Hyperdimension Neptunia is owned by Compile Heart, Idea Factory, Sega and whomever else worked on it.
Chapter 70
It was almost two hours after the group had split up and went their separate ways that Uni found herself walking through another set of corridors that took her into a large, open room with lots of people moving around and mulling about their daily lives. And even though the people seemed a little... Pale, probably from the lack of sunlight, they seemed to be doing decently well for themselves. Uni hadn't seen anyone wearing extremely ratty clothing, unlike what she had seen in the slums of Lastation. 'Then again, we're pretty high up, huh?' She wondered if Planeptune was like Lastation and the more affluent people lived up on top while the poorer people lived closer to the bottom. "I wonder if that's a metaphor or something."
"What's a metaphor, Lady Uni?" Steamax asked. "And before you say, I do know the meaning, but I was wondering what you were referring to."
Uni looked at him with a wry grin. "Well, the fact that the richest people live on the top of Lastation while all the poor people live on the bottom," she turned to look at where she was walking so she wouldn't trip over something, "I think it means something, but OOOF!" She yelled out as she turned a corner and ran into someone. She would have fallen onto her butt had Steamax not been there to grab her. "Thanks."
"Ouchies!" A female voice caught Uni's attention and she looked at the person she crashed into. The first thing that caught her attention was the rather... Exposed French Maid outfit the person was wearing, including stockings and even a garter belt with lacy white panties. "EEK!" The girl blushed hard and sat up, putting her hand over her skirt to hide her underwear.
"Ah!" Uni's eyes went white and blank. "Sorry!" She felt her face flushing out of embarrassment. "I didn't mean to." She took another look at the girl and was rather amazed at the light purple eyes and long hair that was light purple in color and... "Hey, you look kind of like Neptune."
The girl jerked in surprise. "You know my big sister?" She had a confused look on her face as she looked at Uni and Steamax. "...That's odd, I usually know who my sister has as special guests." Her eyes widened and she jumped back and pointed a finger at Uni. "Wait! Are you another person my sister wants for her fun time?"
"Uh..." Uni and Steamax both had no clue how to answer that as the girl started to pace side to side.
"Big sis keeps saying that she doesn't want me taking over, but is she just going to throw me away and only keep me for eye-candy? Nnnnngh! It's not fair!"
"Lady Uni, I think it's safe to assume that this is the CPU Candidate of Planeptune."
"Then..." Uni frowned softly. "Didn't Neptune say that the name should be... Nep...Gear?"
"Yes?" The girl stopped muttering to herself and instantly looked at Uni. "What do you want?"
Uni was taken aback by how Nepgear felt almost subservient as soon as she heard her name. "Ah, I was trying to figure out your name. I'm sorry."
"Oh." Nepgear smiled at her. "That's fine. I guess I shouldn't be surprised. It's not like sis kept me a secret or anything." She giggled and rubbed the back of her head.
"Yep, you sure do act like Neptune." Uni muttered and wondered if Neptune was right in warning them that there might be someone who looked and sounded like her but wasn't nice and friendly.
"I do?" Nepgear asked, confused. "But I know sis doesn't act like this. Or does she?" Nepgear asked, tilting her head to the side. "She is pretty random, but then again..."
"Perhaps we should explain before you get more confused?" Steamax suggested to Nepgear, who nodded rapidly at him. "We know of a CPU who has the name of Neptune and who would love to meet you."
"Sis wants to meet me?" Nepgear asked, confused. "But I just saw her this morning, so why would..?" Her eyes widened and she fidgeted. "I hope that she's not mad."
"I think we need to explain more fully." Uni muttered softly and proceeded to explain things to Nepgear.
"Ah!" Nepgear's eyes widened after the explanation and she slapped a fist into an open palm. "So you're the CPU Candidate from Lastation and you came with the other CPU Candidates and a couple of CPUs to Planeptune?" Uni nodded, glad that she got it. "But I don't understand what you mean by another world."
"Well..." Uni muttered to herself, "this might be a long conversation." She sighed when Nepgear giggled nervously.
(-)
In another part of Planeptune...
"Ram!" Rom's eyes sparkled as she looked at the cooking stalls. "Look!" She pointed to some skewers that were cooking over open fires. "Those look good."
"Yeah." Rom licked her lips as she smelled them. "Come on!" The two ran over to the stall. When they got there, a portly woman smiled at them.
"Well, hello cuties. I've never seen you two around here." She said to them. "Then again, Planeptune is pretty big. So, what can I get for you?"
Before Rom or Ram could speak up, a new voice spoke up. "I'll have some dango sticks." Rom and Ram both turned to see a woman with blue hair standing behind them with an amused smile at the other woman. "It's been awhile Masa."
"Ah!" The woman's eyes widened and she smiled. "Hey, MAGES., how are you?"
"I'm fine." MAGES. smiled at Masa and looked at Rom and Ram. "Well, aren't you two little cuties?" She knelt down and pinched their cheeks, pulling on them and getting a cry of pain from the twins. "It's a good thing a certain someone isn't around, otherwise things would go bad very fast."
Masa visibly grimaced at the insinuation of the person in question. "Don't bring him up. Whenever you do, he seems to show up."
MAGES. let go of Rom and Ram's cheeks and giggled at Masa. "It's fine, here's your credits." She handed over the money and took the dango sticks from Masa. "Anyway," she took a bite of one and smiled, "yum, seems like there's some horribly ruthless invaders into Planeptune." An amused look crossed her face as she said that.
"They got through the tornado wall that your ancestors created?" Masa stared at MAGES. in shock. "That... That's rather impressive."
"I know," MAGES. took another bite of her dango stick. "Of course," she looked at Ram and Rom with an amused smile, "powerful little mages might have helped in that regard, hmm?" She leaned in close to them. "So what do a couple of outsiders want in Planeptune?"
"...We heard it was a nice place to visit?" Rom tried.
MAGES. suddenly broke into laughter. "Oh wow! Whoever told you that was lying their butts off to your face." Her amusement dropped from her face as she looked at them seriously. "Sorry to say, but since you're not from here, you'll need to be taken to the CPU."
"And if we don't want to go?" Ram asked, trembling as she felt a sudden spike of magic power from the woman. "Uh..."
"Then we do it the fun way." MAGES. said as she put her hand over her face while her eyes and hair started to glow. "Prepare yourself, you face the Madness of Darkness, MAGES., herself!"
"HEY!" Masa yelled at MAGES., who looked at her. "You can't fight here! You'll break something!" Around them people were looking nervous and ready to run off in fear.
"...Fair point." MAGES. conceded as her glowing stopped and she walked off, swaying her hips while the magic power in the atmosphere returned to normal. "Well, I'll just meet you two later in a place we can fight."
"Uh..." Rom looked at Masa, who gave her a stern look.
"Never, ever, EVER pick a fight with MAGES.. The only way things could be worse for you is if you had pissed off the CPU." Masa warned them.
"Is she... A bad person?" Ram asked nervously. Her nervousness gave way to confusion when Masa shook her head. "Huh?"
"MAGES. is a good kid, at least I think so, but she's unpredictable." Masa told them as she gave them a neutral look. "Sometimes her idea of a fight is simply to tie someone up and tickle them until they pass out or wet their pants. Sometimes she plays games. And sometimes she fights seriously."
"...Is it bad?" Rom asked.
"Very bad." Masa nodded.
"How bad?" Ram asked.
"If she fought seriously, she would turn this whole food court into a pile of ash, including us." Masa told them.
"That's bad." The twins said at the same time, their faces pale as they looked around and imagined destroyed carts, dead bodies and all the yummy looking food wasted.
"So just don't antagonize her." Masa told them. "She's one of the CPU Knights."
"CPU Knights?" Rom asked, confused and Masa nodded.
"Yes. Powerful fighters that are close to the CPU. Besides her, there's Judge and... Well, one other one, but we don't talk about him." Masa looked around and sighed. "He's a real creep, pervs out on little girls and likes to lick them all over."
"EWW!" The two girls grimaced in disgust.
"There's also a few more people who apparently are close to the CPU, but they aren't members of the CPU Knights." Masa told them. "Just be careful, okay?" The two nodded and Masa handed them some food skewers. "This is on me, but be good, okay?"
"Um..." Ram fidgeted slightly. "Thank you. Can you tell us about the CPU?"
Masa sighed softly. "She's... Capricious is the best way to put it. Some days she's the nicest person in the world. Other days she'll torment you for simply farting in the same room as her."
"...Torment, how?" Rom asked, curious and dreading it was something with beating.
"Well, the last time she did that, she tied a person up and locked them in a room with smelly cheeses and onions for a day." Masa shrugged at the looks Rom and Ram were giving her. "One time someone made her drop her ice cream onto the ground. She picked it off the ground and dumped it down the front of the person's pants."
"She sounds very petty." Ram muttered, getting a nod from Rom.
"Well, those are when she's in a good mood. I once saw her trip over a loose rock and then she not only destroyed all loose rocks in the area, she killed anyone who laughed at her." Masa shrugged at the looks of shock. "Like I said, capricious. You never know what you're getting with her."
"Okay, thank you." Rom smiled at her. "We'll be careful."
Masa smiled back and watched as they walked off. "I hope so." She whispered to herself. She really hoped that they wouldn't fight MAGES., the girl was good, if a bit odd and playful, but when she set her mind to breaking something...
...Well, it tended to get broken.
To be continued...
Well, that wasn't a very long chapter. Sure seems longer when I look at the word count. Oh well.