F3: Welcome to chapter 13 of my Neptunia story. Vert has invited IF to the festival in Leanbox and Croire has plans for it so what will happen next. Hyperdimension Neptunia is property of Idea Factory and Compile Heart. With that said Let's Dive In.

Chapter 13: Exploring the Truth.

The moment that Blanc returned to the bascilicom she decided to take a look at what IF gave her and see for herself what was on it. She had Rom and Ram do their chores since Mina was going to be away for quite some time so it gave her some quiet time to herself. She sat at her desk where her computer was and took out the data chip that IF gave her. So without a second thought she inserted it into her computer.

Almost immediately she pressed on the link that had appeared and the video showed up and started to play as she listened to carefully.

She saw Kaito in the video along with a large tube with a person inside it that looking at the person more closely it definately resembled IF down to the body shape and hair. As she watched the video she noticed that the girl opened her eyes at Kaito in the video which seemed to surprise him.

However she watched and heard him actually name the person IF which their was no doubt now that the person in the liquid tube was IF. The girl closed her eyes as Kaito pressed his hand to the glass saying something to the her before video stopped playing.

Blanc began to ponder what she watched that IF was simply created but for what purpose she had to find out herself. She scrolled back the video seeing if their was anything that could give her a hint to where she was created and that's when she spotted something in the video as she paused it. In the background behind Kaito as he was turning the camera she saw a symbol on a machine in the background that had Lowee's trademark symbol on it.

"So she was created here in Lowee but that looks like a labatory of some kind." Blanc said to herself as she brought out her N-Gear and phoned C-Sha. It rang a fews time before it finally answered.

"Yoah Blancy. What's up? You need something?" C-Sha asked on the other end.

"Yeah, that one quest you went on it was to a labatory right." Blanc said.

"That's where I found that chip. Why?" C-Sha asked.

"I need you to take me their." Blanc added.

"Okay... what's this about? Did you find something?" C-Sha asked.

"Let's just say I need to confirm something. Think you can meet me." Blanc added.

"Sure. Meet me outside Lowee going south." C-Sha said as she hung up.

Now with a destination in mind Blanc grabbed the twin since she didn't want to leave them by their selfs and the three of them left the basilicom as they went to go meet C-Sha.

=HDN=

Back in Planeptune Histoire was currently having a chat with Fuuki over the chat line she created.

"So how goes the tracking of this energy source?" Histoire asked.

"Well not so great. The energy signal went completely dead after seeing it in the Hex Grasslands but I had picked up what had happened their." Fuuki said.

"Oh. What did you find?" She asked again.

"Well I analyzed the signals between what happened in Lastation and in Lowee and they both were doing the same thing. They were absorbing share energy." Fuuki replied.

"Absorbing share energy? Like from the very nation itself." Histoire added.

"Yeah. From what could estimate Lastation lost 15 percent of their shares and Lowee lost only 10 percent. So this fifth energy signal has only 25 percent of shares." Fuuki answered.

"Hm... that is rather concerning. Do you think that Planeptune and Leanbox could be potenital targets?" Histoire questioned.

"It's hard to say. Although with the amount of shares I have been able to pinpoint where this fifth signal is. It's within the vacinaty of Lowee but I can't get an exact location." Fuuki answered.

"I guess that's the best for now. How is Lastations recovery process?" Histoire questioned wondering the stated of Lastation.

"Well right now I'm working on transfering data to proper security banks to make sure all the data can be saved and fix any data that is corrupted. Sonya is leading a rescue operation to find any survivors from the wreckage. Noire is having everyone housed in the basilicom and last I checked Uni is helping K-Sha feeding the workers that Blanc sent over." Fuuki said.

"Good. Keep me informed of the progress and let me know if anything else out of the ordinary happens." Histoire said.

"Will do." Fuuki replied as she disconnected.

Histoire only sighed at current development of Lastation as she wondered about this other CPU that is about. It also made her curious if this CPU can be trusted or not.

The door then opened revealing Neptune and the others.

"Histy! We're back!" Neptune cheered as she turned to face her and Nepgear but also noticed the bigger version of Neptune standing behind her.

"Neptune, why is the older version of you is here?" She asked.

Neptune swetdropped a little as she laughed nervously "Well that's kind of a funny story actually. She kinda lost her Nepnote that had Crostie in and now she's stuck here." Neptune said.

"I see. So not only that Croire is lost somewhere in Gamindustri and you have no idea where she is." Histoire added.

"I'm afraid so. Something attacked me from behind after I got here and knocked me. After I came to my Nepnote is gone." The older Neptune said.

"That could be trouble if she's ever got out." Nepgear added.

"So what exactly is going on anyway. Little me didn't exactly explain all the details to me." Older Neptune replied.

"Well... that's rather complicated at the moment. From what we've found out their is a fifth share energy source that we have no idea who it belongs to." Neptune said.

"That's true. Right now I have Fuuki looking it and she'll get back to me if she finds anything important." Histoire replied.

"So did she come back with anything?" Nepgear asked.

Histoire nodded "Yes. She was able to narrow down where the share energy is coming. It's somewhere within Lowee. However she was unable to pinpoint exactly where it is located. For now I'll continue monitoring the situation." Histoire said however a noise coming from her stomach sound a she slighly blushed.

"Right after I get something to eat. I'm still rather unfamiliar with this body." Histoire added.

"Yeah I was going to ask about that. Did something happen?" Older Neptune asked.

"To make it short. Her old body gave out and sis here gave her a brand new body. Makes her more human than fairy." Neptune said in which the older one nodded.

"So... you wouldn't mind if I hang out here till Croire is found." Older Neptune asked.

Histoire nodded "Very well but you'll be pulling your own weight around here if you're staying." Histoire added in which she nodded at as the four of them headed for the kitchen for some much needed lunch break.

=HDN=

Back in Lowee Blanc and her sisters flew to where C-Sha would be meeting them as they saw her down on the edge of the Lowee waiting for the three. They flew down to her turning back to their normal selfs.

"Were you waiting long?" Blanc asked.

"Nah. Just got here myself. So what's this about? You weren't really descriet." C-Sha replied.

"I'm sorry about that but can you show us where you found the data chip." Blanc said.

"Sure. It's a bit of a walk so hope you three are ready for some walking." She added as the three nodded following C-Sha to the destination she wanted them to see.

After a long thirty minute hike the four of them eventually came to a cave like opening that wasn't their before.

"A cave? This was where you found it?" Blanc questioned.

"I know it looks like this on the outside but trust me on the inside it's completely different. I don't think there are any monsters around but you can't be too safe." C-Sha replied.

Blanc brought out her hammer while the twins readied their wands incase they do encounter monsters.

"Ram on my left. Rom my right. Be ready for anything." Blanc ordered as the two got in their positions with C-Sha hanging back as the four of the entered the cave.

Like what C-Sha mentioned it was different than any other cave as their was metal all around them their footsteps echoing with every step. They then came to a metal door that looked like it was forced opened by a certain brawler.

They entered the room as Blanc and her sisters looked on with a surprise look on their faces. In the room are computer monitors that haven't been used in years along with computer consoles and other assortment of technology.

"This is incredible. All this was in here? I wonder if it still works." Blanc said.

"Don't know. The data chip was laying on that table their and that was all I found. Didn't even bother checking on everything else." C-Sha said as they started looking around.

However as they were looking around Ram noticed a symbol on one of the computers PCs. It had a green background with a stylized X in the middle that had a spear.

"Hey sis! Over here!" Ram called out as Blanc rushed over to her.

"Take a look at this." Ram said pointing out the symbol.

Blanc wide eyed at this "Wait... that's Leanbox. This is Leanbox tech." Blanc said quite surprised.

"Not just that. Over here." Rom said getting her attention.

Blanc went over to her and noticed the symbol of a purpled colored N in the middle of the console.

"Planeptune technology. What is that doing down here?" Blanc asked.

"Here too. This looks like it belongs to Lastation. There's even some technology from Lowee. Just what is this place?" C-Sha added taking a look at the computers and the symbols.

"It's like whoever was down here took all this stuff from the other nations and brought it here." Blanc said.

However Rom and Ram noticed something on the ground that looked like wires as they were seeing where the wires lead too only come to a stop at the wall but the wires were going under it.

"Um sis. You might want to see this." Rom said as she and C-Sha went over to them and noticed the wires.

"Wires? But they lead behind the wall. That could only mean one thing." C-Sha started.

"A hidden room." Blanc said.

"Look around for anything that looks out of place or some kind of lever." She added as they spread out to search for anything.

C-Sha was looking everywhere as she checked the desks that were close as she rubbed her hand underneath the desk until she felt something like a button under it. She pressed and almost immediately a door opened up in the wall near the wires.

"Gotcha." C-Sha replied.

"Nice work C-Sha now we can take a look at what's inside." Blanc said as they four headed into the hidden room. What they were control panels, monitoring systems and other devices but the wires ended in the back of the room where their was nothing it was connected to.

"What is all this stuff? It's all so high tech." Ram added looking at the control consoles.

"Careful you two we don't know what these will do or if they'll even turn on." Blanc warned however C-Sha didn't exactly take to her warning as she went over to the nearest computer and turned it on in which much to her surprised actually turned on along with everything else in the room.

"C-Sha! What did I just say!?" Blanc shouted.

"Hey everything powered on okay so we're not dead. Plus I think theirs something on here. Take a look." C-Sha replied as they gathered around her seeing multiple tabs on the screen but she mainly hovered on a file that read video journal.

"Wonder what this is about? Shall I?" C-Sha asked as Blanc gave her a nod. She clicked on the file as it brought up other files.

"These are video files." She added.

"Click on one and let's see what it plays." Ram said. C-Sha click on the first video as it played.

"Day 1 of Project Liberator. I Dexter Grimm am about to do what some proclaim as an impossibility. These so called beloved 'CPUs' have gone on long enough as rulers of this planet but I say we are no longer need of them. I will dethrone them but in order to do that I will create a more obedient CPU. I have gather scientist all around Gamindustri that share my vision. Today we start the creation of our own CPU and soon the goddess of this world will fall." Dextor said as the video ended.

"So who's the old man in the video?" C-Sha asked.

"Dexter Grimm. Apparently from what Noire said he used to work for Lastation but was exiled do to illegal experimentation. Their's another one." Blanc said as she clicked the next one.

"Day 5 of Project Liberator. We've gathered what we need in order to create our goddess. Lady Black Heart will regret ever letting me go and I'll enjoy hearing her screams of mercy." Dexter replied.

"Wow... this guy is not right in the head." Ram replied as Rom nodded in agreement.

C-Sha played the next one as it appeared on screen.

"Day 7 of Project Liberator. The creation was a success but due to limitations we were only able to create it in an infant stage. We were even successful in implimenting a CPU Memory Core within it without any side effects. We are now starting on the growth process which will regrettably take time for the subject to grow but I guess you can't rush perfection." Dexter added.

"So they created this infant just to make it grow into what he was wanting." C-Sha said.

"Apparently." Blanc added.

"Hey here's the last one right here." Ram said as C-Sha clicked on it.

"Day 45 of Project Liberator. What Dexter is doing is wrong and this has to stop. My husband and I have devised a plan to get the subject out safely. However because of this we've decided to separate until the proper time for us to come together again. I only hope that Kaito will take care of her." The voice sounded like Rei Ryghts instead of Dexter.

"Okay who was that? I don't recognize the voice." C-Sha asked.

"I think that was Rei Ryghts. Kaito's wife. So they separated with Kaito taking whatever they created. That's the last file." Blanc said.

C-Sha took out flash drive and plugged it into the computer.

"I'll download the files and have a better look at them back at the basilicom." She said as the files started downloading.

"This shouldn't take long." She said.

"Then you don't mind if I cut in." A voice said getting all four of their attention as they turned to see a cloaked figure standing in front of them.

"Can't let you four leave without those files. It would ruin what I have planned." The voice replied.

"Who's this clown?" Blanc said holding a glare on the figure.

"Clown? Now that's rather hurtful for you to say that. But you're a CPU so I hardly care." The figure said before pulling summoning a sword to her side and charged at the four aiming for the twins first. C-Sha got in the way of the sword and delivered a powerful kick to block it but the cloaked figured pushed.

Blanc seeing this person as a threat raised her hammer to swing at the person. Under the cloak the person smirked as she suddenly vanished from view and Blanc inadvertibly hit C-Sha knocking her back.

"Hey! Watch where you swing that thing!?" C-Sha shouted slowly getting up.

"Sorry." Blanc apologized.

Rom and Ram tried blasting the figure with magic but it easily dodged them with little effort and them was suddenly inbetween the two which made react.

"Get away from them!" Blanc shouted charging the figure slamming herself to the figure but only made the figure skid back.

Blanc placed herself between the twin and the figure but the figure smirked.

"Alright just who the hell are you!? Attack us out of nowhere and try to kill us!" Blanc shouted angrily.

"That is not your concern of who I am but of what you should be worrying about is that an ally is really your enemy." The figure said.

"An ally is our enemy? The heck you talking about." C-Sha asked.

"That's for me to know and you to discover." The figure said as it disappeared from sight.

"Aw man they got away!" Ram said disappointed.

"Isn't that a good thing though." Rom added.

C-Sha turned to Blanc "So what was that all about? Something about our ally being an enemy." She asked.

Blanc just shook her head "Not sure. But it was they weren't playing around. I'm going to need to talk to the others about this and have take a full look at the data files." Blanc replied as the download was finished with Blanc taking the flash drive.

"Let's pull out of here before we get any more surprises." C-Sha replied as the four of them left the underground labatory however just above the entrance of the cave the cloaked figure was watching them but turns out it was just Croire is disguise.

"Those files mean very little to me. I'll help IF gather enough share energy and then once that happens the real show can begin. Soon Gear Heart will bring destruction to the goddess and then fathers long lived dream will finally become a reality. Just you wait goddesses, just you wait." Croire said with a chuckle before she vanished from sight.

=HDN=

Hours past as evening was now drawing near as Kei was doing a quick head count of the people they've taken in. She gave a nod as everyone was accounted for as she headed upstairs to check up on Noire. As she went up she saw Uni who had returned from town slowly closes the door to Noire's office as the door clicked shut.

"Lady Uni. Is Noire in her office today?" Kei asked.

Uni shook her head "Nah sis felt tired and decided to call it a day. I was just cleaning up and about to turn in myself." Uni said.

"Ah good. I'm glad she's not working herself to the bone like she did the last time." Kei said before handing Uni her reports.

"These are the reports for today. The builders from Lowee that Lady Blanc lent us have already completed forty five percent of repairs. The areas of high damage will still need to be taken care of. Also Miss Punk has locate ten more survivors and had them transfered here. Only three of the survivors are injured thankfully." Kei reported.

"Any casulties?" Uni asked afraid to know the answer.

"I'm afraid so... a family of four. Their bodies were recovered and were given proper burials." Kei said mornfully.

"Thank you Kei... Noire's not going to like hearing that. Do you know when communications will be up?" Uni asked.

"We're hoping that late in the afternoon tomorrow that our communications will be online. Ms. Fuuki has also been working on fixing any corrupted data after the attack while also applying security measures as well." Kei reported.

"That's great to hear. Let me know if anything else needs attention. I'm going to get some sleep myself." Uni replied.

"Of course Lady Uni. Sleep well." Kei said as Uni walked away and to her own room. She then slipped into a black and white night dress before laying herself down on her bed her head hitting the softness of her pillow.

"Things will get better I know they will. We just have to keep moving forward." Uni whispered to herself as she drifted off to a pleasent sleep hoping that tomorrow will be better.

F3: That ends chapter 13 of this story. Blanc and the others found a hidden room with more information about Project Liberator. What else will be in store for them? Don't forget to leave a comment and please make sure to follow and/or favorite this story. With that said this is Fireuser3 and I'm Out.