My expression was sad...?

There were so many ways you could interpret what he meant that you ended up just being confused. Caleb continued walking as if he didn't just give you a line of dialogue to lose sleep over. Honestly, a part of you wished he would openly express some feelings of resentment towards you. The guilt that came from lying to him and not being able to help in a better way would be plaguing your mind for quite some time.

A few droplets of rain dotted the ground before it turned into a hefty downpour. You allowed some water to fall in your palm to check it's state. It was just clear and plain water, not the red rain associated with the vengeful apparition's appearance. Well, not yet.

Amongst the sound of rain, you heard Amias's voice.

"(Y/n)! Caleb! Are you guys okay?" Amias caught up to you two. "I cleared the area of apparitions, so I thought I'd come back here."

"Wow~ How efficient!" Caleb gave him a quick round of applause. "I hereby declare you as a SF member right now."

You looked at him. "Caleb, I don't think that's how it works."

The rain suddenly increased in intensity. In response to that, you, Caleb and Amias threw your hoodies over your heads. Grey clouds crowded the sky, but you swore you could see a faint red hue in them. The vengeful apparition would be appearing much sooner than you anticipated.

Amias must've noticed your worried look because he brought out the holographic screen and discreetly motioned if you wanted to use it. You glanced over to Caleb. He was checking his device and despite there being a digital screen next to him, he didn't notice it. It really was only you and Amias who can see it.

You softly shook your head and Amias nodded. Seeing Caleb check his device reminded you of something. You briefly rolled up the sleeve of your jacket to reveal your own device and took note of the remaining hours left from the 24 hour timer automatically set at the start of the SF trial.

Ah, almost forgot. You went ahead and created your own personal clock that had the same amount of hours displayed by the timer.

"Alright, we should get moving."

With a playful salute, Caleb exclaimed, "Alright, captain!"

Even with Mochi to enhance your endurance and speed, you had some trouble keeping up with the boys' pace. They were probably slowing down a little for your sake and you felt incredibly bad because of that. The temperature had drastically dropped, the cold was definitely affecting your face considering it was the only uncovered part of you. Sifting through your pockets and pulling out a black mask, you placed it on. The product belonged to the AEI and was designed for operations so you wouldn't have difficulties in breathing.

"Nice look, Miss Support! Looking good for the camera?"

"My face is freezing off."

"Ah."

It was as if lightning had struck your movements when you suddenly halted. A foreboding feeling suffused within you and your feet were glued to the ground, not daring to step another step further. Amias and Caleb also stopped running and were on high alert, it seems like they sensed that something was off as well.

Confirming your suspicions, an apparition emerged from the shadows behind a tall building. The fact that it was sluggishly crawling made you recoil back, disturbed. It's movements were sedated and it was dilatory in registering the presence of the three of you... Ah, fuck. It was an abnormal apparition––no, there were several abnormal apparitions.

You lowered your voice, "I don't think they noticed us yet..."

"Sneaking away is an option and all, but I have a feeling that'll end badly. Sometimes they like to make that god awful screech for no reason," Caleb whispered. "Here's the plan. Miss support, make sure you get out of this area."

Right. One scream and you'd be knocked out.

Caleb looked over to Amias. "Hey, stranger. I'm counting on you, okay? We'll both try to direct them away from her before taking em out."

Amias dutifully nodded before whispering a kind 'be careful, (Y/n)' to you. You wished you could've done more to help out, but you'd only be a burden if you stayed. Using the book was too risky in this situation, especially since you weren't prepared unlike at the start of the SF trial. It was best to leave it to Caleb and Amias. After sending a thankful look their way, you quickly scanned the area and looked for an optimal means of escape.

Collapsed buildings encompassed the area and none of them you could get past without making a lot of noise due to the mountains of rubble and debris. Turning back wasn't an option since you'd just be back at square one. Though, a dilapidated building that resembled a store did catch your eye. Hopefully, there was a backdoor you could exit through.

You didn't trust yourself to run quietly, so you carefully walked over to the building. The apparitions kept crawling around, their focus away from you. You swallowed. Okay, nice and steady. As long as you didn't make any sudden movements, it would be fine.

The apparition croaked out a quiet groan and your heart almost stopped. Hesitantly, you glanced to your left and bit your lip to stop yourself from gasping. There was an apparition only a few metres away from you. Eventually, though, you made it to the building and you silently cursed at the closed door.

Please, please, please do not creak loudly.

Trembling hands and a million prayers running through your head, you opened the door.

Miraculously, it only made a gentle sound.

You withheld a sigh of relief and entered the building. Immediately, you could feel an ocean of apparitions attempt to possess you. It was like having an ice-cold blanket wrapped around your body that restricted your movements and sapped away your body heat.

Quietly, you summoned Mochi. In his presence, the apparitions moved away from you. You put your finger to your lips and made a hush gesture and Mochi got the message to not make any sound. You needed to get a move on quickly, Caleb and Amias needed to exorcise the abnormal apparitions as soon as possible.

Picking up your pace, you walked across the store whilst also being mindful of fallen items and debris. You smiled in relief when you found a backdoor. However, before you could reach for it, Mochi suddenly tackled you onto the ground and protectively wrapped himself around you. Instinctively, your hands shot up to cover your ears and Mochi used his tail to add another layer of coverage.

A screech that you instantly recognised to be from an abnormal apparition dazed your head and ringing echoed in your ears. Your eyes shut tight and you pressed your hand against your ears with more force. The ground shook, shelves were knocked over, and furniture rattled violently.

It only lasted a few seconds, but those seconds were experienced in immense fear and perturbation. Hesitantly, you uncovered your ears. Mochi quickly let go of and you hunched over and coughed. Your entire body shook and your state of mind was frazzled.

There was one explanation you had for the reason why you were still conscious: something must've gone wrong and Caleb and Amias led it away in time for the screech to have less of an impact on you. And, Mochi's protection added another layer of security. If only alerts and messages weren't disabled on the devices, communication would've been a whole lot easier.

Mochi whimpered in concern and carefully approached you, nuzzling his nose against your cheek. You chuckled weakly and patted him. "Thanks, I wouldn't have made it if it weren't for you. Don't worry, just a little shaken up."

Due to your energy being more depleted than you'd like from the abnormal apparition's screech, you had to dismiss Mochi. You ran out of the building and entered an open space before feeling more apparitions around you. About to dodge them and make a run for it, you stopped when someone suddenly dashed in front of you. Back turned to you and long dark blue locks almost touching your face, a momentary flash of dark blue sliced the air like a strike of a blade and the apparitions were exorcised.

A deep yet feminine voice spoke, it was the type of voice perfect for reading a book late at night, "Are you okay?"

The individual turned around to face you. Vivid cerulean blues eyes? Check. Uniform with dark blue highlights? Check. Height that only fell a little short to Lyle? Check. Beautiful and ethereal features? Check. A strong and elegant presence? Check.

Yup, yup. You knew who this was and you couldn't help but feel your cheeks grow a little warm.

"I-I'm fine." Fuck, I stuttered. "Thanks for the save... Uhm, do you happen to be Jade?"

She smiled, the dark blue on her lips complimenting the shade of her hair, and your heart did twenty backflips. "Yes, I didn't know others have heard of me."

"Well, I was in an operation with your dispatch once..." Technically, you weren't lying. You were in her dispatch when you played as Amias in the game. "And you were very memorable."

Okay, it was no secret that you were internally malfunctioning. Jade, Jade. She wasn't your all time favourite character, but she was definitely up there. Plus, something about her presence and aesthetics made you incredibly weak.

"Oh, I see." She smiled softly. "I'm sorry that I didn't recognise you."

"No! No! It's fine, I'm just a support so you couldn't have noticed me."

Jade frowned. "Being a support member doesn't make you any less important than anyone in the AEI," she said before pausing for a moment. "Are you tired? I know a place where you can rest."

"Rest?"

"There's a safe area where you can catch your breath. It's not far from here," she explained.

You almost choked on nothing and had to stop yourself from immediately yelling 'YES' just because you wanted more Jade content.

(Y/n), (Y/n), remember to factor in some logic.

Seeing Jade got you so excited that you almost forgot you had an objective in mind. The place Jade was going to take you to... Ah! You have visited it during your gameplay once! In terms of gameplay, it was a spot where the player could peacefully sift through their items or Amias's stats without getting floored by apparitions. The location should be in the direction you were heading towards.

Might as well go with Jade, then. "Sure! Lead the way."

You followed her lead and ran alongside her, you also took note of how she'd always glance at you to make sure she's not accidentally going too fast. It didn't take long to reach the destination.

"I'll be right back. I should check the area for any apparitions first."

You nodded. Though Jade didn't need to, she took it upon herself to protect those who were not in shape to fight. "Okay."

The space looked like an abandoned home. Upon entering, there were a few others that were sitting around. Some were a little roughed up, others had severe injuries that evoked concern for their survival. Upon seeing the yellow highlights on your uniform, indicating that you were a support member, many narrowed their eyes in distaste at your unharmed state.

When Jade came back, she asked around if everyone was okay. It annoyed you when some didn't appreciate her efforts and mumbled insults under their breath. However, you could understand it from their perspective. This was the SF trial, if you're incapable of surviving then you're not cut out to be an SF member. Getting unwanted assistance can hurt someone's pride and question their credibility.

Someone had lost their jacket and was terribly shivering. Jade took off hers and covered them with it. You couldn't help but notice the muscles on her arms and had to mentally slap yourself for staring.

"(Y/n), are you thirsty?" Jade asked, opening a small bag.

You knew she was referring to water, but you still felt called out.

"Oh no, I'm okay. Thanks, though."

During your little walk around the area, which was a nice breather from all the action and you finally had a chance to recover your energy, you spotted a young woman with hair tied into a low and messy bun. You checked their dispatch number and noticed the red highlights on their uniform. Ah, you recognised her. She was from Lyle's dispatch.

A sharp bump on your shoulder caught your attention. You looked over to see a girl with dark red hair scoffing at you.

"Had fun leeching off us?"

"So that was her..." you mumbled.

She was resting against a wall with her eyes closed and didn't seem to have any detrimental injuries. However, she was clearly beaten judging from the scratches and dust on her face, the disheveled state of her dark red hair, and the tired pants that consistently left her dry lips.

The young woman opened her eyes and she immediately scowled upon seeing you. Guess she recognised you too.

"You're still alive?" she asked, incredulous.

Caught a little off guard by her instant animosity, you weren't sure how to respond. "Surprise?"

"Lyle would've never let you go. So, tell me, what underhanded tactic did you use?"

Underhanded tactic––ma'am I got beaten almost to death by Lyle, had to initiate a speech about suffering and pray that he didn't say 'this bitch talk too much' and shoot me in the middle of my rambling, let apparitions possess me so I could pull an uno reverse and use them to heal my body, and had to capture an unstable as hell irregular apparition in my book which might kill me in the future who knows.

"Lyle?" Jade spoke from behind you. "What did Lyle do?"

"Nothing, nothing!" you said frantically. Out of all the people that shouldn't know what Lyle did to you, Jade was on the top of the list. "Anyway, you're helping all these people here? That's really kind of you. For everyone else it's a kill or be killed kinda setting."

"I don't blame people for thinking that way, it's just not the way I do things. I chose to be part of the defence force because I wanted to protect," she explained. "By the way, I'll be doing a quick patrol around the area to be extra cautious."

"Sounds good. Oh, by the way. I'll be leaving soon so don't be concerned when you come back and I'm gone."

She frowned. "You hardly got any rest. Please stay here for a while."

'Nah, don't sweat it. Besides, it's an SF trial. If I die, then I'm not suited to be a SF member, right?' If you responded like that, most people would go, 'yeah, you've got a point lol bye.' However, Jade would get upset by that statement and she would insist you stay even more. You mentally sighed. I'm going to have to lie again. There's not enough time to try and convince her.

"Okay, I'll stay here and rest."

She smiled in approval before heading out. When you waited until Jade was gone, you didn't fail to notice the red haired girl's glare burning a hole in both you and Jade.

"...Seriously, what's your problem?" you asked.

"My problem?" She laughed. "It's just infuriating to see her and a support member get this far. How much help did you receive? How many people did you sacrifice to––"

"Oh, why do you look at that? It's time for me to leave."

You ignored the young woman's exasperated look and began making your exit. In fact, everyone in the space looked at you with belittlement. Some scoffed and slipped in derisive comments. After all, why would a support member walk out of a safe place protected by a capable defence force member? Being surrounded by the main cast of Anomalous for so long made you forget some of the prejudice around support members.

"Fine, go ahead and die," the young woman spat.

You shrugged. "Sorry that a little running around got you tired. I'll exorcise some apparitions for you, okay?"

Before she could respond, you walked out of the building. You made sure to be vigilant of your surroundings so that you didn't accidentally run into Jade.

The sky was starting to have a more prominent red hue in certain areas. The fact that the vengeful apparition had this much coverage only emphasized their power and influence. You quickly discerned which direction you'd be taking before making a run for it.

An apparition blocked your path, but before you could identify whether it was an irregular or abnormal one, someone pulled you behind a building. Almost, your elbow shot straight to their face, but stopped when a familiar voice hushed you.

A low and sultry chuckle parted his lips. "My, my. You're full of energy."

"Cecil?" you whispered.

"Correct, my darling."

Your back was pressed against Cecil's chest and his hands rested on your shoulder. "What are we doing...?"

"Playing a little game of hide and seek."

You tapped his hand as a gesture that you wanted him to let you go. He complied without an issue. "Why not just exorcise it?"

"Where's the fun in that?"

What did I expect? Though, there was also some merit in taking a stealthier approach. Cecil was a natural at concealing his presence, so this method would be much swifter and more energy efficient for him.

When you took a look at his face, you noticed a thin cut across his cheek. "Cecil, are you okay?"

"Hm? Oh, I purposefully let it happen." He wiped a bit of the blood off with his thumb. "It looks hot on camera."

"Oh."

"You came at a lovely time. Just sit back and watch the show, okay?" He followed his words with a wink and the green and yellow hue in his sector-heterochromia eyes illuminated. "I want to show off a little for you."

Cecil's eyes now had sharp slits in them, resembling a snake's. A thin trail of mist wrapped around his neck, the shape of it outlining a snake's tail and the shade was a very pale lime green. A low and amused chuckle parted his lips at your awed expression and he offered his hand. When you accepted it, he placed a finger on his lips before carefully leading you out from behind the building.

You accidentally squeezed his hand when you realised that the apparition was an abnormal one. At least when Cecil held onto your hand, your presence was masked more effectively. The abnormal apparition was only a few meters away and had its back turned to the two of you. Cecil's finger etched a circle in the air and the mist-like snake increased in size as it slithered on the floor sinuously before slowly wrapping itself around the apparition.

It took a few seconds for the abnormal apparition to register it's presence. And when it did, it attempted to unhinge its jaw to scream. The snake immediately wrapped itself around its mouth, squeezing tightly; just like how a real life snake would subdue their prey. Baring its fangs as a loud hiss slipped from it, the snake engulfed the apparition whole.

You knew what to expect, but seeing it in action personally was amazing to you. The abnormal apparition that gave you so much trouble was taken care of just like that.

Cecil chuckled at your expression. "Impressed?"

"That ability is very different from what I usually see."

"Mhm, people sometimes mistake the snake for an apparition," he said. "But, it's just part of my exorcism ability. I'm glad you didn't immediately point fingers at me for working with an apparition."

Hah. I'm the one working with an apparition. At one point, you considered using that as an excuse for Mochi's presence. It would work for a couple of months, but it was inevitable that you'd be found out. The difference between Cecil's snake and Mochi being a wolf was that Mochi had a consciousness of his own. Though Cecil could command his snake to do various things, at the end of the day it is part of his ability. The snake can't do anything outside of Cecil's commands.

Suddenly, a swarm of apparitions circled around you and Cecil. All light sources were blocked out and your sight was clouded with darkness. No matter how much you tried to adjust your eyes, you couldn't see anything. And to top it off, because apparitions were all around you, the air felt like icicles were pressed up against your skin. You were freezing.

"Ah-hah. Apparitions are getting a little more creative. How thrilling," Cecil mused. "Dear, how are you holding up?"

"Alive."

"Fascinating response."

Cecil had sharp senses and could enhance them further at will, much sharper senses than yours even when you had Mochi's assistance. The darkness mattered little to him. Apparitions tried to possess you, but it was getting easier to withstand them, but it still drained stamina.

It became a whole new issue when you felt yourself gradually levitate by the apparitions. You did your best to struggle against them, but the biting cold, the fact that you couldn't see what was going on, and the depletion of your energy was making things difficult.

The struggle didn't last long. Brightness flooded your vision and you felt miles lighter. Ah, the apparitions around you and Cecil were exorcised, including the ones that were holding you––

Oh shit, you were falling.

And you did so right into Cecil's arms, bridal style.

"Got you~"

Your cheeks felt a little warm at that. "Th-thanks."

Cecil's eyes glimmered with interest and a sly smirk fell upon his lips. "Oh my, (Y/n). If all it takes for you to be flustered was this, you should've said so sooner. I always wondered why my charms never worked on you."

No, they do. It's just I always see them ingame and know what to expect. "I'm just built different. Can you let me down now, please?"

"Can I say no?"

"No."

Cecil let out a playful sigh of disappointment before setting you down. "By the way, I think you look cute in the mask."

You raised an eyebrow. "It's-it's just a plain black mask?"

He laughed. "I know, I find the simplicity on you adorable."

What's with these flirtatious remarks? "Thank you––?"

A sudden flash of light appeared next to you, cutting your words short. You blinked in surprise before realizing that Amias had teleported right beside you. What the––was this how the characters felt when you did the exact same thing when you played the game?

"Amias, how nice of you to join us," Cecil said. "A very grand entrance, indeed. I didn't know you could travel far distances."

A little flustered, Amias chuckled sheepishly. "Ah, I recently learnt it."

He must've used the map like how you taught him. Something about that puts a smile on your lips.

Amias quickly turned over to you. "(Y/n)! You're safe. I was worried that you didn't make it out in time." He let out a shaky sigh of relief. "Things went wrong and Caleb and I weren't able to lead it away as far as we'd like. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. I was a little shaken up, but I don't blame you two. In fact, I should be thanking you both for having my back like that," you said. "By the way, where's Caleb?"

"Oh! We met Elias on the way so he regrouped with him. I wanted to find you so I went off on my own."

Elias was with Caleb? The thought eased your mind a little. You wanted to express your thanks to Amias since he thought to find you, but another wave of apparitions came rushing. They all formed into a pointed weapon and went straight towards you three. You, Amias, and Cecil dodged them in separate directions. Amias and Cecil's dodge was swift and clean. They looked like they were posing for an action movie poster. You almost fell face first upon landing.

The apparitions that came in swarms weren't much of a threat compared to the irregular and abnormal apparitions––well, they weren't much of a threat since Cecil and Amias were with you. If you were alone it'd be a whole new struggle, but they were going to severely slow you down. You had a feeling that they'd keep coming so long as you stayed in this area.

Your furrowed your eyebrows. That was an issue since you had a place you needed to go to; time was limited. Amias teleported besides you, leaned over, and whispered.

"(Y/n), you can use me."

You swear you almost snapped your neck with how fast you turned it around. You were so glad Cecil was distracted at the moment. "What?"

"I noticed your concerned look...You know what to do with my abilities, right? Tell me what I need to do," he said. "And I can get us out of this situation."



A/n: Sometimes (90% of the time) I get super worried that there are huge plot holes or that the reader's actions aren't the smartest aaaA. Praying that it's all in my head.

Anyways! Next chapter is going to be a long and exciting one! I'm pretty sure it's the longest I've written so far. Hope y'all are pumped heh