I gripped onto the railing of the boat with all my might, the effort turning my knuckles pure white as I tried my best not to lose my footing on the tossing wood. Every wave the ship cut through sent a new ripple of motion under my feet, further exasperating my stomach's issues with the trip. We planned to do some training on the deck, where now Cybercon was happily slashing the air to keep herself limber, but the uneasiness I was feeling made it impossible for me to even move. Head over the railing, I just tried to make sure I wasn't going to be sick. Watching my companion jump around and move more than I would like to didn't help matters at all, so to calm myself I thought back to how this all started…

After we shook hands, I helped Cybercon back to the kitchen. I made sure to find wherever the cinnamon bun was that I put down to throw away, the glaze a mess from where my hand held it for so long and the stickiness collecting dirt from the ground. As I joke I still offer it to her, but she just laughs it off and thanks me for the thought. The walk back to where my sisters were seemed to take no time at all, but something inside me was wishing it took a bit longer, which was a crazy notion considering it took not even 20 seconds to walk back. I guess Vert and Chika heard us coming before we got into the room because they both were standing there giving me a look. Blushing I just glare at them, causing Cybercon to just look between us with a confused face.

"I don't know what's on, but it looks like you 3 have to talk a bit. Cros, since we are gonna be leaving tomorrow afternoon, I'm going to go get some supplies for the trip. I probably should also make sure we have a pass for the ferry ride to the mainland. Oh, probably should've told you that we were taking the boat beforehand, so hopefully you don't get seasick."

She winks at me after the last line which catches me off guard, something that my sisters easily pick up on and make noises about. I try to glare once again, but the fire on my cheeks makes it hard to be taken seriously. As she made her way towards the door, Vert made sure to get out that she could stay here for the night so she didn't have to pay for a hotel, making careful measure to look at me for my reaction hearing that. After hearing that she would be staying here though, I couldn't help but get a shy smile on my face. Something about being near her seemed to raise my spirits, and made me excited for the trip.

"Well now that we know CC2 would be staying with us, do you want to sleep with your big sister or her tonight?"

Chika's question came out of nowhere so innocently that I would have choked had I been drinking. The fact she even had to ask something like that was outrageous, why would I w-w-w-wanna sleep with C-c-c-cybercon? And why am I getting so nervous and jumpy about it? I mean, isn't it normal for friends to do that sort of thing? To avoid letting my nervous voice be heard, I answer by walking over and grabbing a hold of Vert's arm like a small child, something she deeply appreciated as well.

"Well, I guess that's your answer Chika. I'll have Cros stay with me in my room, and then CC2 can sleep in Cros's. But my cute little sister has to know there is to be no sneaking into bed with her when I'm with you, I plan to keep you all to myself tonight if you are leaving for some time."

Before I could voice my complaints at that statement, Vert turned around and wrapped her arms around me. At first I struggled to get out of her grip, but after a few moments I felt her just pulling me tighter. Thinking over it, that last part of her sentence sounded almost sad. It dawned on me how much Vert was worried, that she wasn't sure if this was something she wanted to do, but had to do in order to preserve my happiness. Her hug was accented with the motions of crying as she silently sobbed with her head on top of mine. I know she's sad about me leaving, I would be in the same spot if I found out Vert was going to be leaving and not knowing when she would return, if at all. What I didn't realize until now though, is that up until now I've been always here with her, even if half the time it was unconscious, and now for who knows how long I may not even be able to contact her. Realizing that I would be so long without the sister I've grown to rely on and have gotten so used to seeing every day, as well as getting showered with affection from someone who only knew loneliness before I came into her life, I even began to feel sad. The little girl in me wanted to do nothing more but cry out and say that she didn't want to leave, but the adult me wanted to make Vert proud and come back stronger than ever before. While I couldn't see it through my own tears and my sister's body that was shaking with sobs, I could hear Chika crying to. We may not have started out close, with her thinking I was just there to steal Vert away, but since our fight we have never been separated.

After Vert finally let me go, I held onto her hand with all my might, to show her until my time had come I wasn't going to leave her side. The three of us walked to my room to help me pack and get ready for the trip, though after a while Chika had to reluctantly leave so the dinner for the four of us could be finished before Cybercon got back. I brought my large suitcase out into the living room so it was there for when we left, even if most of it was filled with clothes I wouldn't need anyway. The rest of the night was full of laughs as we all just talked over dinner, then played games until it got dark out. Vert insisted we stay up later, but the only time Cybercon could get us on the ferry for was early enough that I would need as much sleep as possible.

I got changed in the bathroom after a quick shower, and walked into Vert's room to head to bed. I climb in and throw the covers over my head, letting the warmth flow over me and fill me with the feelings of love from my sister being here every night. I was just at the edge of sleep when I felt the covers pulled down some and felt weight shift around on the mattress. Turning over so I was on my side and facing the new arrival, I watched as Vert slid in and laid with her back to me. I could tell something was bothering her but this was a time where she didn't want to be the first to speak. I reached my hand out and covered her eyes as a joke once again. Why am I such a terrible person when it comes to these situations? They were slick with tears, and I could feel more falling as my hand slid over, and what surprised me was she reached up and moved my hand over her heart, a movement that caused me to flop onto my stomach. Pulling myself back to my side, I was scooched closer to her where I could rest my forehead on her back. For a few minutes we stayed like that, no words needing to be said to know exactly how the other felt. Deep down, neither of us wanted to be apart from the other, but we both knew that this parting was necessary. Being the klutz I am, my sudden comment only caused the silence to turn into pure laughter with the moment ruined.

"Sis, I don't think most siblings who share a bed immediately go for the kinky stuff, and I don't think I'm ready to take responsibility for it."

Still holding my hand close to her, Vert rolled over to face me, her face covered in salt lines from tears that have long since fallen. She was crying the entire time I was in the shower until coming in here, and knowing that I was the one who brought those tears out hurt inside. I got closer to her to rest my head on her chest and just laid there as she wrapped me up in her arms. The grip she was giving me I could tell was one that wouldn't let go until morning, and even then would still fight to keep me there.

"I don't want you to go Cros. If it were up to me, I wouldn't let you leave Leanbox without me by your side. I would go everywhere with you and show you the world. But…that is too selfish of me… Having you in my life this past month has been the greatest time of my life, and knowing that you will be gone for who knows how long makes it feel like I'm going to be alone forever again… But this is something that would be terrible for you to miss. You need to see the world and spend some time finding yourself without me holding onto you every possible second. A chance like this doesn't come often. Just please promise me you will be safe, okay? I trust CC2 with my life, but there's no one who I would trust with yours but me. Tomorrow morning, I will go out with you to the Guild to get everything in order to leave, and we will stop by the store to get you a phone. I'll make sure my number is in it for you, and that you always have a picture of us together so you never have to feel lonely or homesick. Call me whenever, not just for important things, but to talk to me. It would scare me too much to not hear from you…"

I stop her there with a shake of my head. I could tell where she was going to go with that sentence, and I didn't want her to hurt herself more thinking that way. A smile grew on my face as I knew exactly what to say to her.

"As a little sister, it's my job to protect your happiness Vert. If that happiness ends up being me, well, then I guess my hands are tied. I'll be back after exploring the world, and when I do you better be willing to do the same with me afterwards. I may be a bit of a klutz with my words, and I may not think everything through all the way, but I'm smarter than I look. I'll call you at least every other day, but don't get worried if you don't hear from me for a bit. We don't know where will get service and I may be on a quest where I won't be able to talk. But I will call Vert. And don't you dare start saying things like 'I'm going to be alone forever again', because… because…."

Before I finish my sentence I start to break down. I tried to stay tough for her to show her I can handle myself, but I'm still a scared little girl inside. I don't have a clue how the world is outside of Leanbox, and all I've known will soon be a distant place over the horizon. I bury my face in her chest and let all my pent up emotions from today out. The waves of excitement, dread, worry and ecstasy washed over me, turning me into a mess of tears and loud sobs. They must have been loud enough to hear down the hall a bit, because while I was still letting loose on my sister, Chika crept behind me and wrapped her arms around me as well. She kissed the top of my head and held me close, her voice strained with sadness.

"You better call me too Cros. We may not be real sisters, but I need someone to gossip with and just talk to when Vert is busy. If we don't hear from you every so often I will take it as your express go ahead to steal her from you, and she won't even want to miss you with how much love I'm giving her. Wait, no, that is wrong of me. I can never replace you, nor do I want to. You are my best friend and I would do anything for you, so make sure you keep in touch. If anything bothers you, or you need help with anything, I'm here. Especially when it comes to CC2, I may only have experience in one-sided love, but I will give you all the advice I can. Just be honest with yourself and be careful. Home is always open for you if you need to come back early."

With her words said, Chika gave me some room, which I filled by laying on my back so I could address both of them.

"Vert… Chika… I'm going to miss you both so much. Part of me doesn't want to go, she just wants to stay here with her two amazing sisters and just soak up all the love you have to give. But the rest of me knows that I can't be a proper CPU Candidate unless I explore Gamindustri. Don't worry, I'll be such a good CPU Candidate that I'll rake in all the Shares for us, and Leanbox will top the charts in every nation! I'll save up money from every quest to get you guys souvenirs while I'm out, and I'll try to get lots of pictures to show you. I won't do anything too dangerous, I know that I need to make it back in one piece, and I won't let anything happen to Cybercon either. I don't know what is going on in my head just yet, but she's my friend so I need to do whatever I can to keep her safe, like she will for me. Don't wreck the city without me here to help clean up alright? I may be good at working, but I don't wanna have to play janitor to your guys' mess. Now come on, let's get to sleep. I got a big day tomorrow and I need to not fall asleep halfway through the trip"

Sliding down into a sitting position, I stop looking down into the waves and making myself sicker by the second. I pull out my phone to check the time, finding it impossible not to smile at the picture of the three of us looking like a perfect family for once. Cybercon was able to find the one moment none of us were crying and were actually composed enough to get a great picture. Holding the phone next to my heart, I felt my stomach settle a bit. The morning was crazy, with trying to find a good enough phone for the trip and collecting about 3 quests for the dungeons along the way. Vert also insisted on making sure we bought enough food to last us until Planeptune, even if we now had enough to go from Planeptune to Lowee now. Stretching I try to stand up, only to fall on my face for the hundredth time since stepping foot on this oversized piece of driftwood.

Rubbing my face, I struggle to get up, having to rely on the outstretched hand of Cybercon. Apparently during her training, she saw me having trouble, so she took a break to come over. She looked at me with a caring smile, one that showed she was worried about how I was feeling, but that simple act was one that sent my confusing feelings into overdrive. I tried not to look into her eyes, but the emerald color looking down at me was so inviting.

"Sorry about this there Cros. Didn't know you would get seasick on the ferry. I promise once we get to the mainland it's all dirt under our feet, so you won't have to worry too much longer. Here, have some bread. It may not be much but the starch will help you feel a bit better. Will help soak up some of whatever is turning around in you."

I grab the offered hunk of break and took a bite. It was a sourdough so the taste was slightly unpleasant to me, and the fact I was eating felt weird with an upset stomach, but since it was getting to midafternoon now I should eat at least something after breakfast. It wasn't immediate, but my stomach did actually start feeling better, and eventually I got used to the motions of the ship. It was about another couple hours until we got to the mainland so I asked Cybercon if she wanted to spar a bit to get me revved up for the next leg of the journey. After watching her for so long, something I would never admit to doing if anyone if they asked me, I felt like I stood a chance against the more experienced fighter. Her jovial tone in accepting the challenge threw me off for a bit, but I recovered and put on my serious face.

We squared off in the center of the deck. There were only a couple other passengers on here so they stood to the side and had their eyes glued on the show that was about to start. To make this fair, I only pulled out my daggers. For some reason, I didn't want her to know about my wires just yet, not until we get into a dangerous situation. Hers were a pair that fit her outfit, bright green jagged blades seemed to float fractions of an inch above the white handles. They almost looked like axes, but the knuckle guards floating between the pommel and the cross guard proved that wrong. Mine seemed to be basic compared to hers, but I could see the practicality in the design. She could deliver all the force into her blows, while the space between blade and spine gave a buffer to dissipate an impact. Looks like I'll have my work cut out for me here.

She picked up her battle stance. At least from my eyes, there weren't many holes in it. She bounced lightly on the balls of her feet, knees slightly bent to ease the transfer of motion. She held both daggers in a reversed grip, meaning she most likely did uppercuts and downward stabs as attacks, since enclosed guard handles made it hard to flip around. It was obvious who had more skill with dual daggers between us two, but Cybercon knows nothing of my fighting style, while I've been studying hers while she was practicing. I assumed my stance, wielding my daggers in opposite grips, weaker arm in reverse holding a guard. We circled around the open space, waiting to see who would make the first move. The way the experienced was stacked against me, I couldn't tell if she was going to wait for me to come to her, or if she was going to make the first drive.

Not wanting to be reactive during the fight, I rush forward. My plan was simple, feint to the left with my reverse grip to cause her to either block it or dodge, causing her to be open for a stab with that same dagger into a diagonal slash downward with the right. I would immediately spin the blade in my left hand around to slash the other diagonal, and then crossing with both along the same lines before backing off. After that, I would rush back in before she could recover with a flurry of slashes to push her off balance, and then sweep the leg to finish the duel. It was a foolproof plan that was bound to work…

Until it didn't… Where she was supposed to dodge or block, she instead stepped forward and locked up my arm. With my arm now across my body and my hand above my head to the side, I couldn't move my other arm to attack or defend. Keeping pressure on my arm, Cybercon drove into me, pushing my back out and forcing me off balance, which was then proceeded with a sweep to knock me on my ass. Giving me no room to breathe, she followed me down and mounted me, pinning my arms down with her knees. Now this situation was the craziest for my head yet, because it was jumping between two feelings at the moment. The first, the pain of having all the weight of this girl focused into 2 separate points on my arms, and the fear that came with being unable to move your body like you want to. The second was that feeling Chika kept messing with me about, having Cybercon on top of me like this and being at her mercy. My face must have been a mixture of pain, frustration, uncertainty and embarrassment because she started laughing and got off of me. She barely got the words out as she pulled me off the ground.

"That was a good try. Next time don't make your feints so obvious, I could tell you were going to do something aside from the forward swipe because of how your body was moving. Your muscles were straining to force the next motion to occur before it completed the first. If we keep training I will force you to move only when you need to, which just means I'll be spending a lot of time on top."

Accenting that joke with a wink I turned my back to her and crossed my arms to hide the scarlet growing. Slowly my mind is making up what I feel, and slowly the realization Chika may be right is dawning on me, but right now that isn't important. All that matters is staying safe, and if that means I gotta get knocked around by Cybercon a few times until I fight better, than so be it. I mean, it's not like I minded the contact, it was just weird that's all. I turn back around and give her a shy smile back to match the beaming one she's giving me. We will be spending every day for a long time together, so I will have plenty of time to figure out my feelings.

"I guess I have no choice but to take you up on your offer. Just don't go easy on me. I learn better when pushed to the edge, something Chika could tell you first hand. Last time I sparred her like this I…"

I trailed off as I remembered the day my weapons first came to life. It was a fond memory because it was the day we stopped being enemies and became sisters. I dropped my eyes and must have gained a saddened smile, because my companion stepped forward and hugged me.

"I know how hard it is on you, being away from everyone for the first time. Remember you can always call them whenever, that's why you have that phone. Don't think you need to stay with me either. I can fend for myself so I'll let you know where I'm heading if you gotta head back to Leanbox for a bit. If you are distracted being sad about not seeing Vert or Chika all the time you may hurt yourself, and that's something none of us want. Your heart is the most important tool you have, if its dulled by pain or loneliness the tool will malfunction. I'll do my best to help keep it running, so talk to me whenever you want. I would love to hear your stories of home."

Okay, maybe this wasn't the worst situation. As much as I would've loved to, I refrained from returning the hug. I knew if I did, things would just grow weird. Besides, after a couple seconds she let go of me and just shined a smile at me. I would be lying if I said I didn't give a shy smile back.

"Thanks Cybercon. I'll make sure to take you up on your offer."

The small crowd watching us started cheering and clapping for our performance, or maybe it was for us. Putting on my CPU Candidate persona, I smiled and waved at the few people standing there, and the attention seemed almost like home a bit. Looking back out at the horizon, I can barely make out the outline of the island. Soon I will be in a whole different world from what I am used to, and the uncertainty filled me with both fear and excitement. I held out my hand and looked at my bracelet once again. It was a simple silver chain band with dark emeralds around the surface. In the center of my wrist sat a charm that Vert specifically picked out for me. The symbol of Leanbox, an "X" where one of the lines was a lance. Home was always with me so long as I wore this, and the inscription my sister put in on the bottom of the charm filled me with strength whenever I read the words to myself.

Cast out the feelings of loneliness when on your own, for a sister's love will always find its way to you.

"Damn it Vert. Even when I'm trying to be cool and show how awesome I am, you always have to be there hugging me from behind. Don't ever change…"

I turn my back to the ocean and look towards the front of the ship. Planeptune is within reach, and now I can almost feel the anticipation creeping up on me. Will Neptune and Nepgear like me? Will I be able to properly thank Histy? Will we get lost along the way? A more serious question occurred to me, causing me to grimace in anger. Will we run into more of those red circuit monsters?

The captain of the ferry yells over the horn, telling us we have about an hour left until we reach shore. I look towards Cybercon who is looking over her daggers while propped up against a wooden barrel. I summon mine and walk over to her. Just looking into her eyes my question was asked, not needing to be said, but I asked anyway to get her to jump off the barrel and meet me in the center of the deck again.

"So, wanna go another round?"