Chapter 16 – A Glimpse Beyond
"So… what exactly is this place?" Ciel asked, glancing around the white metal walls and floor. "I don't recognize the material."
"The vessel that carries us across the stars." the woman explained. "Built with our own hands on a faraway place."
"I don't understand." X said. "Both of you seem human enough… and so did the… person I saw when I touched this thing. What did you call it? Radiant Shard?"
"Yes, a Radiant Shard." the woman confirmed with a nod. "As you may have deduced by now, it was created using the same power that flows through all of us."
"As for the matter of our appearance, yes." the masked man added. "While I am not prepared to show you or anyone else my face right now, you can be sure that there is a human underneath all this plating."
"Why not?" Ciel asked, a little perplexed.
"It's… complicated." the man said, his posture betraying some discomfort.
The masked man quickly steered the conversation to another topic.
"You are a scientist, though, and I would expect you to have a greater grasp of this world's history than us. From what we understand, the people here never made it beyond the solar system due to all the turmoil on the surface. What does that leave?"
"Parallel evolution?" Ciel guessed, before glancing at the woman. "Still… the similarity is too great to be a coincidence. Which means…"
"Multiverse theory?" X chimed in. "I mean, it's nothing new. People have been debating it for centuries."
"The son of a scientist through and through..." the woman remarked with a smile.
"I never got to meet my father in person." X said. "Only holograms and recently an old picture. Still, I like the idea of following in his footsteps one day, when things are a little more structured."
"That's something I'd like to see." Zero remarked. "If anyone deserves a peaceful life it's you."
He then turned to the two elusive strangers.
"I don't really care if you're from this world, or universe or whatever, as long as you're not here to cause trouble. That said, something about this whole thing rubs me the wrong way."
"I suppose our timing could be considered a little suspicious." the woman said.
"But we are not omniscient." the man added, crossing his arms. "We were not specifically looking for you the first time around. As for this second visit, I had been thinking about it for a while."
"I suppose I'll have to take your word for that..." Zero said cautiously.
"But… that chunk of glowing rock..." Axl added. "Is it gonna bring us more headaches?"
"I will admit that this can be taken as an omen." the masked man said with a hint of amusement. "A light from the sky, an artifact from another world and an apparition hailing someone as a special sort of person. But no, the Radiant Shards are harmless."
"Long ago, a tradition was established." the woman added. "Seasoned Warriors of Light who had reached a landmark event or were on the verge of retiring or shedding their mortal shells began to create these Shards, formed of crystallized light and imbued with their memories and experiences."
"They cast these Shards into the Void..." the man continued. "Where they seek new worlds, new sparks, new Warriors of Light that may continue to protect all of existence."
"That all sounds rather fantastical." Ciel finally mused after staying silent for a while. "But it doesn't answer one fundamental question."
"What exactly is a Warrior of Light?" X asked.
"In essence… someone who gives of themselves for the sake of others." the woman said.
"Someone in tune with life, who knows its value and is willing to fight in order to protect it." the man added.
"Someone who ignites their inner radiance in order to achieve what others may think impossible." the woman continued.
"That does sound like someone we know..." Axl remarked, grinning as he glanced at X. "Especially when his hand starts glowing. His pose still needs work though."
"It does." Ciel agreed. "A gentle soul, forced by circumstance to fight. A champion, despite how he tends to doubt himself."
"Most Warriors of Light at one point or another think themselves unworthy." the woman said. "Many think they are not Warriors of Light or don't even know what they are until later."
"But they press on, taking whatever their path throws at them." the man added. "Because they don't know any other way to live – and usually don't want to know."
"So this light..." X mused. "Those things you said before, about love and courage, about the true self..."
"It was not something given to you." the man said with a nod. "It is part of what you are. Most living beings have the potential but very few actively manifest it."
"Others do not even realize this." the woman added. "They turn it inward, never knowing they had it at all."
"The Light is a reminder that you are not truly alone." the man said. "It steadies the mind, strengthens the hand and, as you have already seen before, it allows feats that can be considered miracles."
"Is it something that can be taught?" Ciel asked, her curiosity stoked once again.
"In time." the woman said. "But it usually grows in response to a challenge. The call of adventure, a quest, a crisis. That is normally how these things start."
"You know, this sounds a little familiar." Axl said with his usual grin. "Are we going to have to fight weird monsters and light up four colored lightbulbs?"
"Or possibly a purple octopus." the woman said, earning a confused stare from Ciel. "There are far stranger things out there though."
"Do you truly want to know just how deep the rabbit hole goes?" the man asked with a scoff.
"Try me, space man." Axl retorted with a grin.
"One man's reality is another man's fiction." the man said. "What if I told you that in other-"
"Don't you think you're taking the plot dump a bit too far this early on?" a boy's voice suddenly interrupted out of nowhere.
"Who said that?" Zero asked, glancing around.
Then everyone noticed that someone else had joined them – a small boy, seemingly as young as Alouette's classmates, wearing a striped blue and yellow t-shirt, blue shorts, red running shoes, white socks and a red baseball cap with a blue tip, staring back at them with hazel eyes full of life and a warm smile on his face.
"You've gotta pace yourself." the boy added. "You're just going to confuse them."
"And you are?" Zero asked.
"Before you ask, no, he's not ours..." the man in the mask said, his tone and the discomfort suddenly betrayed by his body language earning a muffled chuckle from his companion. "Where did you come from, boy?"
"That's not important right now." the boy retorted with a mischievous glimmer in his eyes. "What's important is that you don't confuse the poor guys by complicating things too much this early."
With that, he stepped closer.
"Nice to meet you, X, Zero, Axl." the boy added, glancing at them. "And Dr. Ciel, of course. I've been meaning to visit you for a long time."
"Excuse me, but who are you?" X asked. "If you're not with these two, then..."
"They're not the only ones keeping an eye on you." the boy said. "You've got so many hopes and dreams riding on your shoulders, and you've managed to do so much without even knowing how to use this power..."
"Oh, another one." Zero remarked.
"That Shard will be a good teacher." the boy said, eyeing the crystal in X's hand. "Usul, if I'm not mistaken. His antics barely fit in fourteen humongous books."
"Usul?" X asked.
"That's his name." the boy said with a nod. "Usul Omnis. I'm sure he'll be glad to know his Shard found someone like you."
"You sound like you've met him." the masked man remarked.
"I suppose all of us end up crossing paths sooner or later." the boy said with a shrug.
"But for now… I'll teach you a simple trick." the boy added before glancing over his shoulder at the masked man. "Get over here, Caged Light. You should hear this too."
"Caged Light?" X thought, quirking an eyebrow.
"If you know that name, then you should know I don't much care for it." the man in the mask replied with an annoyed tone.
"Maybe because it fits?" the boy retorted. "It's a cage of your own making, you know. If you don't like it, then break out."
"Huh?" Ciel silently wondered. "What are they talking about?"
"OK…?" X muttered, still not sure what to think.
With a sigh, the masked man stepped closer. Once he was sure he had their attention, the boy continued.
"Take a melody." he said. "Simple as can be. Give it some words and sweet harm-"
The boy was interrupted as a massive object came hurtling through space towards the window, before abruptly braking just short of it. As it came to a stop, the shape of some sort of white craft became apparent, almost like a plane shaped like a shiny metal bird.
"Hey!" a teenage boy's voice called out through what sounded like the vessel's communication systems. "It's you! Sorry, but can you tell me how to get to La Gias again?"
"You again..." the masked man said. "Wait a minute… Did you spend all this time just flying in circles or something?"
The boy standing with them let out a hearty laugh.
"Same old Masaki..." he said, shaking his head.
In a quickened pace, he stepped closer to the window.
"I'll take care of this. Caged Light, could you get them back home before people start looking for them?"
"I thought I'd made clear I don't want to be called that." the masked man said with a hint of annoyance.
"Then come up with something better." the boy retorted.
"By the way..." he added, looking over his shoulder. "X. Say hi to Rock and Roll for me when you find them."
"How do you-" X tried to ask, caught by surprise.
"Oh, they're old pals of mine." the boy said, a hint of mischief seeping into his smile. "They've been asleep for too long and I can't sense them, but if anyone can find them it's you."
"You mean..." X said with a haunted look on his face.
"They're still out there somewhere, yes." the boy confirmed with a nod. "There are things even time can't change. And now to get this guy where he needs to be."
"Wait..." X said. "If you know about them, then what about Alia?"
"I've never met her in person so I don't know what her presence feels like." the boy said with a frown, before his expression brightened up again. "But if she's anything like you, then… don't give up."
With that, the boy started glowing with the same white light… and then disappeared in a flash, reappearing outside the window next to the newcomer's craft.
"How is he doing that?" Ciel asked, her eyes widening.
Moments later, both the boy and the strange craft seemed to surge forward, disappearing in a flash.
"And that?" she added.
"Radiant Translocation." the masked man said. "That machine also has some sort of trans-dimensional drive. I'm sure of it."
"Is that how you did that thing at the library?" X asked.
"We have our own translocation system." the man elaborated. "While we are capable of doing that without the aid of machinery as well, we try not to overuse the ability."
"Why is that?" Ciel asked.
"Dimensional mechanics can be… a bit of a crapshoot." the man said. "I first traveled between universes on my own power when I was… five years old, I think. Machines are more reliable, don't rely on mental focus and don't drain the user's strength. So yes, we travel with our own drive most of the time, and if we need to transport guests or items, we have another system for that."
"So… what exactly do you do across all those infinite infinities?" Ciel asked.
"Wander, explore, seek new worlds and bring the light to where it's needed." the woman said.
"To boldly go, where no man has gone before!" Axl chimed in with a grin.
"Something like that." the man said, slightly amused.
"A paladin's duty is never done." the masked man added. "Not to mention my search for truth."
"Truth?" X asked.
"The truth of my existence." the man elaborated. "Its purpose. I have no attachment to my point of origin, but… somewhere out there… there must be a place where I belong."
"With abilities like those and the obvious technological advantage, you could probably find a place almost anywhere." X pointed out.
"I suppose." the man conceded. "But this restlessness, this wanderlust… those will not abate."
"More recently, though..." the woman added. "We've been taking care of something else."
"Something else?" X asked.
"Tell me." the man said. "Have you ever heard the name Ozar Midrashim?"
"Can't say I have." X replied.
"It is a tome, a repository of knowledge far beyond what its apparent size would suggest." the woman explained. "Only one copy of it exists."
"A very long time ago..." the man added. "Three treacherous thieves attempted to steal it from its author. They failed, but several pages were torn off and scattered across the multiverse. The knowledge inside is far too dangerous for even a single page to be left unaccounted for."
"Fortunately, one needs to understand the language before they can do anything with that knowledge." the woman said. "But given enough time and resources… Either way, the author left his mark on all of the pages as a precaution. Branded them with the Light."
"We have to be within a certain range to sense those marks." the man added. "But their signature is very distinctive and leaves a lingering trace. Someone from your Earth may have once been in possession of one of the pages."
"Is that why you came here the first time?" Ciel asked, intrigued by the tale.
"Yes, but it looks like the author of the book already reclaimed that one and... forgot to tell us about it." the man said.
Meanwhile, at a faraway place…
In an impossibly beautiful garden, with the earth blanketed in grass of a vibrant green and filled with all manner of flowers and shrubs, some mundane in appearance and others completely outlandish, a hooded figure stood, dressed completely in white, carefully holding a diminutive shape in its gloved hands.
"It was… interesting to have you around." it said with a male voice. "Are you sure you can make it back on your own though?"
"Don't worry about it." a squeaky, high-pitched voice replied. "Thanks again for the save, by the way. Are you sure… you don't want to come back and meet the others?"
"Sorry, little one." the hooded figure said, its tone betraying a hint of sadness. "My path leads elsewhere."
"Well, if you ever change your mind…"
"I know, I know." the hooded figure said, before carefully caressing the tiny figure's head with a single finger. "Now go on. You have people waiting for you."
With that, the hooded figure lifted its hands to the sky and a tiny figure wrapped in blue light took off from them.
"I'm going to miss you, little one..." the hooded figure said, watching it go. "Take good care of yourself… and the twins."
The hooded figure let out a loud sigh and white light surged outward behind its back, coalescing into the form of white feathered wings.
"I cannot go back." it muttered sadly.
"Not even to see your father?" another male voice intervened from behind.
"My thoughtless actions already broke his heart once." the hooded figure retorted, shaking its head. "I am only able to remain myself because of what you did. If I were to appear before him now… I fear the shock would usher him into your domain before his time."
Back to the surface, X, Zero, Ciel and Axl grabbed the hoverbikes and returned to the settlement just in time to catch the start of another of the periodic meetings.
"You are late." Cial said in a scolding tone as she stood in front of the large shed that would host this particular meting, once again clad in the cloak and breathing mask she had first worn as a disguise upon her return.
"What's that?" Lune asked, glancing at the Radiant Shard in X's hand.
"The thing that lit up the sky last night." Zero explained. "Surprisingly small for all the ruckus it made, isn't it?"
"I'll explain it later." X said. "For now, could you put this away somewhere so people won't start asking too many questions?"
"Here." Cial said, producing a worn leather pouch from underneath her cloak.
As X handed over the Shard, and Cial's hand touched it, she felt a strange sensation coursing through her arm and then in her chest, which somehow reminded her of the warmth she had once thought lost… and recently regained.
"I will definitely want an explanation later." she said, calling upon her will to regain her focus and stuff the Shard inside the pouch instead of enjoying the sensation a little longer.
"This really isn't my kind of thing." Axl excused himself. "Besides, you guys don't want me in charge of anything, trust me."
"And yet, there you were, leading Resistance soldiers." X pointed out.
"You got me there, but I think I'll sit this one out." Axl insisted. "I'm just gonna head out and check up on Alouette."
"Suit yourself." Cial retorted rather dryly, still a little annoyed at his earlier antics, but in a considerably better mood after the combination of spending time with family and the Shard's lingering warmth.
"I don't know what that thing was, but… it did feel pleasant." she thought, allowing herself the slightest of smiles under the mask.
Ciel opened the door and with her mother on one side and her sister on the other, stepped inside. X and Zero followed, but Axl stayed outside.
"Welcome." Cerveau greeted as he stood up from his seat, behind one of a series of desks that had been arranged in a small circle.
With the government of Neo Arcadia dissolved, the Resistance was the de facto authority in the region, but this did not sit well with Ciel or the Maverick Hunters, and they had been eager to find another solution. The situation, however, had called for a moratorium on such plans.
For the time being, they had settled on increasing the number of representatives from the general population, in order to ensure that everyone had a fair chance of presenting their ideas and concerns. So it was that alongside Cerveau, Colbor, Milan, Faucon and Aurelia also sat a young woman in a green dress, wearing a straw hat over her brown curls and glancing around with hazel eyes that X and Zero recognized as Arverne, one of Rocinolle's assistants at the local school.
Next to her was another familiar face, smiling at them. It seemed that Neige had grown tired of wandering around, and had decided to start attending the meetings between stretches of construction work on her small radio tower, which they knew to be almost finished.
Finally, a rather portly man in a loose khaki tunic and slacks with a shaved head was taking the last seat, trying to stay awake by sipping from a large mug of coffee. By his appearance, especially the cuts and scrapes on his large hands, he was unused to manual labor and still learning his way around. The dark circles around his green eyes suggested he had gone several days without a full night's sleep. Zero recalled hearing something about him being one of the newcomers, a survivor from Neo Arcadia who was trying in earnest to adapt to the changes in the world. However, he could not recall the man's name.
"Some of you are already familiar with my mother." Ciel said.
"Good to see you all, old friends and new acquaintances." Lune added with a nod. "We have someone else joining us, hopefully on a permanent basis, but I'm afraid she's caught a bit of a flu and is wearing the mask for everyone's protection."
"I suppose there are worse excuses..." Cial thought, feeling a little uncomfortable about suddenly being the center of attention in the room.
"And now that everyone's here..." Cerveau said. "We can begin."
"First order of business." the woman in the green dress said. "People have been asking about the kind of structure we're going to have once all of this is done."
"Ciel and these two brought me up to speed on things." Lune said with a nod. "A constitution, a legal framework, a system of government that people can agree on. Yes, we'll need those things..."
"But right now we have more pressing matters to attend to." Cerveau added. "I know some people get nervous about the future and we need to reassure them, but before we start getting grand ideas about new institutions we need to make sure people are kept fed and clothed."
"We'll prepare a basic draft if that'll get people to calm down." Colbor said. "We can revise it later before submitting it for approval, but it's not the top priority for now."
"Like I said before, I have no desire to become a leader again..." X said. "But if there's something you need me to do that doesn't involve taking responsibility from the top, let me know."
"Same." Zero added. "I'm not just good at breaking things, despite what some people may say."
"If he knows how to cook and clean too, he'll have suitors lining up around the block!" Neige joked, earning a flustered glare from Ciel and a chuckle from X.
"Sorry, but I think he's already spoken for." Lune added, seizing the opportunity to lighten the mood.
"Really, Mother?" both twins thought, leering at her.
"Now that we've got that sorted, can we tell his fans to stop sending letters?" X asked jokingly. "They're great for kindling and all, but some of that stuff can't be read in polite company."
"Et tu, X?" Ciel thought, turning a shade of scarlet.
The discussions dragged on for hours, with Cial furiously taking notes on a notebook she had brought along for the occasion. She stayed silent for most of it, taking in as much information as she could. The topics ranged from the mundane, such as progress on the efforts paving the streets and setting up power lines and plumbing to more humane matters such as the general mood of the people and relations between the organic and synthetic segments of the population. The portly man listened intently.
"On another mote..." Arverne added. "Congratulations to our friend and colleague Captain Faucon for his recent engagement."
"I..." the Resistance Captain in question stammered, looking a little bashful. "Thank you."
"A human girl, no less." X thought with a smile. "I'm glad people finally stopped caring about these divisions between human and Reploid..."
"In these trying times..." the portly man said with an earnest smile. "It is important to find happiness."
"I'll definitely want to interview you later, if that's OK." Neige chimed in excitedly.
"How's the hand, by the way?" Zero added with a slight grin.
"Good as new." Faucon said, looking a little embarrassed. "I should have known you guys would handle it by yourselves."
"We were just at the right place at the right time." X said modestly.
"Careful X..." Milan thought with a smile. "If you keep pulling stunts like those out in the open, people will start treating you like a messiah, no matter what you say."
"Incidentally… what exactly was that?" Cerveau asked, quirking an eyebrow. "Some new ability you picked up along the way?"
"I'll… explain later." X said. "We don't want this meeting to last until next morning."
"That reminds me." Neige added. "I hope you guys have thought about my offer?"
After Ragnarok's conclusion and X's return, she had been visiting them sporadically, both out of personal interest and as a professional reporter, often asking when they'd have time for an interview once her radio station project was up and running.
"I suppose I did promise to get back to you..." X conceded with a rather shy smile. "You get that thing ready and then call us."
"Deal." she said, absolutely beaming. "It'll be the perfect inaugural event!"
"Before we wrap things up…" Cial said, finally speaking up. "What are we going to do about the economy? You cannot expect people to continue offering their time and skills on an indefinite term simply for the good of all. Sooner or later they will want something for themselves, even if just symbolic."
"She does have a point..." Ciel thought. "But does she always have to be so blunt about it?"
"So what would you suggest?" Ciel asked in turn.
"Energy crystals." Cial said simply. "They do not require minting, are not worth the hassle of fabricating forgeries as those would be instantly recognizable, and they have an actual immediate and practical value and use, which would discourage hoarding."
"It sounds like a reasonable plan." Cerveau said. "Plus we can create as many as we need to make up for consumption thanks to a certain someone's energy production system."
"We also need to talk about the matter of task assignments." Cial added. "We cannot have my… erm… Ciel shouldering the bulk of the burden. Part of being a leader is learning to delegate. Same goes for you, Chief Engineer."
"We have been discussing this for months." Cerveau pointed out. "We just can't seem to settle on a concrete plan other than Zero and the others doing their little interventions from time to time. There are too many matters clamoring for our attention."
"Well, that's about to change." Cial said. "I've finished going through the Resistance roster. We'll have to do a proper census later now that we're getting so many people from outside the organization, but for now I think we have a list of prospects."
She stood up and pulled out a large folder from underneath her cloak.
"I think it's about time you started training some assistants, Chief Engineer. We have plenty of talented people, so it's just a matter of approaching them to gauge their interest."
"As for Ciel, I suggest that she remains in her leadership position for now, but that we find or train more people to deal with the administrative side. Eventually she will need to train assistants of her own as well, but for now..."
She pulled out another folder and opened it, producing what looked like a schedule.
"Strict task divisions and time allocations." she explained. "The all-night binges need to stop, and she needs to get proper eight hours of sleep every night. The same goes for you, Chief Engineer."
"Don't you think you're going a little too far?" Ciel thought, raising an eyebrow.
"I know my pace can be unsustainable, but did you really need to bring this up during the meeting?" Ciel asked.
"Yes, because that way people will know exactly what you will be doing and when, and will stop pestering you for help with other things when you are supposed to be resting." Cial retorted. "You and Cerveau aren't the only people with engineering and scientific training around here."
"No offense..." Cial added, glancing at the others. "But people tend to forget that she has her own things to do and there are only so many hours in the day."
"I suppose if there's something urgent, I can just reschedule some tasks." Ciel pondered, before turning to her sister. "But I hope you understand that means that I'll be counting on you to help me."
"I can live with that." Cial said rather flatly, trying not to betray the joy her sister's reply made her feel.
"And effective as of tomorrow, I'll be taking over some of Ciel's tasks." Lune added, straightening her glasses.
"Any other items for today?" Colbor asked.
"Well..." X said. "I've been thinking. The Resistance really doesn't have anything to resist against these days. Isn't it about time we started thinking of a name change?"
"Do you have something in mind?" Faucon asked.
"Well..." X said. "I'm not completely sure if it would be a good idea, but..."
"Guardian Corps." Zero added. "Yes, I know what you're probably thinking. Taking a name connected to those four may sound like a horrible idea, but X thinks it could be another step towards reconciliation."
"I… uh… yes..." X stammered, no longer used to speaking in public.
"I'm not sure what to think of that suggestion." Milan said cautiously.
"I will be the first to admit that the Four Guardians have made poor choices in the past." X said, gathering his will. "But we need to stop focusing on the ways we were all wronged if we want to move beyond the past. I have no delusions about this. It'll take time until they earn the trust of most other Reploids, but..."
"From a practical standpoint, they are seasoned veterans and could help keep our forces sharp and well-maintained." Cial added with a nod. "They also know the locations of and the access codes for several facilities outside Neo Arcadia that were abandoned and could contain useful materials and tools."
"You are not suggesting that they buy amnesty with those things, are you?" Colbor asked.
"Of course not." Ciel said, shaking her head. "But I've seen them in person, spoken to them. Their regret is genuine… and as their creator, I have a responsibility towards them."
She then stood up.
"If the Guardians were to be judged for their actions, then as the person responsible for their existence and the creation of the bastard copy, should I not-"
"Let's not go there." Zero interrupted.
"Agreed." Colbor said.
"Most of us are probably only standing here today because of what you did, Dr. Ciel." the portly man said. "I don't think anyone in their right mind would think of pointing fingers at you."
Lune nodded and smiled, encouraged to see people still standing up for her little girl.
"Thank you for the candid words, Mr… Zaius, was it?"
"Yes." the man replied. "But you don't need to thank me for speaking truth. A lot of us had to swallow its bitter pill when the illusions we were fed came crashing down."
"You're not just our head of research either." Cerveau added, turning to Ciel. "You're a leader, a presence driving us to be better… and a dear friend."
"We won't speak of digging up past trespasses." Milan said. "Those of us who joined your cause were willing to risk their lives for it. It'll take time for the Guardians to earn our trust, but if they're sincere about it, then I think we can give them a chance for your sake."
"If I may..." Zaius added. "To many of the survivors of Neo Arcadia, despite everything that happened the Guardians were still symbols of safety. Their efforts may have been misguided because they too wanted to believe, but the fact that they are already willing to work together should help ease the minds of those survivors."
After a few more minutes, the meeting finally ended. After everyone else had left, Cial remained, sorting her notes. Finally satisfied, she stuffed everything in the second folder, put them away and stepped outside as well. Lost in her thoughts, she did not notice the pair of eyes watching her as she made her way back to Ciel's house.
"Hey!" a high-pitched voice cried out. "Listen!"
Cial looked around in confusion and then noticed a tiny figure, wrapped in a blue glow and floating on wings of light, much like those of a butterfly.
"A Cyber Elf?" she wondered.
"Not just any Cyber Elf!" the figure squeaked excitedly. "Don't you recognize me?"
Under the mask, Cial's eyes widened in surprise.
"Wait… is that you, Croire? The last time I saw you, you weren't even half finished."
"It wasn't the same without you around, so..."
"So Ciel finished the last project we started together… But where have you been?"
"I got pretty hurt on the way down from Ragnarok. Someone picked me up and took care of me."
"So that's what happened." Cial said with as sigh of relief. "I guess Ciel forgot to mention that with everything else that's been going on. But who was it?"
"I don't know. Some guy in a hood. He was nice enough and took pretty good care of me, but he wouldn't let me see his face or even give me his name."
"Well..." Cial said. "A mystery for another time."
She glanced around suspiciously to make sure nobody was watching, and then gently patted the Cyber Elf's tiny head with a single finger.
A few minutes later, at Ciel's house…
"Ciel." Cial called out, trying to maintain an even tone. "Someone's here to see you."
Ciel stepped out of her small home workshop and her eyes widened as she saw the tiny glowing figure that flew out from underneath her sister's cloak.
"Croire!" she cried out. "What happened to you? I was worried sick!"
"It looks like our little fairy got rescued by a mysterious stranger." Cial explained as she pulled off the breathing mask. "Shame on you for not telling me you had finished her though."
"Yes, that was on me..." Ciel conceded. "Sorry. I've just had..."
"So much to think about, yes, I know." Cial interrupted. "Which is exactly why you need me around to keep things organized. You're trying to cram so many thoughts, ideas, worries and whatnot in that head of yours, it's actually starting to leak."
Ciel felt pretty bad about her memory lapse and did the best thing she could under such circumstances. She held the tiny Cyber Elf with both hands and gently gave her the closest thing to a hug, pressing her against her chest.
"I missed you..." she said. "I was so worried about you..."
"Missed you too." Croire said, before making a strange sound, almost like a tiny cat purring.
Cial tried to step past them and give them some space, but Ciel would have none of it, grabbing her shoulder and pulling her into a three way hug.
"We've got so much catching up to do!" the tiny Cyber Elf squealed in delight. "Oh! And where's Zero?"