A few days passed since Vert found me lying the middle of Zega Forest near death and torn apart. My wounds have healed, but since some of the wounds were pretty deep, my muscles were sore from being cut into. When the bandages were removed, and Chika gave me the go ahead to get my own version of physical therapy in, I limped out into my personal little "training area", where my friendship with the Oracle really started. My sister had little training dummies installed that would recover over time, so I wouldn't have to worry about holding back against them while I worked my body over from being bedridden for so long. I ignored summoning my daggers for today, as the quick, tight movements of combat with them would be too much too soon. I need to stretch my muscles, not tear the scars open so soon after being given clearance to do this. Instead, I just called my gloves into being and went right to my wires. To make sure my body remembered how to maneuver them, I started out with just creating shapes, the thin wires glistening in the sunlight to show me if I succeeded. Smiling when I was confident enough with simple movements, I moved onto combat training. I used a few simple techniques; regular combos where I smash, swipe, and constrict with the peculiar weapons to test how well my body could handle it. Confident in my strength, I jumped into my special attacks, which may have been a mistake.

"Eat this, Sonic Spiral!"

Spinning my body around I whip all 16 of my gems around. While using my wind magic to add greater force to the blow by speeding up their rotation, I wrap the final three in line in compact twisters which encircle and barrage the dummy with powerful winds and cuts of magic. I called my wires back and had them click back into place, seeing how the damage was to the target. Whatever material Vert had them fashioned out of was gouged and had splintered under the impacts from my gems. I was happy with my improvement, as that was my weakest attack and still did so much damage now, to the point where I jumped into the air in excitement. The pain in my stomach however made me stop that as soon as I started and had me double over. Putting my hand over it I felt it oddly warm and moist, and I knew I wasn't sweating just yet, seeing as I was just getting warmed up.

Blood…

The deepest wound I sustained was a large gash on the left side of my stomach. It wasn't deep enough to hit anything vital, but enough that it was the one that hasn't fully healed like all the others. Keeping pressure on it with my hand I stumbled my way into the Basilicom, using the wall to keep me from falling on my face from the pain. As usual, I was deep enough into the building that we didn't get much foot traffic from the workers here, seeing as it was closer to our living space and Vert's "collection rooms". I first tried seeing if Vert was in her room, but knocking on the door produced no answers. I tried Chika's room as it was next on the way, but no one was there either. Figuring the time in my head, I figured they would be in the kitchen since it was about lunch time, and the smell of cooking meat confirmed my suspicion. I tried to look as dignified as possible while bleeding from my side, but luckily at first no one noticed the injury as they greeted me. I didn't wanna make Vert worry even more.

"Hey there Cros, was just making up some fried potatoes for lunch, want some?"

Chika asked over her shoulder with a smile, but when she looked at the way my face was, she knew instantly what was up. Shaking my head at that inquiry, I told her that I would love some lunch, but need to sit down for a bit. Vert, having been called out on work, wasn't there, but a note was left for me on the table from her.

"My lovely Cros. - I apologize for not being able to have lunch with my cute little sister, but stupid Neptune has called me over to Planeptune to try and arrange a little get together for the CPU Candidates. At first they put me on the line to kind of get to me about being sisterless, but when I told them that I had you they fell over and insisted I come to help plan this. I'm so excited to show you off, so make sure you be on your best behavior! I promise to be home before dinner so don't worry too much, and don't push yourself too hard. I don't want you injuring yourself again now that you finally are feeling a bit better. I love you! - Vert"

Sighing, I put the letter down and fall into my seat. The bleeding has mostly stopped, so sitting wasn't going to be an issue. Chika brought over the potatoes, which were plated with a tossed salad and a piece of chicken, and then sat down to look right into my eyes while crossing her legs. I started to eat, ignoring the look of disapproval she was giving me, and I would've been able to play it off had the pain not started to return as I moved.

"Wow Chika, this is really tasty! When did you become such a great cook? You look fantastic by the way, have I told you that yet?"

She gives me the most deadpan look possible as I smoothly compliment her to try and get her mind off my condition.

"Don't give me that young lady. You over did it didn't you? After I told Vert you have recovered enough to move around, you go ahead and reopen the wound on your stomach. If she was here, not only would she wrap you up like a mummy, pin you to the bed, and make you stay there until you grow old, but then she would unleash her rage on me for letting you do that to yourself. After you eat, we are redressing that wound, and washing your shirt too, don't want that stain setting in."


I sat on my bed with a new set of bandages around my waist. Luckily the bleeding stopped when I thought it did, so there wasn't much that needed to be done but apply new gauze and wrap it up. Still without a shirt on, I stared at the mirror where I first came in contact with myself. The me then seemed like such a long time ago, even if was just over a month now. My hair has grown to the point where I need to pull it into a small ponytail if I don't want it getting everywhere. My body has grown stronger than it was, growing slightly hard in muscle in some spots, while still staying soft where it counted. Though, out of all the changes, there was one that didn't occur that I would've liked. I already know that the other Candidates won't believe I'm Vert's little sister, since I'm severely lacking in one place that she has excelled in.

"I know I'm not the most girly one here, but it doesn't mean I want to look like a boy. I want at least something to work with here."

Scars covered my exposed skin, crisscrossing all over my chest and abdomen. Most would fade right away, but some look like they would be staying with me for at least a few years. Looking at my face, I felt something weird shift inside my stomach, but couldn't put my finger on it. Nothing seemed too off. My earrings could use an update, as I have worn them since I was born. My face was only dirtied when sis found me so there were no marks to speak of on it. What was it that was worrying me so much?

As I looked into my own eyes, I had to take as step back. My hands flew up to my head as pain started swirling around it like a twister in my brain. Trying to peek back up at the mirror, some memories clicked into place, mainly why I recognized the mark in the earth where Vert found me. The "X" that was scarred into the earth was the exact same as the golden ones crossing my eyes, a unique characteristic I chalked up to just being one of my many charm points. Somehow though, fragments of memory flashed in my head at the sight of it, all from the time where I blacked out.


The Fenrir surrounded me, slowly each one circling to find the perfect attack angle while reducing the risk of my escape in conjunction with the others. I was defenseless, scared to the point where I couldn't move. The first one rushed me, bound at me at a speed that would never touch me had I been in the right of mind. I fell backwards in fear, which was the trigger for the others to rush in as well. Throwing caution to the wind I activated HDD. If I was gonna die here, it wasn't going to be without a fight.

The first to come at me crashed into me, but I was strong enough to stop the giant claws from touching me and possibly tearing me in two. I slashed back, my Tempest Raiment turning into gauntlets like sister wears, the gems on the knuckles turning into claws on my fingertips. Firing off a barrage of blows, I knock the one in my face away, but there were no injuries to speak of. Something felt off about this whole encounter, but I couldn't quite figure it out until I looked at the next two pouncing at me. My eyes widening, I saw that parts of their bodies had a strange marking on them, similar to circuitry on a motherboard dyed red. As they moved, the circuits glowed brightly, causing their bodies to almost become overclocked, gaining speed and momentum. Before I realized it, I was in deep trouble. The sped up passed my limit, and began almost using skills on me that knocked me to the ground and breaking my HDD.

The air escaped my lungs, and my body refused to take more in. All I could do was lay there gasping for breath while 5 murderous Fenrir stood over my soon to be corpse. Once again, I prayed to whoever would listen to make it out alive. I prayed for my sister to come in any second, blow these monsters away, then hold me in her arms to ease my fears. I screamed at the top of my lungs how much I didn't want my short life to end there, even though in the back of my mind I knew that no one would hear me this deep in the forest. The wolf that I assumed was the pack leader bent it's muzzle down to my face. The demonic eyes burned with a bloodlust that even wild beasts would be terrified of, and the fangs that were soaked in the saliva of a hungry animal glistened to their armor rending points.

It walked over to my left side, and for whatever reason, lifted its front paw. As it brought it down, I felt a light pain, and a burning hot sensation. I steeled myself and looked at the source of the heat, which only made the pain explode to new levels. The large gash now in my side caused the fabric around it to quickly turn red, and a puddle began forming under me. Even though I saw this happening, I could not believe that I was lying on the forest floor, surrounded by Fenrir, and bleeding out because I was too scared and too weak to protect myself.

"Vert… I'm so sorry…"

The words I choked out were the only things that could be heard besides the screaming I released as the 4 remaining wolves encroached. I remember praying one last time for the power to survive, the power to get back to my sister, and the power to obliterate these wolves for harming so many people. After my silent prayer, I saw a small light float from the sky to just outside arms reach in front of me. The light spoke to me, saying… "Do…power…receive…wish…protect…accept?"

I pleaded with it for another way, any other possibility but that to save my life, and it gave me a single question that I had no option of ever saying no to.

"Would you give your life to protect others?"

When it heard my answer, it flew into my hand. I felt a rush of power as my body lifted off the ground. My eyes burned like a blazing inferno, yet somehow I knew it was some kind of strength awakening inside me. The cross just had to have been lifted. In a flurry of wind, four giant blades of pure magic crossed below me, creating a massive "X" in the ground. The raging storm now inside me and surrounding me tore me apart, but it gave me a second chance…


Cradling my head, I realized that it was a memory better left forgotten, as the pain seemed to return to every single spot on my body. Seeing what I did to those monsters, what I did with my own hands, terrified me. Sweat began pouring down my neck, and eventually I just was curled in a ball on the floor. Whimpering like a lost dog, I considered yelling for Vert, Chika, anyone in ear shot to come to my room. I needed someone to come save me from myself, from the demons that were reawakened in my head. The mirror taunted me, showing a vision of myself that depicted a cold blooded killer with no regard for mercy. I recoiled in fear at the girl staring back at me, judging me for my weakness. I snapped. Summoning my Tempest Raiment, I did something that brought both my sisters running towards my room.

"S-s-s-s-torm… Storm Impact!"

My attack crashed into the glass, shattering the mirror into a fine powder. In my state the attack didn't just stop there, it crashed through my door, ripping it off the hinges and decimating the frame it stood on. Continuing still, it bored a hole through the wall of the Basilicom, breaking every window on that side in the hall. Following the explosion of dust and debris, I began shrieking. Words were not able to be formed, my fear took ahold of my entire being and sent me into a state where I wouldn't even consider it insane, it was so far gone. Footsteps came pounding down the hall, not even stopping in the rubble that now littered the floor. As soon as Vert saw the state I was in, she ran to my side and wrapped her arms around me. Chika soon followed suit and held us both. Until I passed out from a combination of exhaustion, lack of oxygen, and pain from my reopened wound, I sat there cradled by two women, both trying to console me with soft voices and light strokes of my hair.


A second changed perspective

Looking at the damage Cros caused made my heart break. Neither Chika nor I knew what caused her to break down like this, but whatever it was, it was traumatic enough to make her unleash one of her strongest skills inside her own room. What few pictures of all of us and of Cros herself looking like a perfect young woman, ones she would always say were of someone else, were strewn around the room, frames shattered from the force of the wind. Chika was sitting on her bed, stroking her hair as she slept on the chance she woke and started to panic. I didn't know anything about masonry, so I would need to get a professional to make an estimate and begin repairs. Sighing I look back at my sister.

The pain on her face was still there, even while asleep she couldn't find reprieve. It was all I could do to not break everything in sight and rage at the heavens for whatever did this to her. With my fists shaking, I crossed my arms to hug myself and try to keep steady. As the older sister I need to be the strong one. I walked over to the bed and sat next to my Oracle. I needed to know what did this to Cros, and more importantly, how to save her from the pain she felt. There was only one person she could trust with this matter, someone she would normally go visit herself, but in this circumstance she was going to do something no CPU ever would ask of their Oracle.

"Chika, please go to Planeptune and beg Histoire to come here. Do whatever you need to in order to get her to agree. I don't care the price we have to pay; we need to find out how to help Cros. Even if that means kidnapping her. Bring. Her. Here."

Shocked I would even say those words, my closest friend and confidant stood up from the bed and put her hands over her mouth. Shamelessly I scooted up into her spot to lay next to my unconscious sister. I knew Chika would probably hate me, basically telling her to forgo our very lives to get the little fairy to come here and maybe not even help us. The room stayed silent for a while, with the only noise being pained cries from the sleeping girl beside me. When it was broken, my heart dropped, and tears welled up in my eyes.

"Vert. I know you are heartbroken to see Cros like this, I am too. I would do anything to save her, but throwing away the pride of our nation and begging another to save a girl they only just found out about? How could you even ask me that?"

I turned to face her, my face becoming unrecognizable as tears poured down. My breath stopped when I saw give a small smile and start to walk out the room. To stop her from leaving, I put my hand out. She looked back and grasped it with both of hers. Giving a light kiss to the back of my hand, she set it on top of Cros's, who instinctively grabbed it and wouldn't let go.

"Can't have you following me Vert. I'm about to become a terrible Oracle and sell ourselves to Planeptune. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if anything happened to her and I could've stopped it."

The last thing said in that room before Chika left were words coming from the mouth of a sleeping CPU Candidate, causing both of our hearts to break.

"Ve..rt… Chi…ka… I…'m sor…ry… I… fail...ed you… Plea..se don't… hate… me"


Second post today, but still a cliffhanger. I needed to get this scene out before I forgot how I wanted it. This is the longest single chapter yet, just slightly shorter than 4 and 5 were as one. Cros's power is slowly coming to the surface, but can Histoire help offset the price she paid to obtain it? Will Vert be able to save her sister before she destroys herself?