The expectant sister…
The wait was murderous. I had only just gotten off the phone with Chika a few hours ago, but the time crept along like a frozen dogoo over sandpaper. I couldn't control myself, so I started passing the length of the Basilicom. As time went on, my head began to weigh all the options, and my earlier confidence started to dwindle. The clock on the wall seemed to stop as I stared at it, prompting me to turn away and head to the kitchen. To calm my nerves, I put a pot of coffee on to brew and grabbed a cinnamon bun out of the fridge. I warmed it up in the microwave, filling the room with the sweet scent of cinnamon, sugar and butter. This was mixed with the earthy aroma of the coffee as it filled the carafe. It wasn't until everything was finished that I realized my mint creamer was out, killing the slight good mood building inside me. Guess I'm going to have to settle for regular cream and sugar. Was looking forward to it too…
Finishing preparing my coffee, I grab the bun out of the microwave, still hot yet soft as a pillow. Chika's homemade cinnamon buns stay light and airy no matter what. Sipping on my bitter coffee, I would occasionally toss a bite of the cinnamon bun into my mouth to let the sweetness melt away my worries. At least, normally that's what would happen. Today though, the sweet confection almost tasted as bitter as the coffee. Without anyone to share it with, nothing tasted right today. If to make a point about the storm of emotions raging inside my heart, the sky outside began to darken with rain clouds. I remember seeing on Chirper that there was supposed to be a large thunderstorm today. My mind instantly went to the little fairy speeding her way here on my request.
"I hope Histoire gets here before it starts coming down…"
Almost immediately as the words left my mouth, I got a call saying there was a visitor at the front desk asking to come in the back. He had a surprised tone in his voice, but one that expressed exactly what was going on. In the back ground I heard a certain fairy evolving into "Pissty" as she was getting held up when I requested her to come. Giving my permission, I heard the worker start up the elevator for our guest. I sprinted over to the door that let out into our living areas full of anticipation, excitement, and fear. When the doors opened and Histoire was floating there with a comforting smile on her face, I nearly threw my arms around her and smothered her in my chest.
Dressed in her usual purple robes and matching headdress, her blond hair was in her standard tight pigtails with two groups hanging down into a light curl on either side of her face. The gold trim around her clothes shined lightly in the dim elevator lights, and the white lace at the edges was enough to give the impression the clothes were a size too large for the Oracle. Her wings of pure Share energy sparkled beautifully, and a blue data "halo" separated her from the indigo hardbound tome she flew on. In all, I think she would be the first one to be considered truly "moe" when you think about our little group, if you don't go to Rom first.
"Histoire… I cannot begin to thank you enough for just coming so suddenly. When I told Chika to let you know we will give anything to Planeptune as an offering for you to help us, I meant it. Name your price and its yours. Just please… please save Cros… I don't know what I would do without her…"
"It's okay Vert. We don't require anything from you for this. Seeing you mature so much with the birth of your sister is a wonderful thing, and on top of that, Neptune and Nepgear keep saying how much they want to see her. Neptune is actually getting work done to free up the time if you can believe that!"
We share a light chuckle at the thought of Neptune of all people working to get free time to meet my sister. Thinking toward the time where all 9 of us can be together, CPUs and their CPU Candidates, brings a smile to my face. She's only a month old but is working so hard, so is it so wrong I wanna show off my wonderful little sister to my friends? Coming back to reality I take a sterner and more serious expression. Leading her, I bring Histoire through the kitchen and into the hall where my storage rooms were lined up. At the very end were Chika's, Cros's and my rooms and my guest let out a gasp when she saw the damage still there.
"I'm sorry Histy, I keep meaning to call someone to clean this up but with everything going on my mind hasn't been able to keep a straight train of thought. This is the aftermath of my little Cros's… outburst. I'm glad I wasn't standing right in front of the door when this happened, or else I might not be standing here and Cros would be in worse shape than she is in now. This was three days ago, and she hasn't woken up yet."
The scene that clearly demonstrated the power of the Leanbox CPU Candidate made Histoire's face drain of color. She must've been thinking that if I snapped and invaded Planeptune even Neptune would have a tough time stopping us. I hid the slight satisfaction and pride that came from this thought and showed her into the room. Before the little Oracle could fly over to my sleeping sister, I rushed over to wipe the sweat that was building up on her from me not being in here. Her hair started to stick to her face, so I did my best to try it and move it out of the way. When I was satisfied with it, I slid down to her hand and held it lovingly.
"Alright Histoire. While it isn't the best introduction possible, this is my little sister and CPU Candidate of Leanbox, Cros."
She flew over to the bed and landed her book at the top of the pillow, close enough that she could lean over and touch both of Cros's temples with her little hands. A small look of worry sat on her face, but as she looked up at me all I saw was one of love and consideration.
"She's very beautiful Vert, no one can say that she's not your sister. Just from feeling the flow of energy through her, she seems like she's normally relaxed, but gets very excitable when something interesting comes her way."
This description that the fairy came to just by feeling her energy was spot on. I even made a small laugh at how accurate she knew Cros already, even without speaking or spending time with her. I leaned in to kiss my sister on the forehead and rested my hand on her cheek. My eyes started to burn as tears started to form. I tried to stay strong while Histoire was here, but my emotions were starting to fail me. I was breaking down in front of an opposing Oracle. Even if we all are friends, our four nations are still competing for Shares and now I'm showing my weakness to someone who could take everything from me. The thought that normally would've scared me to death felt hollow since that would be the minimum I would give for her safety right now. I dropped my head down against Cros's and tried to hold the tears in, but to no avail. As I cried for about the hundredth time since this ordeal started, Histoire sat there, rubbing my head with one of her tiny hands.
"You are a strong woman Vert. I don't think anyone else could've held it together as long as you have. I can bet no one would've gone to the lengths you did either without weighing out every other possible option had this happened to one of the other Candidates. You must really love her don't you?"
A sad smile through the tears was all the answer I could give to the question.
"Now, while I don't want to break you to apart, to get started I need some space to concentrate. I can't go into specifics right now, but while reading her energy levels I noticed an imbalance throughout her body that was breaking down her personal Share levels. Some sort of outside power has created zones where her own power is being shut up and dissipated before it spreads further. If I can restore the balance and remove these zones, she should be able to wake up. It'll take some time so I recommend finding something to occupy yourself, but it should take about 3 hours."
Hearing the words, "she should be able to wake up", made my heart sing. Taking a hint from my little savior, I got up from the bed. I didn't even mind "classic Histy's" expected time, it wasn't 3 days or 3 weeks, it was just 3 short hours and I would have my sister back. To kill time, I ran out of the Basilicom and headed to the market. Tonight Chika and I would be making Cros's favorite dishes.
Three hours passed, and Histoire hasn't come out of the room yet. Completely expecting my sister to run down the hall any minute looking for food or to hug her darling big sister, Chika and I started making her favorite meal: French onion soup, roasted chicken and grilled eggplant. We made sure to get extra of everything, especially eggplant, for Histoire to take home for her family. Outside a storm was pouring down on the world, soaking everything unfortunate not to be under protection right now. Before she came home, Chika bought a tarp to put over the hole in the wall to prevent the hall from flooding in this downpour.
Currently we were sitting at the table, food all set out, waiting for someone to come down the hall. After waiting 10 minutes, Chika suggested we should start eating, wanting to get a warm meal in her stomach after her long journey. Like a true lady, she cut her food into small bites and chewed them completely before going for another. While I had no doubt the food was delicious and filled with love, all I could do was spin the cheese around in the soup with my spoon. Much like my coffee and cinnamon bun, nothing tasted right without Cros here awake. Seeing me still depressed, Chika put her silverware down and cleared her throat to catch my attention.
"You know darling, Cros wouldn't be very happy to see you moping around like this. She would first hit you on the side of your head for wasting this food, which I remind you are her favorites, and then proceed to tell you how you have to look out for yourself and keep healthy. In some ways, she acts like a better big sister than you do."
The words hurt more than intended, so my response was filled with spite and apprehension.
"Well it's because they are her favorites I can't eat. Without her nothing is the same. I can't even enjoy this without thinking of her."
While both of us were deep in thought, we heard a certain fairy talking to someone in the hall. We were so focused on our own problems we didn't even hear the footsteps following that voice…
A few minutes prior…
I felt a warmth spread throughout my body as I laid in my bed. The heat seemed to melt all the places where pain would not stop throbbing away, leaving me feeling lighter than before. I lost all sense of time when everything went black, but this is the best I've felt in what must have been days. Being able to hear some of what was being said, but not being able to react at all, I could only tell that I have been asleep for too long, and that Vert was worried about me. When all the lumps of pain in my body were melted away, I felt my own warmth return to my limbs, like part of me was blocked off from the rest and it finally has returned to its rightful spot. Along with that, I felt two tiny little bumps on either side of my forehead and that seemed to be the source of the external warmth that healed my pain. Slowly my eyes opened, closing shut a few times as I adjusted to the light that I've been missing for a few days now.
When I could have them completely open I let out a great yawn and stretched, apparently startling my little visitor, startling me in return. I jumped up so that I could face my pillow and look at the little person who was now splayed out on a book at the top of my bed. The blond little fairy looked up at me confused, but slowly that turned into a face of pure excitement.
"Hello Cros, I am Histoire, Oracle of the nation of Planeptune. Your sister asked me to come here to help you feel better, so it is a great pleasure to meet you, CPU Candidate of Leanbox."
At the incredibly polite and slightly adorable introduction from this moe fairy, I pinched my cheek to make sure I still wasn't asleep and that the nightmares only just have ceased. The pain that caused me to wince was evidence enough to show I was awake. Throwing manners out the window, because of the whole just waking up thing, I used a finger to mess up the little one's hair and gave a much needed laugh at the adorable pout that came as a response.
"Hahaha, ha… Sorry. I couldn't help myself. You may be even cuter than me, if only by a little bit. I guess you are my actually fairy godmother sent to wake up Sleeping Beauty eh?"
Blushing, Histoire laughs off my comment and begins getting to know me. For a few minutes we just sat there, asking and answering questions about each other. At first I was skeptical, having never met her before, but I remembered back to the video meeting Vert had me watch and I remembered why she seemed familiar. I warmed up to her soothing voice and just ended up retelling most of my whole month of life.
"…And that brings us to now I guess Histy. I feel terrible that I've made Vert worry about me for so long, I should really do something special to make it up to her and Chika. Maybe I could make them dinner if they are out? When they come back they not only will be surprised to see me, but to see a full spread out on the table!"
My mouth watered at my own idea, triggering my stomach's answer to not having any food for the past few days. The loud roar almost drowned out the sound of the rain, bringing color back to my face. I brushed my shoulder-length hair out of my face and quickly threw it up into a ponytail with a scarlet and black floral ribbon. As I made my way to the hole that used to be my door I realized that I wasn't the most modestly dressed girl in the room, and quickly threw on a pair of forest green slacks and a black V-neck shirt I had in the drawer. Slightly weak from my mini coma, I used the intact wall as support as I walked down the hall with my floating partner beside me. As we walked she told me stories of how Vert was before, all the way back to when she got trapped in the Gamindustri Graveyard by ASIC and the Deity of Sin's Four Felons. Just the thought of her bound and drained for three years made my blood boil, which made me light headed in my weakened state.
"If I was alive then, nothing would have gotten in my way of saving her. And she wouldn't have felt so alone when the others finally did show up…"
Trailing off I see my family at the dinner table. Neither noticed my approach, nor Histoire cautioning me to take it easy, for reasons of "my energy balance hasn't stabilized" or something along those lines. As a main character who has taken way too much time off, I was more than able to do something as simple as sneak up on these 2. Seeing what was laid out for dinner made my mouth water like crazy, my favorite dishes looking like heaven on a plate or in a bowl. It wasn't until I got right up to the table and spoke did they notice me, causing them to drop their silverware mid bites, and Chika almost choking because she had a piece of chicken sticking out of her mouth.
"So ladies, got any of that delicious looking grub lying around somewhere for me? I'm starving! Though, some nerve you got for not wai-"
My last line was cut short as Vert bounded out of her seat and tackled me into a hug, pinning me against the kitchen island. Chika followed suit soon after, after Histy helped her with the choking. Hearing their cries of happiness and seeing how relieved they were to see me up and walking made my own tears come.
"I missed you two so much. Don't you dare let me do that ever again. I couldn't handle not seeing my sisters for so long…"
The rest of the night was spent in pure joy as we rode the high of being a family once again.
Sorry for not posting for a couple days. Writer's block is a terrible thing when you just want to keep writing. Gonna keep this short to get the chapter out to you guys, so thank you for the patience.
As always thank you for reading, and hope you stick around for the next chapter!