger sister's face. "You knew!" Yellow Heart nodded. "You knew mom went back to that bastard!" Yellow Heart nodded again. "...You went back to the guy who..."
"Yes, I did." Yellow Heart told her. "So did Nowa, Beru Beru, Blanny and Ploot." She walked up to Stadia and gave her a stern look, before sighing at the look she was getting. "Do you want to know why? Neptuna didn't tell you why she wanted to contact them."
Stadia grumbled but nodded. "Go ahead, what possible reason could mom want to contact those bastards?"
"We had children." Yellow Heart told them. "You know how Neptuna loves children. Remember all the times she took you, me and Stadia to the hospital to look at the newborn babies?" Stadia looked troubled, but nodded. "...Do you know how much it hurt Neptuna... It hurt all of us to not be with our children when we were free of the brainwashing? To really get to know them? To let them get to know the real us?"
"...Did any of you have kids after going back to them?" Ouya asked, she blushed at the amused look on Yellow Heart's face. "...Even you?"
"Remember when Neptuna disappeared for over a year for no reason?" Yellow Heart asked, shrugging as both of them gawked at her. "But..." She sighed softly. "Neptuna couldn't even be with her children, you know?" A look of sadness crossed her face. "She had to basically abandon our children," Yellow Heart shook her head, "she wasn't the only one. None of us could even know what they grew into, because none of us wanted some mind-reading enemy to use them against us."
"I..." Stadia trailed off as that information was given to her. "...Was it because you were lonely?"
"Somewhat." Yellow Heart told her, sighing. "That Uzume girl wasn't wrong, things sometimes got so bad that we needed someone who would at least listen and comfort us. Plus it never hurt to have a different opinion on things." She crossed her arms under her breasts and sighed softly. "Neptuna, me, Ploot, we all kept you two in the dark about how bad things got for awhile."
"...Did mom lie about being happy with us?" Stadia asked.
"No." Yellow Heart shook her head. "Neptuna once told me, about five years before you two had to be put in stasis, that even if she never got to come back to this world, even if she never got to see her husband and other children again, she was really happy. She wanted more, but she'd be content with the way things were. After all, the only problems we had at that time were those Celestia jerks." She smiled as both of her sisters giggled upon hearing that. "But..." Yellow Heart sighed, a distant look came to her face.
"What?" Ouya asked.
"...Damn cultists." Yellow Heart muttered softly. "...I screwed up with Ploot."
"Huh?" Her sisters asked at the same time.
"Well..."
*Flash*
300 Years Ago, Ultra Dimension...
It was night, though one wouldn't really know it with the soft glow of lights from the buildings making it almost seem like it was daylight outside, that is, if one didn't look up into the sky to see the dark skies. "You're leaving?" Yellow Heart, who was standing on the rooftop of the Basilicom, asked Iris Heart, who walked out of the building.
"I have nothing more to gain, Peashy." Iris Heart said in a huff. "Let Neppy have this nation, no one even knows who I am anymore, there's no reason to be here. Any Shares we gather go straight to those bitches in Celestia."
"So you're giving up?" Yellow Heart asked, a troubled look on her face. "The past eight hundred years mean nothing to you?"
Iris Heart scoffed at her. "Look around you, you stupid idiot! Who cares that we made peace with aliens, demons, the Mole People or anything else?!" The city had a dull roar as cars flew around and there was honking. "It doesn't matter, does it? Some crazed moron will get it into their head to find a way to control us, steal our nation, turn the people against us..." She sighed and shook her head. "I'm just... Done." A tired look crossed Iris Heart's face and she shook her head. "I'm going, you can't stop me."
Yellow Heart balled her hands into fists and squeezed hard. "Done? Just like that? You're just giving up."
"OH KNOCK IT OFF!" Iris Heart yelled and stormed up to Yellow Heart, poking her in the chest. "Neppy stole this nation from me."
"She didn't mean to! You know that!" Yellow Heart countered as she batted Iris Heart's hand away from her. "And don't poke me in the boobs like that."
"It doesn't matter, does it?" Iris Heart scoffed. "You can stay here with Neppy, be a good little moron that cuddles up to that idiot's side, but I'm leaving." She turned and walked off.
"...You know that sometimes we have to..."
"I'm tired of giving and giving and giving!" Iris Heart yelled without turning around. "I'm tired of being everyone's fucking sacrificial lamb! Let them deal with their own problems. I want my own happiness! ...I feel bad for Noire, Blanc and Vert, they have no one who can watch their nations. Neppy has this nation, I have nothing."
"So all the sacrifices mean nothing?" Yellow Heart asked softly. "Everything Neptuna had to give, everything we all had to endure, it means nothing to you?"
"...Nope." Iris Heart told her, her voice cold. "I'm the heartless, cold, selfish and greedy CPU, remember? I..." She jerked as her shoulder was grabbed and she was forcefully spun around. "Peashy, what are..."
She was quieted with a punch to the jaw, sending her flying off the rooftop and into a skyscraper not far away. After recovering, Iris Heart shook her head and looked up from the indent she made in the building to see Yellow Heart hovering over her, tears falling out of her eyes. "...Peashy, even if it's you..." Iris Heart stood up and her sword formed in her hands. "I won't hesitate to punish you."
"You won't leave us alone, Ploot, even if I have to beat the shit out of you myself, I won't let you leave."
"You shouldn't hang around Blanc so much, her potty mouth is affecting you." Iris Heart grinned and launched herself at Yellow Heart.
*End Flashback*
"...And our fight destroyed a good chunk of the city before Neptuna came in and beat the both of us down and sealed us in our human forms." Yellow Heart sighed and slumped. "...I was so mad at Ploot that I never thought about how it was my fault."
"...Did you two ever make up?" Stadia asked, mentally shuddering at the thought of Iris Heart and Yellow Heart going all out. "The people must have been terrified."
Yellow Heart sighed and shook her head. "...When I'm in human form, I'm basically a moronic toddler, you know that." She rolled her eyes at the looks she got. "Okay, very experienced toddler, but still a moron, anyway, no, I never got over my anger. I haven't transformed in three hundred years, okay?"
"Why did you want her to stay?" Ouya asked.
Yellow Heart sighed and her shoulders slumped. "...I was scared... After losing you two... After seeing what Neptuna was turning into... I didn't want to lose what was left of my family."
"It doesn't seem in character for you two to..." Ouya shook her head. "But, even so, why would you two fight?"
Yellow Heart sighed and looked from side to side before answering. "...You two are the reason." They both looked confused and she clarified. "After what the cultists did all of us were pretty much messed up in the head. Neptuna was in a depression that lasted half a century after sealing you two away, just so you know."
"And yet, despite all of that," a new voice spoke up, causing Ouya, Stadia and Yellow Heart's eyes to widen as they turned to see the blue-haired Uzume walking their way, "Nepsy still has the ability to smile and care." She sighed, a small smile on her face, "...she really is the ideal CPU, isn't she?" Uzume chuckled softly. "If I had the emotional capacity to experience it, I'd say she's making me fall in love with her even more than I already am." She tapped her chin. "But which Nepsy? Bah, I can't feel love, so what do I care?" She chuckled, a sad smile on her face as she looked at the three of them.
"...Is that a tsundere denial?" Stadia asked.
"Who knows?" Yellow Heart asked. "What are you doing here?"
"Well, Peasy, I have to say..." Uzume shook her head. "I wish I had known about yours and Plutsy's HDD forms, I would have drained you for new Dark CPUs, but what's done is done." She shrugged and looked at Ouya and Stadia. "Ouysy, Stadsy," she smiled sweetly at them, "would you two be a dear and come with me?"
"I don't like this." Stadia muttered as Yellow Heart got in front of Uzume. "Peashy?"
"I'm their big sister, and I won't let you hurt them." Yellow Heart said, causing Uzume to sigh.
"You won't fight alone." Ouya said as she and Stadia transformed. "We're family, and family sticks together!"
"...Family, huh?" Uzume asked as the memory of herself with red hair and Histoire came to her. She shook her head to clear the memories away. "How nice for you." A dark aura surrounded her that had Yellow Heart gasping in surprise. "But with this new power..." She just smiled at the three CPUs. "I can see how the CPU of Tari went insane, even a small amount of her power is this potent?" She grinned, even as tears fell from her eyes. "If you won't come peacefully, then you'll come by force."
(-)
Meanwhile...
"Hey, Uzume." The redhead turned from the window she was looking out of to see the bigger Neptune walking up to her, smiling. "How are you doing?" Uzume had a confused look on her face and Neptune just rubbed the back of her head. "Well, you know, hearing all that from Tiny Me, but, I was more concerned about you."
Uzume sighed softly and looked back out at Heart Dimension. "...The fact that the blue-haired me is me, but I'm me, that I'm a CPU of Zero Dimension, that I was a CPU of Planeptune..." She grimaced and rubbed her head. "All of a sudden I have all these memories flooding in my head. I remember how everyone turned on me, how they were scared of me, how so many of them called for me to die because I was a witch."
Neptune gave Uzume a sad look. "Uzume..."
"Yeah, it sucks, it hurts," Uzume closed her eyes, "but after hearing everything that Nepsy went through. Helping Gearsy when she was sad when she first got to Zero Dimension..." She opened her eyes and gave Neptune a sad smile. "It puts it in perspective, doesn't it? Nepsy was betrayed, brainwashed and so much more so many times, yet she can smile and face it head on. Me? I ran, I was so weak."
"NO!" The bigger Neptune suddenly yelled and when Uzume turned around, she hugged Uzume tightly. "Don't think your problems don't matter! Even if they aren't as bad as someone else's problems, they're still yours." She let go of the hug, stepped back and smiled at Uzume. "So if you're ever sad, confused, hurting or whatever, just say so, I'll listen, okay?"
Uzume's cheeks turned slightly red and she shook her head. "Thanks, Nepsy." Neptune just smiled brightly.
"Just remember, Uzume," Neptune winked at her friend, "you're not alone." She walked back to the group. "So, what's the plan from here?"
"Well, we still need to find out what the other Uzume..." Noire trailed off and sighed. "Thinking of two Uzumes is getting confusing."
"I have an idea." The bigger Neptune smiled and looked at her smaller self, who was sporting a similar grin on her face. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking, Tiny Me?"
"I think so, Big Me, but where are we going to find five hundred wheels of Limburger cheese to make a shake out of?" Everyone stared at her and the smaller Neptune broke out laughing. "I couldn't help it, I had to do it. But I do think I know what you're thinking, Big Me."
"Then..." The bigger Neptune said as she and Neptune got close together. "Let's go!"
"Kurome Ankokuboshi!" They said at the same time, causing everyone to gawk and sweat-drop.
"I guess Nepsy is Nepsy regardless of size or experience." Uzume muttered as she looked at them while walking over to them.
"I think it's freaky, myself." Noire said as she tried to calm down. "So what do we do then?"
Neptune suddenly pursed her lips in thought. "Hey, Nepgear..." She looked at her younger sister with concern in her eyes. "It's been a long time since we were back in Hyper Dimension, can you go and make sure Histy is safe? I'm worried that Kurome might try something back there."
"...That's a good point." Noire muttered as she thought about it. "Okay, how about this? Neptune, Vert, Blanc and I will stay here to deal with anything Kurome might have planned, the rest of you head to Hyper Dimension in case she has something going on over there."
"I'm staying here." Uzume told them. "Kurome is my other self after all. If anyone can deal with her, it's me."
"Fair enough." Noire nodded and smiled at Uni. "Please? I'll be careful this time." She sighed at Uni's troubled look. "This is something we have to accept as CPUs, we might die or something else, okay?"
"...Can't a little sister be worried about her foolish big sister?" Uni asked and Noire laughed at her. "What?"
"Usually it's the other way around." Noire smiled at her and walked over to ruffle Uni's hair. "I promise, I'll be more careful, okay? Someone has to make sure that Hyper Dimension is safe."
As Blanc was saying her goodbyes to the twins, Uzume walked over to Nepgear. "Gearsy," Nepgear looked at her in confusion and Uzume smiled while holding out a Share Crystal, "just in case, use that, okay?" Nepgear nodded as the other CPU Candidates and Gold Third left to go back to Hyper Dimension.
Nepgear walked over to her sister and gave her a smile. "Neptune..."
"What?"
"I'm glad that you're more responsible and stuff.." Nepgear blushed and fidgeted, "but I think you lost part of yourself somewhere along the way." Neptune gave Nepgear a confused look and Nepgear smiled at her. "I can't explain it, but Histy told me that you put off doing fun things to do work."
Neptune had a troubled look on her face. "...Being selfish isn't a good thing for a CPU, Nepgear."
"...If you say so." Nepgear said as she ran off after the others. "We'll talk later, okay?"
As they ran off, Blanc frowned softly. "Neptune, you know..."
Suddenly there was a loud crash and the group looked up as Iris Heart rushed into the room with someone in her arms. "Neppy!" Iris Heart panted as she flew over and put down a badly injured Peashy.
"P...Ko?" Neptune gasped in horror, her eyes wide. "Wh...what happened?"
"The other Uzume..." Iris Heart panted, "had the power of Tari and beat Peashy stupid."
"S...Sorry." Peashy groaned and grimaced as there were burn marks across her body. "Pea tried, she took Stadia and Ouya."
"Don't worry, Nep Nep." Compa said as she and IF ran into the room. "Iffy and I were going to stay behind in case something bad happened, good thing we stayed."
Neptune sighed in relief and smiled at her as her eyes shimmered with tears. "Thanks, Compa." Compa nodded as she used her healing skills while Iris Heart helped her.
"You can do healing?" IF asked Iris Heart.
"It's how I learned Voodoo magic." Iris Heart smirked as she worked on healing Peashy. 'Don't you dare die, you little brat.' Iris Heart thought to herself. Even if the two of them had problems, they were still family.
"How did you not see Nepgear and the others?" Neptune asked in confusion.
"Different hallways, obviously, Nepsy." Uzume said before the place started to shake. "Now what?!"
The roof to the place exploded off, revealing a Dark CPU.
"Goodness!" Vert gasped. "With that color scheme and spear..."
"Yeah, I get'cha, that must be the Dark CPU made from your power." Uzume nodded as she transformed. "Compsy, Plutsy, you two help Peasy, we'll deal with this." She said as she transformed into Orange Heart. "Sharing field, activate!"
Ouch, poor Peashy.
