It was yet another peaceful dawn in Leanbox, much like innumerable ones before it. Boxbirds sang as the sun appeared over the horizon, bathing the world with its warm light as cool breezes traveled through land and sea alike.

A calm atmosphere, without a doubt. And it was in such an atmosphere that Chika Hakozaki, the one and only Oracle of the Land of Green Pastures, could be found amidst one of the most important rituals of her daily life.

Which, of course, simply meant sleeping under the green covers of her large, luxurious bed, cuddling her Vert bodypillow as if it were the real thing.

The woman had a satisfied smile as she slept, her comfort greatly enhanced by both the warm light and calm wind coming from the open glass windows. Given her expression, there was no doubt that she was enjoying her dreams, whose subject only Chika herself would ever know.

"Ehehe... Lady Vert... So soft..."

... Or, at least, that would be the case, if only she wasn't the open book that was Chika Hakozaki.

Point is, there was no question that the Oracle was greatly enjoying her rest, and it wouldn't be far-fetched to say she would stay like this forever if given the option.

Unfortunately, this was the real world-

BRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAING!

"UGH!"

-something the Oracle was suddenly reminded of as she was brought back to the world of the living by her too-loud-for-comfort alarm clock, an old-style design she bought on a whim in a sale last week, the kind that could wake even comatose people up.

The kind that Chika hated.

SMASH!

As evidenced by her utter decimation of the poor metallic object with her fist.

Chika would most likely regret that action later, but, as she drowsily opened her scarlet eyes, she simply felt pleased. And grouchy.

"Should have never bought that thing..." the woman grumbled as she hesitantly let go of her bodypillow and slowly raised from her bed. Just as expected of someone who just woke up, her hair was undone and disheveled, her black - and a little suggestive - nightdress scruffy, and her eyes were droopy as she glared at the wall.

To say she looked displeased with being cut off from her dreams would be an understatement.

'And just when it was getting good...'

"Aaaaaah, it doesn't matter..." She yawned before stretching her arms out. It wasn't like she could do anything about it; going back to sleep on a work day certainly didn't sound like a good idea. Or even a sane one, considering that she was supposed to be the Oracle of Leanbox.

Someone had to do the paperwork, after all.

'Time to start a new day... Joy...'

Using all her willpower, Chika proceeded to slip out of her bed and slowly made her way to the wooden door.

She was already missing her bodypillow...

Stepping out of the shower, wrapped in a green towel, the smiling woman let out a long, satisfied sigh.

A hot bath really was the answer to everything.

With that out of the way, Chika walked to the mirror and moved on to her next activity: brushing her hair.

"Keeping a fabulous hair like mine nice and tidy is a process and a half!" The Oracle whipped out from her convenient hammerspace her trusted hairbrush, a green and cylindrical one, and began taming her mane of green hair. "I wonder if I should leave it down, dearest has never made that preference clear... Eh, I'll stick with regularity." Chika shrugged, then reached for the blow dryer. Pointing it to her head, she pressed the button on its handle.

FWOOSH!

Just an instant later, the wetness was already non-existent. In fact, Chika almost burned herself because the darn thing was set too high. "Whoops, ehehe..."

Next, she placed down the device, materialized in her hand her usual fancy hair-tie and did her hair up in the signature ponytail.

Analyzing her reflection in the mirror, she smiled victoriously. "Perfect!"

Twink~

A lone strand of hair begged to differ with the woman's statement. The smile visibly faltered.

"Come on..." The woman strongly brushed the rebel strand.

Twink~

But her hair refused to change.

Chika's eye twitched in annoyance. "So that's how it's gonna be, eh?" The Oracle accepted this challenge, reached out for an object near the sink, and then...

Snip

... She simply cut the offending hair off with a pair of scissors.

"Easy done, easy go." Satisfied, the Oracle placed down the scissors and moved on to her next activity: brushing her teeth! "I can't allow myself to have a bad breath! It would be the ultimate shame if I had it on the day my dearest finally..." She trailed off, her face becoming progressively redder as her imagination did its job. "Oh my!"

Cave once laughed at the Oracle once she generously shared the aforementioned thoughts... while drunk, but to hell with her! These weren't delusions, they were the future!

And to reach that future, she unfortunately couldn't stay focused on her imagination forever.

Eventually breaking away from the highly enjoyable images in her mind, Chika reached for the green toothbrush in the white cup near the sink and began the arduous process of cleaning her teeth, complete with mouthwash and even a mint from a nearby jar after she was done.

Gargle As she was done, the greenette then spat in the sink. Turning the water tap on and off to wash it out, she threw the mint in her mouth and left her bathroom, connected directly to her room. Still clad in her towel, she aimed for her closet next. "Now, let's see..."

Her closet was a walk-in, like her shower, and contained... basically several copies of her risque black dress blocking the view of whatever was behind them, each one with a paper label on the hanger. "Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday- Ah!" She immediately pulled out an outfit. "My Thursday Best!" She eagerly walked out the closet, slipping out of her towel as she rushed to put on her outfit.

After it was all said and done, Chika checked herself out in the mirror, making faces and posing every now and again to make sure she hadn't screwed the routine up somehow.

"I look positively pleasing for my dearest!" She gave herself the Chika Hakozaki Seal Of Approval (tm) and left her room with a satisfied grin. "It's still terribly early, but I know for a fact that Dearest binged Four Goddesses Online 2 last night... again!"

Chika pointed a dramatic finger down the hall, not caring the slightest about how weird she must have looked. "Now, onwards to my darling Vert!" Yelling like a military general, the Vert-obsessed woman marched down the otherwise empty hallways to greet her Vert.

A left turn, a right turn, another left turn, next straight forward, ignore the Sharicite Chamber whose door is emanating heat, then right-

Wait.

'The Sharicite Chamber is burning up?!'

Chika couldn't have turned around faster, panickedly running as fast as possible to that door. Reaching it seconds later, the woman immediately put her hand on the digital panel next to it.

Recognizing her hand, the door then opened upwards, revealing the Sharicite Chamber-

FLASH!

-from which ludicrous amounts of noticeably hot and blindingly bright light shot straight into her eyes.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH-"

Vert, the CPU Green Heart of Leanbox, was having an acceptable morning, and calling it that might even be stretching it.

Much to her joy, 4GO2 had a massive update released only yesterday, and the blonde gamer spent her precious sleep-time downloading it, waiting for installation while staring down the loading bar like any proper gamer and then playing nonstop in an attempt to obtain and beat all the new content at once.

That in itself had cost her the night, but she didn't look worn in the slightest. Sure, she was in her nightgown, but not once had she felt sleepy or even yawned. Losing twelve hours of sleep was nothing if you were the CPU Of Leanbox!

... And also overloaded with snacks, but that was another story entirely.

However, although she was having such a great time for most of her all-nighter, it was pretty much set in stone that the fun had to stop at some point.

Thing is, the CPU hadn't expected that to happen before she went through all the content.

"I must be cautious with this boss..." Vert sipped her tea with one hand, the other holding the controller near her chest as she spoke in the microphone of the black headset placed on her head.

As would be expected of an addicted gamer's lair, it was dark in her room, the only light coming from her four computer screens.

One could say Vert was a very... focused woman.

"He has depleted me of over 100 Hyperpotions, cut the Leanboxian Grand Army to less than half in a matter of minutes, and he keeps spamming Armageddon! ARGH!" Vert growled, her hold on the controller tightening. "However, even though we were forced to retreat yet again, for now we cannot let these losses get the better of us! His HP is not regenerating, we will defeat him!"

"I understand your feelings, but I suggest not shouting so loudly, Lady Vert." A cool, collected voice came over her headset. "It's still early morning, after all."

"Ah..." Vert visibly faltered. "I'm sorry, Cave. It seems my patience has taken far too many hits..."

"No need for apologies, simply prepare yourself to evade these hits. And I mean both kinds." Cave, under the name BulletHellGoddess1979, responded."To tell the truth, I was also struggling with them. It seems I haven't fully awakened yet. I find-"

"AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!"

"..."

"..."

"Was... Was that Chika, perhaps?" Cave hesitantly asked, her tone clearly disbelieving.

"Ah, do not mind her." Vert didn't seem so worried, however. "She likely drenched her bodypillow of me with coffee. Yet again."

"I... see. It certainly sounds likely, although I hadn't expected her to scream," Cave conceded, still sounding somewhat confused. "As I was saying, I find myself rather surprised that you asked for my help against the Sheeplord, and so early in the morning at that."

Vert sighed. "Well, as you have undoubtedly noticed, most of my team has left the battle due to frustration or tiredness. I'm terribly sorry to disturb you on your day off, but we truly need help after all the losses we took. We were never ready, no one expected a boss with Sheep in the name to be so powerful!"

"I will not lie, it truly sounds like the name of, might I say, a stupid boss."

That elicited a huff from the CPU. "It is certainly not stupid if it managed to trounce our army so thoroughly."

A low chuckle escaped from the redheads lips. "I understand, Lady Vert. The situation may be petty, but I will gladly give aid to my Goddess when the time calls for it."

Even though obviously frustrated, Vert still smiled at that. "Thank you, Cave. Perhaps I should make it up to you after the boss has fallen, I could certainly guide you through some of the new dungeons."

"A lovely invitation, but tiredness is beginning to affect me more than expected. After I get my rest, we will certainly discuss a deal."

"Very well. I don't wish to keep you up any longer, so let us march!"

"As you wish."

And so, the CPU and the SMD Agent traversed the virtual plains-

"Veeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeert!"

Vert's eye twitched. She most certainly heard that scream, but she chose to ignore it, focusing on more important matters. Now then-

"VEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEERT!"

"Lady Vert, I do believe Chika is screaming for you," Cave helpfully informed.

The Goddess groaned. "Indeed. She is so needy..." Vert set her controller down. "You have my permission to lead the Guild against the Sheeplord, Cave. I must see what all the commotion is about, I will catch up with all of you soon enough."

"Understood."

Just as the reply came, Vert took off her black headphones before raising from her seat and begrudgingly leaving her dark room.

Flash!

"Agh..." Only to be temporarily blinded by the sudden light, forcing her to shield her eyes. "Heavens, perhaps I should open a curtain every once in a while. Consistent darkness is unhealthy..."

A beat.

"Nah."

"VEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEERT!"

The blondes ears were left ringing as Chika screamed for her a third time. Sighing, she traversed through the halls towards the source of the noise.

Thirty seconds of traversing the hallways later, she finally reached her objective, only to immediately realize the screams came from the open Sharicite Chamber.

"Goodness Chika, must you scream so loudly?" Vert chastised as she walked into the room. "Honestly, what has gotten you so-"

And then she froze.

In front of her were two things. One was a paled Chika, eyes wide and mouth open as her trembling arm pointed at something that most likely caused her distress.

The other thing made Vert question reality itself.

She blinked, but nothing changed. Then she tried it again, only to obtain the same result. She then proceeded to pinch her own arm, and the slight pain told her everything she needed to know.

It was real. Whatever her eyes were seeing, it was real.

The little girl sitting on the ground right there was completely real.

"Agh... Um... Ah..." Vert couldn't even speak, her mind turning into mush as her disbelieving eyes scanned the being in front of her.

She was small, seemingly around five-years old, and her legs were carelessly sprawled on the floor. She had long wavy blonde hair which descended to her back, tied in a pair of conjoined braids behind her head with a flower hairpin, much like Vert's own hair, and her eyes were blue like the sea.

On her body was only a green strapped nightgown which reached down to her upper thighs, its sleeves far too long for her arms. Both her skirt and collar were decorated with white frills, while the latter also housed a small green bow.

"..." Vert's whole world had stopped. Her face was drained of color, similar to Chika's, and her stomach was in knots.

This girl...

She couldn't possibly...

It was all there: The blonde hair, the blue eyes, the Leanboxian clothing. Her hair was even braided in a similar fashion to Vert's, not to mention that she eerily resembled Vert herself when she was a child. There may as well have been a sign proclaiming it...

Vert was struggling to stay composed. Hell, Vert was struggling to do as much as think!

Meanwhile, the little girl looked scared, nervous even. The room she was in was quite dark, so much that it was hard to see even Vert and Chika, who were standing just feet from her. She eyed Vert, curiosity shining in her eyes. The woman's breath hitched. And then...

"..."

"..."

"..."

"...Big Sis?"

That was the killing blow.

The last thing Vert saw was the ground, which was rapidly approa-

Thud

"DEAREST!"

A/N: Didn't expect Verna to show up again, did you? Neither did I, to be honest. Especially at the expense of deleting three stories. The original plan was writing sequels, but a lot changed during the last few months.

And my god, this story took so long to complete. Rewrite after rewrite after edit after edit after rewrite... it got pretty jaded after a while, but I'm happy that it's finally done.

To any fans of Verna, and even any fans of Chika, I present to you... this. This thing that I put my blood, sweat and tears into. I hope you enjoy it, goddess knows I'd like some good feedback after four months of rewrites and edits.

Anyways, until next chapter, this has been me... signing off.

Byyyye... owo

-Yuri