Hyperdimension Neptunia is owned by Sega, Idea Factory and Compile Heart and whomever else worked on it.
While working on the next chapter of Echoes of the Life, my muse ran out of steam and I wanted to make sure that the chapter was good, so I shifted gears and wrote this.
Chapter 5
Walking into Planeptune Park with Uni, Noire nodded to Vert, who was standing next to Blanc, Rom and Ram. The four of them had plates with food and were sitting at a large picnic table while enjoying their food and the drinks that they had next to them. Noire and Uni first went to get their own food and drinks and were rather surprised by the amount of people that were sitting in the park, either on the grass or at picnic tables.
After getting their food and greeting some of the people who knew them, the two sisters sat at the picnic table with their friends.
"I'm glad that Nepgear invited us to this." Vert smiled before taking a bite of her hamburger. After chewing and swallowing, she looked around in confusion. "But where is Nepgear?"
"Apparently coming out with a microphone and some speakers." Blanc pointed out as she finished her hamburger. "I have to admit, this is really good. I wonder what she's going to say."
After getting the equipment set up, Nepgear smiled at the crowd a bit nervously. "Thank you all for coming." Nepgear said into the microphone. "I hope you are all enjoying the food." There was some murmurs, but most of it sounded positive, so she continued on. "But that's not the main reason that we're here today." The CPU Candidate smiled and stepped aside. "Come on in."
The crowd was confused as they muttered in confusion, which died down in absolute shock as they saw who it was that walked out from behind the curtains to stand next to Nepgear.
'This is what Nepgear was trying to tell us?!' Blanc, Noire and Vert all gawked, unable to believe that Neptune was back while the CPU Candidates all stared with blank white eyes and a shocked expression on their faces.
Taking the microphone from Nepgear, Purple Heart, dressed in a formal dress, nodded at her sister. "Thank you, all of you, for coming here today." She smiled as she waited for everyone to comprehend what they were seeing. "I apologize for disappearing for so long from your lives. It certainly was not my intention to do so." Purple Heart looked at the crowd with a calm that surprised most people. "My time sealed away was hard on me, I thought of nothing more over the years than returning home as soon as I could."
The only reason she was going with being sealed away was because both Histoire and Nepgear had assured her that the official explanation for her disappearance was that she had been sealed away and there was no way to reach her.
"After returning to Planeptune, I made the effort to have this picnic set up to announce my return." Purple Heart smiled at the crowd as they started to get restless. "Please, I promise, I will answer questions, but there's no need to rush. Enjoy your food. Today is a day to relax and enjoy a free meal." She gave the crowd a wink that surprised all of them. "Besides, if you crowd me, then the food will go bad and that will make both myself and the cooks sad."
After waiting a few moments since people were confused, Purple Heart let out a small chuckle. "I know I don't do that much like this, but that was a joke. But, please, today is about enjoying a free meal. In the coming days there will be more announcements and interviews, so look forward to them." She smiled at the cooks, who all raised tongs and spatulas at her. Turning to look at the crowd.
Nepgear smiled at Purple Heart and waved the crowd to look at her as Purple Heart handed her the microphone again. "You heard her, please enjoy the meal and..."
"Why did you not come back sooner?!" One person yelled and there was a murmuring of agreement across the crowd.
Purple Heart looked visibly uncomfortable and took the microphone back from Nepgear. "I wanted nothing more in my life than to return sooner. Every day I was gone was harder on me than you can possibly imagine."
"I bet you played games and had fun the entire time!" The same person yelled.
"We might have to intervene." Vert whispered to the other Goddesses, who all nodded and prepared to help Purple Heart out.
Purple Heart looked in the general direction of the person who yelled that sadly. 'This isn't the first time I've been accused of that.' She mentally sighed, remembering all the times that her desire to live carefree and have fun had come back to hurt her over the centuries. "Whether you believe me or not, do you think that I wished to remain sealed away from the nation I love? From the people whom I adore? From my family and friends?"
"Yeah right! I bet you..."
Purple Heart didn't hear what the person was saying as she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. As she exhaled, she opened her eyes, which seemed to be gleaming with power that had everyone in the park seemingly unable to breathe. "I understand your concerns," Purple Heart said softly, which clashed greatly with the aura she was putting out, "but rest assured that I worked every day I was sealed away to find a way home and I only returned a couple of days ago. It has taken me this long to get caught up on the events that have been going on."
When Purple Heart closed her eyes and let off a soft sigh, everyone seemed to be able to breathe again as the tension in the air calmed down.
"What was that?" Uni whispered to Noire.
"It was like she was using shares to make herself feel larger than all of us at the same time." Noire whispered back. "I think we may need to get involved."
"Agreed." Blanc said as the three CPUs transformed, drawing attention their way.
"Excuse us," Green Heart said as she gestured to the crowd. "I apologize for interrupting such a fine party," she gave a cool look at the crowd, "but don't you think it's unfair to your Goddess to blame her for being sealed away?"
"What are you all doing here?" Purple Heart asked as the CPUs walked up to her.
"We heard there was something going on in Planeptune and thought we'd show up," Black Heart answered and smiled at her. "Welcome back."
"Thank you." Purple Heart smiled back at her friend. If not for her control over her emotions, she might have broken out into tears upon seeing them again.
That and the fact that they had doppelgangers in Plutia's world, which lessened the impact of their sudden appearance somewhat.
(-)
Hours later at the Basilicom...
After getting back into the living room, Purple Heart sat on the couch and transformed back into her human from. Neptune groaned as she threw herself backwards against the couch. "Urgh, I hate spending hours in HDD! Even if it's for a good reason." She dropped her head against the back of the couch and let out another groan of discomfort.
"Why did you?" Blanc asked, since she, Noire and Vert had transformed back shortly afterwords. "It's not like the citizens don't know who you are in human form."
Neptune gave her a flat stare. "One, I thought I should stay in HDD if it's an announcement and two..." Neptune felt her face going slightly red. "I forgot that people here knew my human form."
"You... Forgot?" Vert asked and she looked worried as Neptune looked about ready to pass out. "Neptune, are you okay?"
"I'm just tired, I'll be fine." Neptune told Vert. "And I was gone for over a thousand years, okay?"
"What?" Everyone but Nepgear said at the same time.
"Yeah," Neptune yawned and shook her head. "One day here, one year in Ultra Dimension."
Uni quickly did the math and boggled. "That means you were trapped there for almost eleven hundred years?!"
"Yep." Neptune nodded at her, smiling fondly at her.
"...What?" Uni asked, getting uncomfortable with the look she was getting.
"I never did find another version of you, Rom, Ram or Nepgear." Neptune smirked at the looks of interest from Vert, Blanc and Noire. "Yep. There's another version of you three in that other world."
"So... Do they have weird hair and skin colors or something?" Noire asked and Neptune shook her head.
"Nah, they look and sound like you three." Neptune knew that her friends in Ultra Dimension and in Hyper Dimension weren't completely the same, but outside of their outfits, which were pretty stark in contrast to the ones she knew her friends dressed in, she couldn't recall. 'Dang it, the memories are there, but they're all fuzzy right now.'
Noire looked at Neptune and saw how tired the other CPU was and smiled at her. "Well, you know, why don't you get some rest? We'll be back..."
"Do you all want to spend the night?" Neptune asked, surprising Noire. "I think we have some spare beds and some sleep clothes if you want."
"We probably shouldn't..." Blanc trailed off, though the offer was enticing.
"Oh why not?" Vert asked, smiling. "I think a night away from the Basilicom and not worrying about all those nasty rumors would do wonders for my complexion."
Neptune had a confused look on her face. "I don't see no gray hairs or wrinkles on yer face, Verty..." She giggled softly as some memories came back to her.
"We don't exactly age." Noire pointed out, though she sighed. "I suppose it wouldn't be a bad thing to just rest."
"Yay! Sleep over!" Ram cheered while pumping a fist in the air.
"Yay!" Rom giggled while Nepgear tried and failed to hide a happy smile on her face.
(-)
An unknown location...
"Well..." A slightly angry voice spoke up. "Great job getting lost again, Neptune."
Neptune pouted. "Come on, Crostie! You were the one who took off right when the portal opened up." She smiled and waved her Nep Note around. "Can't let you getting out now."
Croire just growled in annoyance. "We're back where we met that stupid blue-haired..."
"Who's stupid?" Said a certain blue-haired girl who appeared in front of Neptune and Croire.
"Ack! Uzume!" The busty Neptune chuckled nervously. "Sorry for not getting you that console."
Uzume had a tight smile on her face. "While annoying, it's not the biggest set-back in the world for me. I found a couple of girls who will be helping you in a few days. But that's not why I'm here. I need you to go to a location in Ultra Dimension."
"Ultra Dimension?" Croire asked, her voice showing disgust with that idea. "I ain't going back to that world."
"Just for a little bit." Uzume said. "I found a couple of CPUs that happen to be sealed in a type of stasis. I would so appreciate it if you two would go there, undo the stasis and bring them to me."
"That's it?" Neptune asked, confusion on her face as Uzume nodded. She smiled and grinned. "Okay, that's easy. Come on, Crostie."
"Urgh, fine." Croire grumbled. "Let's see, the coordinates are... There."
Uzume watched as Neptune disappeared through a portal and smiled. "I'll have to have Croire open another portal back there pretty soon." She turned her eyes to Hyper Dimension and frowned. "The CPU Shift period... Both Nepsy and myself were born from such a time, I wonder what my predecessor felt like when she was replaced by me."
It didn't matter, if everything went well, she would soon have her revenge on Gamindustri and there would be nothing that anyone could do to stop her.
"After all..." Uzume smiled as four giant shadows loomed over her. "The only one who has the power to stop a Dark CPU is me after all."
Maybe two more chapters before the plot of VII kicks up. I'll TRY not to copy every bit from VII as best I can.