Hyperdimension Neptunia is owned by Sega, Compile Heart and Idea Factory and everyone else who worked on it.
Sorry this took so long to get out. Extra, EXTRA long chapter here, folks!
Chapter 77
"Neptune!" Chrome quickly grabbed Neptune and picked her up before putting her back onto the bed. "Is she okay?"
The doctor and nurses quickly ran scans over Neptune and nodded at her. "Physically, she's fine, I think she was just overwhelmed and passed out."
Chrome nodded and sighed. "Thank you. If you'll excuse me." She walked out of the room but before anyone could say or do anything, she walked back in with a folding chair in her hands. "If it's alright with everyone, I'll stay here with Neptune until she wakes up." She looked at Histoire, "and you should tell the others what's going on."
"Right." Histoire said and floated out of the room.
Chrome looked at Blind Histoire, who was floating above Neptune and looking worried before looking at Croire. "Aren't you leaving?"
Croire rolled her eyes and huffed. "If I leave, I'll either end up being blamed for what happened to the idiot by her yandere sister or that crazy psycho Iris Heart." She ignored the sweat-drops from both Blind Histoire and Chrome. "Either that or the big idiot will trap me back in her blasted notebook. Besides," Croire smirked at Chrome, "I haven't had this much fun in a long time. I mean, seeing someone become a CPU, then turn into a horrible monster, seeing Celestia, watching a world invasion and then seeing the small idiot make a major change in the world? It never gets boring, that's for sure."
Chrome raised an eyebrow at Croire. "I'm surprised you don't do things to intentionally stir problems up."
Croire said nothing, knowing that was why the bigger Neptune kept her trapped in her NepNote. The ability to run around and go to multiple dimensions was just a bonus.
"Can I ask you something." Blind Histoire said while looking in Croire's general direction. "Why is a tome like you trying to find interesting things?"
Croire groaned at the question. "Because after you see the same shit time and time again with no changes, it gets boring." She ignored the look of disbelief from Chrome as she looked at Blind Histoire. "Listen, I once helped a CPU and recorded history like a good little tome and didn't try to change how things were in the world." She had a bit of a distant look on her face before she shook her head. "That dummy lost her power because she wouldn't listen to me or take my advice and I left her and traveled around for a long time." Croire smirked as she remembered some of the dimensions she had been to. "Lots of fun stuff, but after awhile I realized that I was seeing the same things over and over and over again." The short-haired blonde sighed and hung her head. "I couldn't stand it, it was so dull that I worked with anyone who could make things interestin'." She raised her head and gave both Chrome and Blind Histoire a nasty glare. "If either of ya tattle on me, I'll make yer lives livin' hells, got it? I got enough shit with the idiot's little yandere sister and her psycho best friend."
Chrome nodded and looked back at Neptune, sighing softly. She just hoped that there was some way to help Neptune out. After everything that Neptune had gone through, she deserved that much at least.
(-)
Meanwhile...
"So Neptune is hurt badly again..?" Nepgear trailed off as Histoire nodded. "Then what can we do?"
"Right now, I don't know." Histoire said sadly. "Though I do know this, when Neptune wakes up, we need to give her support." The CPU Candidates all nodded. "As for all of you..." She looked at Rom, Ram, Peashy and Uni.
"We do need to go back home." Uni said, biting her lower lip softly. She looked at the others and all of them had the same expression on their faces.
None of them wanted to leave just yet.
Histoire sighed as she saw their expressions and turned to Nepgear. "How about we get into a conference call with their sisters to see what's going on and what needs to happen?" Nepgear nodded as she pulled out her phone and started to dial some numbers. Histoire turned to the other CPU Candidates. "I have no problem with you staying, but you should all be prepared to head back to your nations. And if so, I want you all to focus on working hard, okay?"
They nodded, hoping that they could be allowed to stay, at least for a little bit.
"AHHHH!" Nepgear suddenly screamed in shock as someone she wasn't expecting to see appeared on the vid screen that popped up in front of her. "You're..."
"The Mad Magician." MAGES. was smiling in amusement. "I figured that the quake we felt a little bit ago was the end of this conflict."
"...So you called me?" Nepgear asked in confusion.
"Well, I was hoping to speak to Lady Neptune, but I guess I got your number instead." MAGES. shrugged and waved as she saw the other CPU Candidates behind Nepgear. "Ah, they must be the new Candidates, huh?"
"So why are you calling?" Nepgear asked, knowing that MAGES. was a bit peculiar.
"Well, I was hoping to talk to your sister, actually." MAGES. said, her face rather sober. "You know my cousin, 5pb., I believe she helped you out before, correct?"
"Oh?" Nepgear perked up and smiled. "How is 5pb.? I haven't seen her in a long time, I was worried that she..." Nepgear trailed off as MAGES. quietly turned her vid screen around and pointed it at 5pb., who was sitting on a cot against the wall and glowering. "...Lyrica, is that you?!"
"Lyrica?" Uni, Rom and Peashy all echoed in surprise, not knowing that was 5pb.'s real name. Maidgear and Ram just looked at each other before looking back at the screen, neither of them liking what they were seeing.
The idol's face was a mess, her eyes were seemingly dead looking, her face had a dark shadow over it, her hair was dishevealed and she looked like darkness had swarmed over her. "...What do you want?" 5pb. asked, her voice hoarse. "...Wait," she blinked and pointed at MAGES., who was off-screen, "how did you contact them? All of our stuff was confiscated!"
MAGES. merely chuckled at that. "Dear cousin, do you really think that I wouldn't have found ways to hide things on my personage without anyone finding it?"
"...There are so many ways to take that I don't know where to begin." 5pb. muttered before shaking her head and glared at Nepgear. "So, why are you calling?"
"Well, I was trying to call Vert and the other Noire and Blanc to see if their sisters could spend some time here in Planeptune." Nepgear said while looking at 5pb. in concern. "Lyrica, what's wrong? You look so sick. Do you need a doctor or something?"
5pb. ignored the questions and just looked at Nepgear silently. "...Where's Lady Purple Heart?"
Nepgear flinched and sighed. "Neptune... She went to Celestia to stop the invasion of monsters and... She stopped Epic, but she had her Share Crystal badly damaged." A look of distress crossed her face as she continued to speak. "...The last thing Neptune did before returning was try to fix the problem she created, she used the power of Celestia to increase the land of each nation in both worlds, but now she can't transform anymore because Epic ripped her Share Crystal out of her and..."
"...What?" 5pb. stared at the image in shock. "...Lady Purple Heart did what? She... Tried to fix the problem she created?"
"Why the heck did you tell her all of that?" Uni asked as she walked up to Nepgear, who flinched.
"Lyrica's a friend of mine." Nepgear smiled at the slightly shorter girl. "Maybe something's wrong with her, but she helped me save the world, she puts on the most awesome concerts and is friends to all the CPUs and..."
"Stop!" 5pb. yelled and looked away. "D...I'm not your friend."
"Lyrica?" Nepgear asked in confusion. "What do you mean? Aren't we..?"
"And stop saying my real name so casually!" 5pb. yelled as she looked back at Nepgear, her face full of anger. "It was your sister's fault! It was all her fault! Everything in this world went to hell because of her!"
"STOP IT!" Ram yelled in anger. "Don't you say such stupid things!" Tears of anger fell out of her eyes as memories of everything that she had seen Neptune suffer through while on Gamworld. "Big Sis Neptune suffered more than you could ever know! She did everything she could!"
"And how many people have suffered because of her actions?" 5pb. asked.
"And what?" Uni asked, scoffing in annoyance. "Should she have left Gamworld to die? To continue to suffer for eternity with Voids?" She snorted and looked away. "I may not hate humans, but it's attitudes like yours that makes me wish I did."
Nepgear looked at 5pb. sadly and lowered her head. "...Why didn't you talk to us, 5pb.?" The idol jerked in surprise. "I would have made time to see you. I've been working so hard, me, Neptune and everyone. You could have told us."
5pb. was about to say something when she saw tears falling from Nepgear's eyes. "...Nepgear?"
"I'm sorry, I'm happy to see you..." There was a pained smile on her face, "but I understand if you're not happy to see me."
5pb. looked troubled and bit her lower lip softly. "...Hey... Nepgear..." She looked at Nepgear, her face settling into a more neutral expression. "...I'm sorry..."
"...5pb.?" Nepgear looked confused, though it looked like she was seeing her friend slowly return to her senses.
"...I need to think." 5pb. said and laid down on her cot, rolling onto her side and facing the wall.
MAGES. turned the vid screen around and smiled at Nepgear. "Thank you, Nepgear."
"...What did I do?" Nepgear asked as the vid screen turned off. She looked at the others in confusion, though Histoire was smiling. "Histy?"
"I'm sure it will work out." Histoire told Nepgear.
(-)
Lastation, Ultradimension...
MAGES. smiled as she looked at her cousin. "You really do care for her, huh?"
"Shut up." 5pb. said, her body shaking and her voice cracking. "I... I..."
"You helped the bad guys, nearly doomed the world, just became estranged with one of your best friends, and you probably hate yourself right now." MAGES. said calmly. "...Lyrica, you know that Nepgear won't blame you for what you said or did, right?"
"But I hated her. Her, Neptune and all the CPUs for letting so much happen." 5pb. sobbed softly. "I couldn't stand it, seeing so many people displaced and hurting and falling into crime, all because of what happened!"
MAGES. sighed and shook her head. "Becoming one of the bad guys was never something you should have done." She smiled and slid onto her cot. "But then again, you only joined them because you thought it would help everyone, right?" MAGES. was silent for several minutes as she waited for 5pb. to respond before finally speaking up. "We all do stupid things in our lives, 5pb., I'm sure that you'll be forgiven."
5pb. never responded.
(-)
Planeptune, Hyperdimension...
"So that's what's happening," Vert sighed as she got the report from Nepgear. "If that's the case, then I'll allow Peashy to stay a couple of days."
"Really?!" Peashy's eyes sparkled as she looked at the screen conference call. "Thanks, Beru Beru! I love yoU!"
Vert just smiled at that. "Just don't get hurt, but you will need to return after a couple of days, regardless if Neptune's up and about or not." Peashy nodded, smiling happily.
"I wish I could allow Rom and Ram to stay," Ultra Blanc said, shaking her head. "But there's a few things that need to be taken care of here in Lowee." Seeing her sisters, she gave them a stern look. "Don't give me any attitude. As soon as Neptune recovers, I'll let you two take a day and spend it with her, does that sound fair?"
They both nodded, relieved that Blanc wasn't going to keep them away from Neptune. "Thank you," Rom smiled at Blanc.
"She is a friend of mine." Blanc said.
"Yeah, Uni, you're going to have to come back here too." Ultra Noire told her sister. "Don't worry, you can go and visit Neptune when she recovers as well." Uni nodded, relief on her face. "If we were in Neptune's world, I wouldn't even bother with asking you to come back right away, but..."
"Yeah, I get it." Uni nodded. "Alright, mind if I say goodbye to her?" Noire waved her off and Uni left the room with Rom and Ram following after after confirming with Blanc that they wanted to say goodbye first.
After they were gone, Noire sighed and rubbed her temples. "There's a whole new land area in my nation that just popped up here and everywhere else in this world... I assume it happened in your world too?" She asked, looking at Histoire, who looked somewhat embarrassed as she shrugged nervously. "I guess you've been busy, huh?"
"It's the same in Lowee." Blanc said, sighing.
"Well," Maidgear spoke up, "it should be the same in every nation. Big sis increased the land so that there would be more room for everyone and more resources for everyone as well."
"And an assload more work for all of us." Noire grumbled, before sighing. "What a mess, we need to clean stuff up and I hope Vert's okay."
The others were silent as they thought about what they had heard about Vert and hoped she was okay as well.
(-)
Leanbox, Ultradimension...
Filyn groaned as she sat at the desk and banged her head on the desk as paperwork covered the top. "GAH! It sucks that I don't know what's what with what!"
"Perhaps you'd like some help?" A familiar voice had Filyn looking up in shock as Vert walked into the room, her neck in a brace, her left arm in a sling with a brace on it and was using a cane with her right hand. "I'll be fine."
"But..." Filyn stood up and ran over to her. "You should be resting. You almost died!"
"Modern medicine is quite useful." Vert told her. "Before you ask, I'm mostly fine, I..." She blushed softly as she spoke, "sprained my wrist in the bathroom this morning."
"...Fell in?" Filyn asked.
"...My legs and feet fell asleep and I tried to move too fast and fell over." Vert's face was red and Filyn nodded in understanding.
"At least you didn't go head-first into doors like I have." Filyn muttered. "...So why the cane?"
"It's so I can walk." Vert sighed softly as she was led to the desk. "When my neck and limbs were nearly torn apart from my body, I lost some feeling in my legs. I should be fine after awhile though, Shares are pretty useful for healing."
Filyn smiled at her. "I'm glad you're okay. The people were worried about you."
Vert chuckled softly as sat down. "So, how about you show me what's what and I'll help you out?"
"Sure." Filyn told her and went about pointing out what she was doing and what she wasn't sure about. Vert quickly corrected some of Filyn's misconceptions and flaws in what she was doing.
(-)
Planeptune, Hyperdimension...
It was around three in the morning when Neptune slowly cracked her eyes open. "Ngh, where..."
"Welcome back." A familiar voice greeted her and she blinked to see Chrome sitting next to her with a book in her hand and smiling at her. "I'm glad you're okay."
Neptune opened her mouth to say something when she remembered what happened. "...Am I though? I... I can't transform again."
"I knew you were an idiot, but I never knew you'd give up." A familiar voice had Neptune sitting up slightly and staring at Croire, who was next to Blind Histoire, stupidly. "There might be a way to fix this problem." She rolled her eyes at Neptune's shocked and hopeful look. "Hey, listen, you made things interestin', so I figure I owe ya this much at least."
Blind Histoire nodded. "Yes, well, while I was damaged when Kurome tore pages of my book out, part of a page she didn't tear completely out mentions that there's a way to fix a damaged Share Crystal, but..."
"It's risky." Croire continued for Blind Histoire. "See, while I can record everything in a world as soon as I enter it, I sometimes miss some details, but thankfully for you, I have all the information in my book."
"...What's so risky about it?" Neptune asked and looked at Chrome, who had a pensive look on her face. "...Chrome?"
Chrome sighed softly. "From what both Histoire and Croire told me, the only way for you to fix your Share Crystal and transform would be to bond it with a CPU who isn't injured. But doing so is risky, since it's not a simple fix." She gave Neptune a serious look. "There's a ritual that can be done to bond your Share Crystal with another CPU, but in doing so, your life and her life become intertwined. If one of you dies, so does the other one." Neptune opened her mouth and Chrome put a finger over her lips. "Quiet and listen to me." Neptune blinked a few times as Chrome gave her a stern look.
Blind Histoire spoke up, explaining things further. "There's other factors in play, Neptune. If you bond with a CPU that's active, there's no guarantee that the people of that nation will accept you or the people of your nation accepting the other CPU and you'll both be harmed because you'll draw upon the same source of Share energy together."
"And unlike most CPUs," Croire spoke up, "you aren't going to die of a lack of Shares." She leaned back on her book and waved her feet up and down. "After all, Rei lived thousands of years without being able to transform. You absorbed a CPU Memory while in Ultradimension after all. You'd just be a tiny idiot for a long time, that's all."
"I..." Neptune looked troubled by what she was hearing. "I..."
"Also..." Chrome put her hand on Neptune's shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze. "Didn't you once tell me that you were jealous of the fact that you never got to make your own choices in life? That you wished you were human so you could make your own choices?"
"But..."
Chrome smiled at Neptune. "This is your chance, to make your own choice for once, don't you think?
"I gotta agree with her." Croire told Neptune. "The biggest problem I have with CPUs is that they're all the same. Even you, to a degree, are pretty similar to the other CPUs I've met." She then smirked at Neptune. "But unlike them, you realize that you're in a cage." She closed her eyes and stretched her arms above her head. "It's because you know what you're in that you make things so interestin'." She opened her eyes, grinning at Neptune. "So, no matter what you do, I'm fine with jus' sitting back and watching the chaos unfold."
Neptune nodded and looked at Chrome. "...What are you going to do when I make my decision?"
Chrome smiled at her. "No matter what you choose, Neptune, I support you fully."
"...Even if I wanted to be bonded with you?" Neptune asked softly.
"Would it change anything?" Chrome asked Neptune and looked at Croire and Blind Histoire.
"Well, as far as I know, no." Blind Histoire muttered as she tried to remember what happened to CPUs that were bonded together.
"Eh..." Croire shrugged helplessly. "I got nothing. Unless you want me to spend hours digging through my book to see if I have anything written down..."
"It's fine." Chrome said and stood up. "Excuse me, I need to stretch my legs." She closed her book and walked out of the room, leaving Neptune looking at her in confusion before flopping onto her back and thinking about the situation.
'...I could regain my HDD, but I'd have to condemn someone, wouldn't I?' Neptune asked herself. '...Do I even want to be a CPU anymore?'
Memories of her human friends flashed through her mind and how happy they were and how they went about their days and the choices they could make. '...But even they have to listen to someone, don't they?'
Even if she and the other CPUs were pretty lax with how humans lived, there were still rules that they had to follow.
"...Hey, Darksy..." Neptune said softly. "Can you get my Histy? I need to ask her something."
Croire shrugged and snapped her fingers, creating a portal above Neptune, which Histoire fell out of, or rather, her book, as it was closed, though when it hit the bed, it flopped open, revealing Histoire in her pajamas. "There."
"Abababa?" Histoire blinked and rubbed her eyes sleepily. "What..." She gasped as she saw Neptune looking at her. "You're awake? Your sisters are so worried about you."
Neptune smiled at Histoire and reached out to cup her cheek. "Hey... Histy..." She gently rubbed the book fairy's cheek. "Can you answer me something?"
"Uh, sure." Histoire wondered why Neptune was petting her like a cat, but she wasn't going to stop Neptune, it wasn't a bad feeling after all. "What is it?"
"...Are humans really free?" Neptune asked Histoire, who gave her a confused look. "...I never told you this, but..." Neptune sighed softly, a look of longing on her face as she lowered her hand. "There are times I get so jealous of Iffy, Compa and Big Me. They're human, they can choose to do whatever they want, but I was born to be a CPU and sometimes I wish I could be human so I could do what I want."
"Neptune..." Histoire said softly as she looked at her charge. "That's..."
"But someone always tells them what to do, right?" Neptune continued. "You run the guild and make laws and I sign them, right?"
"Well, signing them just means you agree to the laws and enforce them." Histoire told her. "Things aren't super strict in our nation, you know that."
"But even if they aren't guild members or Basilicom staff members..." Neptune trailed off and ran a finger over her legs and drew circles over her legs. "People have to listen to someone, right? There's always someone who's in charge."
"Eh, it's a trade off." Croire said, causing the others to look at her. "If you ever want to know what it's like to not have anyone in charge and be completely free with no one running things, ask your friends in the other world. Blanc, Noire, Vert and that psycho friend of yours all had to live without a CPU running their lives and lived in the wild without civilization, you know?" Neptune's face had a look of realization on it. "Trust me, it ain't as fun as you think. Rei was starving and would have died on that day we met had she not eaten a CPU Memory that kept her alive."
The fact that Croire had an unsually serious expression on her face was the only thing that kept Neptune from saying anything.
"In the end, Neptune," Blind Histoire spoke up, "you finally have a choice in front of you. No matter what you choose, you will have my support."
"I'm... Not sure what's going on." Histoire said as she looked at Neptune and smiled. "But I want you to know, Neptune, that I'm proud of you."
"Thanks, Histy." Neptune smiled and laid back. "...I need to think about what I'm going to do."
The three book fairies all nodded.
Histoire turned and gave Croire a dirty look. "Did you have to bring me here like this? What if I was naked while changing?"
"We'd all get a free show." Croire smirked at Histoire.
"Abababababababa!"
(-)
Meanwhile...
Chrome stood on top of the Basilicom and looked up at the full moon. "...You're up early." She said without looking away.
"I never went to sleep." The person said as they touched down next to Chrome. "I'm worried about Neptune and Peashy."
Chrome turned to look at the person and smirked. "Neptune told me that you were interested in marrying her, Vert. Still interested?"
Green Heart closed her eyes as she transformed into her human form. "Why do you ask?" The blonde asked Chrome.
"To save Neptune, one of us would have to bond our Share Crystal to hers." Chrome told Vert. "...Doing so means that if she or her partner dies, both of them die and if the people reject one CPU, both are rejected."
"But in exchange, both are effectively married." Vert said and Chrome nodded. "...If Neptune asks me, I'll say yes." Chrome gave her a look of surprise and Vert smiled at her. "Noire and Blanc would both say yes in a heart beat as well. I'm sure that our other selves in the other world would as well, including Plutia. What about you?" She chuckled when Chrome raised an eyebrow. "You're close to her, I'm actually jealous."
Chrome sighed softly. "...I owe her so much, Vert. I promised her, no matter what she chooses, I'll be there with her. But..." She bit her lip. "...If she asks me..."
Vert simply looked at Chrome with a raised eyebrow. "Is this a sense of obligation on your part? Because she saved your world? Or are you scared that she doesn't really feel that way about you and is only asking because you're a CPU without a nation and people to worry about?"
"...Am I that easy to read?" Chrome asked.
"No." Vert shook her head. "Because I think anyone would have those doubts in their heart if they were in your situation. But, how do you feel about her?"
"I..." Chrome began as she thought about all the times Neptune had smiled, had cried and had suffered. "...I really care about her, Vert." She hung her head as more memories flashed through her head. "...I'd do anything for her." She blinked as she felt a hand on her shoulder and she raised her head up to look at Vert, who smiled at her, which, despite how dim it was outside, was clearly visible.
"You'll be fine." Vert told her. She chuckled as a thought came to her. "If Neptune chooses me to bond with, I'm going to have a big wedding ceremony." She winked at Chrome and leaned in. "If you want to make my honeymoon really fun, you can join in." She pulled back and giggled as Chrome's face was bright red.
Chrome looked away, flushed. "If Neptune chooses to have me help her, I'm not extending the same to you."
Vert just continued to smile and giggle. "I was merely teasing you." She laughed at Chrome's dirty look, before Chrome sighed and smiled, chuckling as well.
(-)
Several hours later...
Chrome walked into Neptune's medical room with Vert in tow.
"Hey, Chromey, hey, Verty." Neptune smiled at them as she sat up. "I made up my mind." Both Chrome and Vert looked confused and concerned. "For once in my life, I'm making a choice for me and I actually have all my information, yanno?"
"So... What's your decision?" Chrome asked nervously.
Neptune just smiled before answering.
The End
There will be an epilogue chapter and an "author notes" chapter, I promise you.