A span of three days had passed before Verna had fully and completely recovered from her unfortunate cold strike, which in no way thanks to her loving older sister, and was her normal healthy self once again.

"Heehee, Mr. Birb is funny!"

It was especially relieving to see her younger sister bounce up and down while watching children's cartoons. Her bright shining smile never failed to warm Vert's heart, the innocence and limitless energy radiating from her enough to make even the grumpiest and most miserable person smile.

'I should introduce her to Noire sometime...' she thought to herself, chuckling at her own joke.

"Such colorful, bouncy imagery... yet the delivery is so irrevocably abysmal that I honestly prefer Chika complaining..." Beside her sister, a less than enthusiastic Cave sat dignified and cultivated on the long white couch, her arms folded across her chest as her emerald eyes peered.

"Birb Birb Birb Birb Birb Birb-"

What can only be described as vibrant nonsensical drivel played on the large screened TV in front of them. Verna seemed to love it a great deal, laughing at the otherwise cheesy and bland jokes, but it would be an absolute lie to say that the soldier was as enraptured as her 'little sister.'

"At least I can pry some enjoyment out of her senseless rambling. This... this makes me feel empty."

"You know, I'm right here." The now irritated Oracle growled, who was seated to Verna's left.

"Indeed you are." Cave responded coolly, who seemed to grasp desperately at the distraction rewarded to her. "And does it negate my words in any regard?"

Chika's eye twitched. "Ghk..."

"Hm..." Vert, for her part, stood almost motionless in the corner. She allowed her darling sister to have a sweet time with her 'sisters' for the time being, her third 'sister' and her foul-mouthed book had left only a short while ago, after being called back to Planeptune by her wondering CPU self.

She was still very nervous over Neptune's ability to keep Verna's existence a secret, but she digressed.

'I am thankful they helped my Verna recover rather quickly, nonetheless...' The blonde eyed the trio on the couch. Chika made a strangling motion towards Cave, while said redhead completely ignored and patted the giggling Verna's head. 'But I cannot help but feel they detached me further from her...'

"Lady Vert?"

"H-Huh? Oh..." The Green Goddess was hastily shaken out of her thought by a concerned Cave, which was probably for the best. "U-Uh, hello Cave..."

"Are you alright? You seemed very distant for a second."

Vert's face fell, "I-I am fine Cave. I was simply lost in thought."

"You seem to be doing that a lot lately." said Cave. Vert only nodded. "Would you care to share them? What is it that they say? 'Credit for your thoughts?'"

"Er..." Vert wasn't sure she was ready to admit her big sisterly faults to one of her own citizens quite, unbeknownst to her that said citizen was already aware of them. "You see-"

"Big Sis!" Speak of the adorable devil, the little girl ran towards her elder sister and wrapped herself around her legs. "Big Sis, big sis!"

"Ah, yes dear?" Seeing that her arms had already wrapped around Verna's small form, which made the young girl giggle, Vert resisted the urge to squeal uncontrollably.

"... Can I have chips?" The manner of which she asked, eyes wide and full of innocence with a smile as bright as the sun in the sky, nearly sent Vert into a sister-induced coma. Thankfully, she was able to overcome this and meet eyes with her sister.

"O-Of course you-"

"Ohhhhh no!" A Chika appeared. "Don't you dare try to sway your sister, kid! I already said no, and it means no!" The fuming Oracle grabbed Verna from under the armpits and lifted her up.

"Boo..." Verna moped, her head hanging. "I wan' chips..."

"Tough luck." She carried the grumbling Verna back to the couch and plopped her on the middle cushion. "You don't always get what you want, so suck it up and watch cartoons."

"Mm..." Verna crossed her arms and wore a pouty face. Chika rolled her eyes.

"Cave, do something about her."

"Understood." Cave placed her hand on the little girls head and petted her like a cat. The reaction, of course, was Verna devolving into a giggling heap of adorableness. Just like that, her sour mood was forgotten. "Mission accomplished."

"Heehee..."

"Uh..." Vert just stood there, watching events transpire in front of her. Chika approached her beloved CPU with a reassuring smile.

"Everything's fine, dearest." She placed her hands on her shoulders in an act of assurance. "Your... s-sister just needs to learn to follow rules, is all."

"I-I see..." Vert nodded, somehow ignoring the obvious face twitch that occurred when Chika said 'sister.' "Regardless, I wanted to talk with her about something, also."

"And what's that, dearest?" inquired the Oracle.

"I had plans to take Verna out to Gamers, I had a membership card made for her, you see. I feel she should have a chance to relish in manga delights!" Her eyes sparkled as thoughts swirled her mind. "Verna's sickness put a grinding halt in that plan, but since she's well again, I can finally put them into fruition!"

"Wrong answer!" Chika suddenly appeared behind her, grabbing her hand and pulling her away from the living room.

"W-Wha? Chika, where are we going?" Surprised, the CPU wriggled and writhed as her ever caring Oracle pulled her away from her beloved sister.

"Your office." said Chika sternly. "You think having a little sister exempts you from doing your work? You have a load backed up from the last few days! It needs to be accounted for!"

"B-But-"

"Don't worry, Cave and I will make sure the kid sees Gamers in all it's glory, while you do your job!" Her smile was sickening.

"T-This... THIS IS SIMPLY UNFAIR!" She yells, her plans thwarted once again by evil things called 'work' and 'duties.' "MY SISTER AND I DESERVE SOME QUALITY TIME! RELEASE ME AT ONCE!" Such a hard life, Lady Green Heart led.

"... Big Sis Cave, what was that?"

"Unsure, but I have a distinct feeling we may be spending the day out."

"Yay!"

"Big Sis Cave, where are we going?" the little girl's quiet, curious voice beamed into the redhead's ear for what must have been the twentieth-ninth time. As Cave walked along the busy streets of Leanbox, effortlessly evading any citizen in her path and making sure to keep an hold on Verna's legs, she could clearly feel the small hands playing with her twintails nonstop even as the question came.

"Asking repeatedly shall not dignify a response from me, little one," the soldier told the girl on her back, letting out a sigh. "Once again, it would simply be redundant to reveal a surprise."

"But... I really wanna know..." Verna mumbled dejectedly, her hold tightening just a bit as the little girl let her head fall on the redhead's shoulder.

Cave sighed once again at that.

'Children truly are difficult...'

To their right, a scowling Oracle was having quite a bit more trouble avoiding the crowd. She wasn't exactly known for being graceful, something Caved mastered long ago. "Ugh, kid, if you ask one more time, I swear"

"Does Big Sis Chika know?" Cave heard her ask, to which the greenette responded with a growl.

"That would be telling, and I don't do spoilers, kid."

"Aw..." The kid sulked once more, while Chika huffed. Cave simply rolled her eyes at the exchange. It was as if she was taking care of two children, in a way.

"It is only a certain number of blocks away from our location, little one." Regardless of her behavior, Cave had felt the need to ease the lazy little girl regardless. "We will be there within minutes, that much I can assure. Chika and I simply ask for your patience."

"Yeah, what she said..." Chika grumbled. Stopping for a second and, while ensuring Verna safety on her backside, Cave gracefully moved her right hand to the location of Chika's forehead and proceeded to flick it.

"Ow!" Of course, that only served to worsen the Oracles mood as she now dealt with a stinging pain resonating on the base of her skull. "Tch, ouch..."

"You too. You are an Oracle, patience should be your virtue." said Cave. The Oracle said nothing to her, whether that be out of respect for her words or childish deviance to her playful bullying, Cave wasn't sure. Verna was oblivious to the exchange regardless, however that was managed.

"Mm, okay..." While still sounding dejected, the tiny Candidate had resumed her previous action of swiftly messing with Cave's crimson hair. The little girl giggled as her previously twin-tailed style was transformed into a disarray of curls. Somehow, in whatever way possible, Verna had managed to actually undo her twin tails to achieve maximum hair mussy-ness.

"Uh, Cave..."

"I know." It was a good thing she could play off bad situations so easily. " Regardless, It seems we have made it..."

With Cave's words, an immense pressure was put the back of her neck. She felt Verna's shoeless feet stand on her shoulders and her hands press down on her skull. She was practically bouncing in her place, while Cave had to secure her hold on the little girls ankles to make sure she didn't fall and hurt herself.

"Hey, ease it there, kid!" Chika spoke up. "Really, do you want to make a stain on the sidewalk?"

"Where where!?" The young girl asked excitedly, ignoring Chika entirely as she bounced up and down in a frenzied manner. Cave was forced to physically stop and readjust both herself and the one acting as if she were on a sugar high.

"Little one, I must ask you to calm down." said Cave sternly. "You will fall and hit your head if you continue to move so erratically."

"But I wanna see!" Logic held no meaning to Verna. Sighing, Cave reached back and lifted her up from her shoulders and turned her small form around to face her. "Heehee, Big Sis Cave looks funny..."

"It is no wonder why." Her stoic look hardening just a bit, the soldier set the kid down on the sidewalk. Obviously, Verna wasn't very happy about that. She clung to Cave's thigh while she tended to her disaster zone of a hairstyle. The redhead tried to unregister her presence, and even goaded Chika to try and pry her off, but for goodness sake the girl was frowning.

"Big Sis Cave doesn' like me..." She mumbled, catching her attention as she was only semi-done with fixing her hair.

"And what makes you say that, little one?" Her emerald orbs peered at her, ignoring the obvious fact that the Oracle was grabbing the little girls legs and pulling pretty darn hard. Verna's death grip on Cave's legs seemed to be harder, however that logic might have worked. "If I remember correctly, that never escaped my lips. Please, don't misconstrue Chika's words for my own."

"B-But Big Sis Chika really really likes me!" Verna was quick to defend her 'sister.' "Right, Big Sis Chika?"

"... Yeah, sure kid..."

"And I care for you as well, little one."

"B-But... Big Sis Cave put me down. S-So Big Sis Cave doesn' like me..." Flawless logic right here.

"I only set you down for the continued survival of my hair, you see..." A valid argument, as Cave settled to try and locate the place holders that held her twin tails up. "And as much as I am fond of you, I can only take so much, little one."

"... I-Is Big Sis Cave mad?" asked the little girl, staring at the taller woman with sparkling azure orbs. Such a look was enough to bring the toughest warrior to their knees, which made it very hard for Cave to maintain her usual 'Don't mess with me' posture along with her stoic expression.

"Don't fall for it, Cavey!" Chika warned, actual beads of sweat running down her head as she pulled on Verna's legs with all her might. "It's a trap! And not the gender-confusing kind!"

"Chika, release her." The Oracle did so, nearly crashing into the building behind her as Verna was still latched onto the redhead. "Little one, go to the front entrance for a minute. It is only a few feet away, we will join you shortly. And no, I am not mad at you."

"Yay!" Hugging her 'sister' for a final time, Verna released her and took off for the entrance. Smiling slightly, she approached her friend. Her striking scarlet hair had been smoothed out and was now descending freely to her upper-mid back. She caught her grumbling, and barely smiled.

"It seems your strength was no match for that of the terrible five-year old." Her tone laced with smugness and teasing, Cave reached her hand out towards the now glaring woman. She begrudgingly accepted, hopping to her feet and dusting her risqué outfit off.

"Ugh, the hell are in those chips?" She grumbled, her face sour over the very humiliating defeat. "You bring this up to no one, especially not my dearest, got it?"

"Of course." Resisting the urge to grin, Cave ran her fingers trough her now flowing crimson hair. "It seems I will have to purchase new holders now, as well. How she managed this alludes me..."

"Eh, don't bother." suggested Chika. "You used to walk around with your hair swinging free until ol' Lyree came by and tied them up."

"Please recede from referring to her as that. It is not a nice nickname." Cave lamented. "But, if you feel so inclined, I'll leave it down for the time being."

"Big Sis Caaaaaave, I wanna wanna wanna wanna go iiiiiiiin!"

"... That aside, we should begin our visit with haste. Lady Vert's wishes shall not go to waste here, and I fear the little one will break through the door if we do not move quickly."

"Yeah yeah, sure."

"There has to be some sort of cosmic vendetta against me. How is this continued misfortune possible!?"

Vert really wanted to scream right about now. She had taken the time to do the planning, even waited patiently for her sister to get better... And yet, here she was, alone in her office with no one and nothing to keep her company but a simple pen.

"Must I...?" She stared at the gargantuan pile of papers, still left untended on her desk. Still a great many things that needed to be accounted for, which frustrated Vert greatly since she had already done so much of it, and yet it seemed like the pile didn't shrink in the slightest.

"Agh..." Vert cradled her right hand, which ached terribly from the never-ending paperwork, and frowned. "It... should not be too selfish to require a break from work, yes?" She legitimately asked herself that, then nodded. "For the sake of my poor hand... I shall take a well-deserved break." With that mindset, Vert rose from her desk and left her office in its messy, paper-filled state. Within a few minutes she reached her bedroom, and sighed with relief as she closed the door behind her.

"At last..." She sat herself on her green-colored sofa, taking a resting position shortly after as she reached for the remote for her TV, seated nicely on her tea table.

Except the table was a tad too far to reach. Such a menial dilemma, but Vert really didn't have it in her to sit up and reach for it that way. Instead, she summoned her spear and, using her infinite wisdom, hooked it's convenient handle and pulled the remote over to her. Smiling in satisfaction, she turned her TV on. "Perfect..."

The Goddess readjusted herself while she flipped through various television networks. Adjusting her pillows to accommodate for her large form, which her sofa failed to do as she propped her legs on its golden arm rest. It was comfortable enough for her tastes, though she entertained the thought of getting a better one.

"What shall I watch...?" The tired CPU had some trouble on deciding on a program, though it would all be background dribble in the end since it was likely she was going to pass out on the sofa. "Hm, I suppose it doesn't matter, then." She stopped on a random network and, after summoning her spear again to pull the table closer, set the remote down on its surface for future use if need be.

'We'll be right back after these short messages...' Oh, it seems Vert had chosen to stay on the channel that then decided to cut to a commercial break, before she could even process what the program even was. Although slightly annoyed, she lacked the energy to even summon her spear for a third time, so she lay watching.

The first commercial to come on was something she didn't expect. Tribal chanting and singing started off almost immediately, with the image of a baby being lifted up to the sun following right after that. Vert raised an eyebrow, but the confusion only lasted for a few seconds as the commercial cut to a gorgeous view of a beautiful amusement park, then she got an idea of the commercials content.

'Ah yes, I seem to recall...'

"It moves us all, the desire to gather." The narrator began speaking. "We even have a name for it, 'Magical gatherings.' Plan your magical gatherings with your circle of loved ones, at Yippyland's Grand Re-Opening. To get started, call 1-704-D-YIPPY."

And just like that, the commercial ended as soon as it began, cutting to another one, but Vert wasn't paying attention to the TV anymore.

"So they've finally finished the new additions and construction around the park," She muttered. "Such a lovely place, I'll have to visit there again sometime..."

As soon as Vert heard her own words, she hurriedly yanked her phone out of her pocket and quickly dialed the number of the newly opened park. This would be her magnum opus of plans.

"Hello? Yes, this is Lady Green Heart. I would like to place an order for a Family Package..."

The Leanboxian duo of Cave and Chika didn't know what to expect on their visit.

Pictures and posters of characters from anime were displayed on the store's exterior proudly and without shame, the title of Gamers being displayed extra proudly above the entrance. From there, an excited Verna was on the verge of shooting out of her too-big nightgown by the time the duo reached her. Cave grabbed hold of her right hand and gently pulled her to her side. The front of the doorless entrance held booths and a few Otaku-centric citizens decorated in anime-galore. Well-aware of their surroundings but not yet members, Cave only nodded in their direction when their gaze focused on the prominent duo... and then on the little girl in between them.

"Nothing to see here! Move along!" Chika shooed them away, and they scurried into the shop in an almost panicked manner. Verna giggled at the display as they themselves entered the otaku's heaven.

Having been inside the shop a number of times herself, Cave was insightful of everything and anything that could and would be sold in the store. They were only on the first floor, one of eight in total, and already it was like walking into Vert's soul, or at least a part of it. Magazines, CDs and character-related goodness had greeted them, an array of fans prominent in just about every location possible. The atmosphere was colorful and vibrant and, while the presence of two prominent Leanboxian women was enough to turn the heads of newcomers, they were quickly dispelled by both them and more veteran members that didn't want to have to call an ambulance later.

"Hyup!" Verna was suddenly boosted into Cave's arms once more, a safety precaution to insure she wouldn't get lost in the giant crowd. "It seems we will have to find an empty space to settle in, if one is even available."

"No kidding! It's like we're caught in some mosh- HEY! Watch those hands, buster! These goods are for my dearest only!"

"A shame she has never accepted that offer..." Chika growled at her friends snark, but had no choice but to take it in silence. Her wrath would result in civilian casualties otherwise, and that would make Vert a little bit upset.

Definitely just a little.

"Ah, here is a respectable location." said Cave, after elegantly barreling her way through wave and wave of innocent enough civilians. Chika moved out of the way for the ones that fell. A lot of them were boys, so it was understandable from Chika's point of view.

Cave was silently thankful that none of them were dressed like butlers.

Finally, they managed to arrive in the lone spot in the corner that was bare of life in the crowded store. Of course, it was as merchandise filled as the rest of the store, quite spacious too. Mentally, Cave questioned why no one was around this area in particular. It was quite odd.

"..." Silently, she gazed up at the sign above the stock, carefully setting the playful Verna down on the floor as she did so. It was a tinge of a challenge for her to crane her neck up so high, backing up being a non option in fear of being swallowed by the crowd, but she managed to decipher the words.

Blade Artistry Offline

'... That would do the job quite perfectly, yes.'

Nodding to herself, she witnessed Chika squeeze herself out of the hell hole of a crowd panting and on her knees. Her hair was disheveled, her clothes askew and her face covered in a few scratches. It looked like she had escaped from the mother of all wars.

"U-Ugh... cough..." Trembling, her body hit the vinyl floor with a dull Thud. Her face was as green as her hair. "N-Need... medical a-assistance... life... fading a-away... Bleh." She limped, her body motionless and her eyes shut.

"..." Unamused by the display, Cave walked towards her 'injured' friend and swiftly kicked the woman in her rear end.

"Ow!" The greenette squirmed and grabbed her posterior. "Cave, what the fu-"

"Enough." She silenced her. "Now is not the time for your childish shenanigans. We should instead focus on conquering this crowd."

"Uh, yeah, I'm fine staying here, thank you very much." Rising from the floor like a zombie from the grave, Chika frowned and folded her arms. "But, uh, you can go ahead if you want to! I'll watch the kid!"

"Kawawa? Kaw... Kew... Kiwi? Food..." Said kid was busy attempting to pronounce a word from a manga she was trying to read... upside down, from her spot near a bookcase in a corner. "Hungry..." Then her stomach growled, and she pouted.

"If you think even for a second I will leave the little one in your grasp, you are very obviously mistaken."

"Well I- WHA, HEY!?" Unfortunately for Chika, she would never get the chance to finish her sentence. Her dear, caring friend Cave had hoisted her by the hem and the collar of her risqué outfit. The Oracle wrangled and wriggled as the redhead performed a few practice swings.

"Your task is to find the nearest Help Desk and inform them of our unfortunate situation." As she said that, Cave closely approached the crowd in front of them. Seemingly taking a hint at what Cave had in mind, her writhing increased. "I wish you the utmost luck in your Quest. Your noble sacrifice will not go unvalued."

"D-DON'T I GET A SAY IN THIS!?"

"I was going to ask if you had any last words, but it seems you have beaten me to the punch. Now then..." With one last swing, Cave launched her friend into the rapid crowd. The Oracle's screams as she landed face-first in the horde were quickly silenced as she was swallowed whole, never to be seen again.

"... Hm." Resisting a smirk, Cave took the time to relax and took a seat next to Verna. Like in most situations, she had been utterly oblivious to the whole exchange as her simple mind was preoccupied with her empty stomach.

Grooooowl... It beckoned for food, as if Verna's crestfallen face wasn't enough of a sign for this. Missing not a single beat, the redhead summoned a bag of chips from her inventory and handed them to the little girl.

"Eat up, little one. I know this is not exactly the healthiest option for you, but..." While she was doubtful, Verna had already ripped the bag open like a hot knife through butter. Greedily, she stuffed her hand in the bag and shoved a handful of chips in her mouth. Cheese was quick to stain her mouth and fingers, but she didn't care in the least.

"..." The most Cave could do was summon a napkin and wipe her cheeks. The little girl squirmed playfully from it, giggling despite her mouth being filled to the brim with Golditos. "Little one, I would recommend swallowing your food. The last thing I would care to do is perform the Heimlich."

"... Mm?" Confused, the Candidate tilted her head to it's side. Her eyes were full of curiosity, Cave's answer came in the form of a ruffle of her hair.

"Worry not, it would be prevented before it could even begin." She was sure of that, at least. 'I've done it to your sister and Chika many times... and sometimes even Lady Neptune.' One needed to learn to keep the spoon out of their mouth while swallowing pudding. Cave shuddered just from recalling it.

"Big Sis Cave is nice..." Snapping her out of it, Verna hugged her 'big sister' with her cheesy fingers and, as a result, smeared cheese onto it. "..." And while normally Cave would certainly be put in a miserable mood to have her 10,000C outfit ruined, an outfit Lyrica bought for her many years ago and was dry clean only on top of it, the most she could do in the presence of a child who didn't know any better was sigh.

'It is fortunate I always come prepared with an alternate outfit...' She had that, at least. However, there was still the problem of Verna and her tendency to hug everything. Placing her hand on top of the young girl's head, she attempted to move Verna at least a few feet from her body.

"Mm." Verna refused, which only made the situation worse for Cave, as she witnessed the little girl climb on her lap and hug her waist. "Mm..."

"..." Cave really had no will to move her after that, so her hand settled on the girls blonde head and petted it.

"Heehee..."

She seemed to like doing that a lot, as of late. That sort of thought really put into perspective just how much she softened up around the little girl, Chika or no Chika. Whether it be some sort of repressed sisterly mechanism finally shown its light, Verna's cuteness conveying to her in a such a way that she had choice but to pet her like a kitten, or maybe the little one had a hidden ability no one knew about, and was using it for her own gain.

Okay, that last one was a bit psychotic of her, but the message still stood that Verna had quite the effect on Cave.

"Big Sis Cave?" Her voice questioned then, turning the redhead's attention to the small form on her lap.

"Yes, what is it?"

"Where'd Big Sis Chika go?" Verna looked around. "She was on the floor, now she's not..."

Cave repressed the urge to chuckle. "She nobly volunteered to scout a safer area for us to reside. Truly brave, she is."

"Big Sis Chika is so cool..." An unprofessional snort from the red-haired woman, but she attempted a dignified response regardless.

"Yes, she is certainly very... something..." The keyword was 'attempted', as the battle-hardened soldier did her absolute best to ensure a laugh didn't escape her lips. She didn't want to publicly humiliate herself on top of looking like a mess.

"Ugh..." Speak of the devil, a war-torn Chika came crawling back to their secluded hiding space.

"Welcome back, Chika." Cave greeted her. The Oracle growled. Following behind her was a Help Desk looking person, who looked somewhat flustered to be in their presence. "Found... someone... Ugh..." The greenette mumbled from the floor.

"I suppose you will be the one helping us." Cave turned her attention to the employee.

She nodded. "W-Well, when the Oracle of Leanbox asks you for help, you can't really say no..." Cave noticed her hands were trembling, possibly out of intimidation of being in front of notable Leanboxians. If Lady Vert actually had joined, it was highly likely that woman would have had a heart attack. "A-Anywho, I know the upstairs is fairly empty. Follow me."

"Of course." Cave hopped to her feet, taking Verna's hand and lifting her up as well. "Come, little one. We are leaving."

"Okay!" Verna followed without question. All Chika got was a soft kick to the thigh as a warning to follow them. She groaned, but got up anyway. Along the way, their guide had to pry her way through the terribly thick group of people to clear a path for them. "E-Excuse me! Please!" She pushed them out of the way like a warrior girl barging her way through an army of bounty hunters.

Honestly, to Cave, it was quite impressive.

Eventually, the group bypassed the flurry of customers and made it to the staircase without incident. The second floor, thankfully enough, was much less crowded than the first.

"Er, let me know if there's anything else I can help with!" The employee offered nervously.

"Thank you, we will if necessary." Cave nodded her way. beckoning the employee to travel back down the dreaded downstairs. She never asked about Verna, though Cave suspected it had to do with her focus on the crowd and her utter nervousness around her and Chika that prevented it from being brought up. Either way, Cave certainly wasn't going to complain.

"Big Sis Cave! All this stuff is so cool!"

The excited cheers of the energy riddled Leanbox Candidate rung loud and clear, turning the heads of the few shoppers that were present on the mostly empty floor. Stoically, meaning in her usual manner, Cave patted the little girl's head and placed a dexterous finger over her lips.

"Hush, little one. Don't attract unwanted attention." She said lowly.

"Sorry, Big Sis Cave..." The little girl whispered, holding what appeared to be a manga volume close to her chest. "But this is all really really super cool!"

Cave tussled the little girl's hair. "Of that, I am aware. Why don't you go and explore for a bit? I will be here with Chika if you need anything."

"Okay!" With that, the little Verna tottered off, though nowhere far enough to escape Cave's hawk vision. Smiling slightly, the soldier sat down on a nearby armchair while she kept her eyes on the Candidate.

"Can we leave already?" The moment hardly lasted, as her dear friend Chika Hakozaki came in with a begrudged expression. She was definitely ready to leave, of that Cave could hold no fault to the Oracle's own.

"So soon? We have only just arrived, yet you want to already leave on the trip you took over in Lady Vert's place?"

"Yeah, I know, but that crowd was just intolerable!" Flailing her arms, the Oracle exhaustedly collapsed on a chair next to Cave's own. "I'd much rather deal with my dearest and her unfortunate procrastination tendencies than spend another second in that damn first floor!"

"Such a bold statement, though I can see where you are coming from." Cave simply nodded. "If you wish to leave, then that is your choice and I will not object, though you would miss out on all of Verna's little moments, and really, isn't that something we all wish to see in the end?"

"Bite me..." Chika grumbled, sinking lower into her seat. "Ugh, now I don't even feel like getting up. Wake me up when we leave..."

"... Very well, then." Cave paid her friend no more mind, while the Oracle shrugged and turned around. By that point, Verna had already come back running to her in an excited manner. "Big Sis Cave! Big Sis Cave!"

"What is it?" Cave leaned forward to see what the child had in store for her.

"This, this!" Verna ran up to her and shoved what looked like a manga volume straight into Cave's face. Amused and curious, the soldier took the book from her and read its cover.

"... LuLu's Odd Escapade?" The title was certainly... unique, to say the least. "Act III: Sunsprinkle... Campaigners..." Very very unique.

"Heehee, that sounds funny!" Judging by her reaction, the little girl hadn't actually read the title, if she even could read, and instead was drawn to it's colorful cover. It depicted a black-haired woman wearing a gakuran and cap that seemed to blend into her hair, her eyes staring off into the heavens as she posed fabulously with a weird spirit thing floating behind her in an equally magnificent pose.

"Hm..." Cave had seen this particular manga in stores before, and she even gave it a few quick glances out of curiosity. 'Speaking from those glances, this is definitely not something a young child should be looking at...'

"Can I get it?" She asked.

"Erm, why don't you find something less... graphic?" That was the best way she could put it. Verna just looked confused. "I will tell you when you are older."

"Booo..." Verna hunched over and shuffled away. The little girl meekly went back to looking for something to read, pouting all the while. However, she bounced back rather quickly and went back to gliding across the various aisles in search of something that could pique her interest. However, upon watching the little girl moving about so cheerfully, a thought occurred to the SMD soldier, Cave…

'Most manga these days are meant for teenagers, aren't they?'

"…"

'Perhaps it would be wise to keep a closer eye on her,' Cave decided. She stood up from her seat and followed after the little Verna, casting a few glances towards the many different volumes of comics all over the place. It was hard to tell what they were about from a simple glance, but just going off the aesthetic alone, they definitely looked to be geared towards a teen audience.

Trying to find something suitable for children here would probably be akin to finding a needle in a haystack. Directing her gaze back to the stairway, Cave wondered if she should call for the clerk from before, but before she could entertain the idea any further, something caught her eye.

She walked a bit closer to a certain aisle and got a closer look. There, on one of the racks was a book with a very distinct cover. It was of a little boy with a monkey tail, holding a bo staff while riding on the back of a green, serpentine, horned dragon. The soft lines that made up the boy's body contrasted quite heavily with his wild and spiky hair. However, it gave off a more unique vibe from most of the other comics Cave had seen thus far, so she decided to take a look for herself.

Immediately, Cave was taken aback by the simple comic. The artwork was very expressive, and it was surprisingly easy to hop from page to page. It had such an interesting quality to it that was hard to describe. It made the redheaded wonder if there were any other such manga like this that she was missing out on. However, her thought was cut short when an excited Verna came back, tugging at her dress, looking as cheerful as ever.

"Big Sis Cave! I think I found something!" The young blonde excitedly held up a new comic, except instead of muscular men posing like fashion models, it was some… blonde midget girl with a bear hood… thing…? "I like this one!" Verna chirped.

"Hm… I suppose it could work," Cave mumbled aloud, focusing on the volume. "If you don't mind, do you think I could have a look at it, just to make sure it's nothing too… over-the-top?"

"Sure!" Verna agreed. However, as she reached up to hand Cave the volume, she noticed the one Cave was holding and immediately took an interest. "Big Sis Cave, what's that?" she asked, pointing at the comic Cave was holding.

"Oh, this? It just happened to catch my eye, so I decided to give it a look. Would you like to-"

"Yeah, yeah!" Cave didn't even get to finish as the little girl swiped the book from her grasp and started diving into it at a lightning-fast pace. The girl was rapidly plowing through pages in seconds, to the point that it almost made Cave feel a bit dizzy just watching. "Ooh!" Verna quickly went starry-eyed, seemingly caught in the comic's magic. After a few more seconds, she finally looked back up, somehow even more excited than she was a moment ago. "Can I get this one, too?!"

"As you wish, little one," Cave said with a smile, to which Verna instantly responded in kind by leaping into Cave's stomach and wrapping her arms around the older woman, almost causing her to fall on her butt.

"You're the best, big sis Cave!" the little blonde cheered.

"..." Cave stopped for a second to consider what to say next, but looking at Verna's smiling face, she decided to keep her lips shut for the time being. Instead, she opted to give the girl a soft pat on the head while she enjoyed the moment.

Despite how draining it could be to look after a such a young child, Cave couldn't help but let out a content sigh. Moments like these definitely made it worth all the hassle.

"Yes, my darling, come to me! My body is ready~"

"..."

"..."

Cave slowly turned her head around, unaware that her hand was slowly rising in the form of a fist.

"Is Big Sis Chika okay?" Verna innocently asked, breaking the awkward silence the sleeping oracle had caused.

"Oh, you needn't worry about her," Cave assured. However, an idea suddenly came to the redhead, followed shortly after by the makings of a wolfish grin. "Speaking of which, I think now would be a good time to wake her up and tell her we've finally found a good comic so that we can go home."

"Yay!"

"But first… Do you happen to have a marker on you, little one?"

"Huh… I think so, but why do you-"

"You'll see soon enough,"

"Honestly, if I had known it would have been that busy, I would've gotten somebody to drive us!"`

Chika's complaining hadn't stopped even after they had long left Gamers. For Cave, it was especially draining having to listen to her friend moan and groan during the elevator ride up to the Basilicom's apartment complex, also known as Lady Vert's home.

"... Heehee." To her right, a little girl known as Verna was repressing her urge to laugh. She hid behind Cave's fancy skirt, holding her hand over her mouth as she grinned from ear to ear. Chika glared at her, though her expression was confused.

"Why does she keep laughing? What's so funny?" She asked, though her redheaded pal wasn't about to explain that to her.

"You will see…" She looked off to the side, repressing a grin of her own while Chika stared at her puzzledly.

Ding. "We are here." The door opened, and the trio made themselves home to the empty living room.

"Where's Big Sis?" asked Verna.

"My guess is that she is still working." answered Cave, leading the younger Verna to the couch. "Sit here and watch some cartoons. Chika will retrieve your big sister for you." She turned to her green-haired friend. "Isn't that right, Chika?"

"I was gonna do it anyway, sheesh." The Oracle waved her off as she took off into the long hallway. Cave sighed, and sat herself on the couch with the little girl, grabbing the remote to turn on the television for her to watch.

"Heheh! Big Sis Chika looks funny!" Verna giggled.

"Indeed she does," Cave agreed. Immature as it may have been to do that to her long-time friend, Chika should be grateful Cave hadn't done anything worse. "Ah, this looks like a good one." Forgetting about Chika for the time being, Cave soon found what looked like something Verna might enjoy. "Does this look to you, little one?"

"Ooh, what is it?" Verna asked, her interest piqued. The show in question seemed to be about a wandering samurai with a magical sword on a quest to slay an evil being with an obsession with… pizza? Well, whatever the case, Verna seemed interested as she leaned forward to eagerly watch the samurai's journey. "So cool…"

"Yes, samurai are very cool," Cave agreed wholeheartedly. "They follow their own code of honor and use katana to fight off their opponents."

"Uh… What's a ka… ku..."

"Katana. It is a kind of sword, little one," Cave explained. "They are very sharp, and it takes a great deal of effort to create them, but the effort is well worth it."

"Oooh!" Verna's eyes went full sparkle mode, awed by the magic of the katana. "Can I have one?! Big Sis says I'll have to learn to fight one day, do you think she'll let me have one, Big Sis Cave?"

"Now, now, no need to be in such a rush," Cave stated. "There are many different kinds of weapons, like bows, spears, staves, and many others. When the time comes you should pick one you think suits you best; for me it was my scissor blade, for your sister it was a spear. I do wonder what you'll pick when the time comes, though."

"Eh…" Verna's eyes widened even further, if that was even possible. She was practically oozing sparkles now. "I din' know there was so many…" Verna mumbled in awe. "Big Sis Cave, Big Sis Cave, can you teach me how to use it? Can you teach me when I pick one?"

To this, Cave chuckled. "I will see what I can do."

"Yay! You're the best!" Once again, the young Verna jumped in for a hug. Except this time, Cave let herself fall back on the couch, perhaps a bit too drained from the day's events to try and fight back against a child with boundless energy.

"I hope I can live up to your expectations of me, then." At that, Cave said nothing more, allowing herself to sink back, all the while the cartoon from before had cut to a commercial as the two relaxed... Or at least, she would have, if not for the scrolling banner near the bottom of the screen catching her attention.

Breaking news: Rumors of an unidentified shadow lurking near the north woods of Leanbox have been sighted recently. Possible new monster, or just another hoax? Whatever the case, please exercise caution when going out at night.

And just like that, it had gone as soon as it came.

"Hm…"

"I found her! Well, most of her." A familiar voice broke their moment, and not too later did Chika Hakozaki come back with Vert… who had dozens of pieces of paperwork stuck to her body in an almost comical manner.

"So… much… work… Ugh…"

"Big Sis!" Verna jumped off the couch and ran up to hug her sister. "Les' watch funny samurais! Come on!"

"Er, of course…" Vert wasn't entirely there as Verna pulled her towards the couch.

"Yes, watch it with us. It is quite enjoyable." Cave moved over to make room for the CPU, with the littlest Candidate sitting on her lap the show.

"I'll start dinner." Chika retreated to the kitchen to prepare whatever food she had on the mind, leaving the three alone to watch cartoons.

"..."

"..."

"..."

"WHO THE HELL DREW A MUSTACHE AND GLASSES ON MY FACE?!"

Editors Note: After an almost 3 month absence, A Verdant Breeze has returned, re-edited and re-furbished for your viewing pleasure! With the help of some friends, chapter 6 to 11, which are now chapter 6 to 9, went through a massive editing overhaul because, admittedly, these chapters had turned out kind of... shit and, since a few of them were planned to be longer, they were melded with each other which results in the chapter count taking a dip, but hey, quality assurance.

This note will be copied from this chapter to chapter 9, just to avoid confusion to the people that see A Verdant Breeze back on Page 1. Enjoy!

-Yuri