"That's too much, Cecil. You can't manage all of that."

Words that questioned his capability, words with an intent to discourage–were the kinds of words Cecil hated the most. He found out at the early age of twelve. Weird, right? On the way home, sitting in a car and talking about his aspirations, you'd think his parents would encourage him or, at the very least, listen with a smile. Every parent wanted their child to do something meaningful and ambitious.

Unfortunately, not his.

A young boy glanced out the window, watching the tall buildings pass.

"I can do it," he said. It almost sounded like he was sulking. "I know I can."

"Don't be naive," his mother snapped. As a child, Cecil instinctively flinched at the harsh tone. "Focus on becoming an AEI member. We're lucky you have decent exorcism abilities."

"I'm not saying I won't be an AEI member," the child argued. "I'm saying I will be an AEI member and run my business."

His father sighed. "You're not capable enough for that."

Cecil frowned. "You don't know that."

"It's reality, Cecil. Prodigies are few in between. You need to stop your ambitions now before you do illogical actions and end up losing everything," the man said, a note of finality in his voice.

Be safe, don't overshoot, and stick to what you know would work. That type of security and certainty was what his parents lived by.

Cecil hated it.

"Oh, and don't think I didn't notice you eyeing that makeup store," his mother said, a stressed sigh escaping her lips.

"It looks fun," Cecil said. "You can be expressive with makeup."

"I don't care if it's a little here and there, but don't stand out."

"But—"

His mother glared at him through the rearview mirror. "Do you understand?"

Cecil dug his nails into his lap to suppress himself from further arguing. "... I understand."

His parents could tell he didn't really mean it, but the compliance was enough for them. As a dependent child, it was hard to challenge your parents. Cecil always prided himself on being independent for his age, doing things here and there to earn his own pocket money and learning to take care of his necessities such as cooking and cleaning. He wanted as little reliance on his parents as possible. However, he wasn't in a position where he could support himself entirely.

The child glanced out the window just as they passed the AEI building. Tall, sleek, and expensive, it was the dream occupation. Cecil wondered what it would be like working there. Would he meet interesting people? People with ambitions bigger than his?

His thoughts sparked an excited flicker in his eyes. He couldn't wait to grow up.

Cecil's younger years teetered between the line of a rebellious son who could be disowned any second to a son any parent would be happy to show off. His parents would advise him against certain actions, but he'd do it anyway. Constantly shutting him down, humbling his abilities—it acted as fuel for his ambitions. The very fact that he was on a good path to becoming an AEI member kept his parents sane.

When Cecil hit his adult years, he earned a respectable AEI position as the operation design division head. His parents were overjoyed. They even had the nerve to show him off, proudly claiming credit for his success.

They began acting more supportive, encouraged him, and even dropped by his bar and asked how he was doing. However, the horror on their faces when they found out that he got a tattoo and engaged in the occasional promiscuous acts was oh-so-satisfying.

"That lifestyle will ruin you."

"Just focus on the AEI and don't stand out."

Of course, Cecil couldn't care less about them at this point. Sure, they were still his parents and adequately ensured he didn't die as a child, but he couldn't forget how suffocated he felt in that house––that he wasn't their child but a tool for their security.

He communicated his feelings clearly to them.

"You can't just cut ties with us!"

"You did that to me first. Who was the one who abandoned me when I initially failed to get into the AEI?"

That managed to get them to become quiet.

"Don't worry, I'll still send you some money," Cecil said, preparing a drink for a customer. He spared no more than a cursory glance at his parents. "The money I earned with the ambition you hated so much."

Now, how did he find working in the AEI? It was both stifling and a breath of fresh air. Being granted this position allowed him to take charge, and his decisions weren't questioned. Plus, telling people what to do was pretty fun. The specialty force members were especially memorable.

Caleb was a free spirit and had a penchant for unpredictability. Occasionally, when tasked with submitting an operation report to Cecil, he'd playfully mess around with the contents for no reason other than amusement. Elias seemed stiff and your typical strict and bland leader, but he was on top of his work and didn't falter when a challenge arose. Working alongside him pushed Cecil to become more efficient.

Sara and Finn often worked away from the main building, so Cecil didn't talk to them as much. However, he did share a love for fashion like Sara and saw Finn's constant volunteering and community involvement as competition to heighten his ambitions.

However, when working at the AEI, Cecil always felt a hidden sense of conformity. There was something more to the AEI, but he couldn't figure it out in his position. Standing out a little, breaking into the TDD lab, and getting selected for the SF trial was the beginning of his ambitious acts to delve deeper into what the AEI was hiding.

And through that, he was able to meet you.

"I'm just testing my theory so I can have more of a reason to believe that the chairman didn't only select us because we have interesting capabilities. You're the only other person I know who's not from the offence or defence team. Also, since you're the head of the operation design division and you mentioned that you interacted with the other heads, I assumed you might know something about the lab."

"I see..." Cecil mumbled, a flicker of intrigue in his eyes. "You seem to trust me enough to say these things, but how can I say the same for you? What if you're setting me up?"

You took out the money from your purse. "Okay, then, let's call it a business transaction. I'm employing you."

Someone who took action. Of course, you captured his interest. He had yet to meet someone to present such an outlandish proposal that Cecil couldn't help but feel absolute delight. This was what he wanted: someone who would help him pursue his goals.

"It was certainly an unexpected visit and an unexpected conversation," Cecil said. "Though, I'm not complaining. Shall we commemorate our partnership?

With a pleased look on your expression, you raised your glass and raised a toast.

After Cecil took a healthy sip, he asked you, "I wonder how much trust you have in me to let me in on something so important."

You looked at Cecil, confused. "Because it's you?" It seemed like that was a slip of the tongue because you cleared your throat soon afterwards. "I can tell you're ambitious. Who the hell has two demanding jobs at once?"

Cecil chuckled. "I suppose so."

Cecil was almost embarrassed by how validated he felt. He knew he was ambitious and capable, but knowing someone believed in him was comforting. All these years of having to rely on himself and his achievements to prove his ambitions were valid, Cecil supposed it made him feel a little lonely at times.

First, it was intrigue that Cecil felt towards you, next was respect, and then he considered you as a genuine ally. Now? he truly admired you. Cecil sometimes wondered if he even had romantic feelings for you.

The latter was uncertain. Sure, he would not hesitate to spend a night with you, but a committed relationship? That required much more thought. Cecil figured he'd ask May about it when she was less busy. For now, he was satisfied with what you two have right now.

However, he is known to be a little greedy at times.



===



Quite the chaos outside.

Cecil managed to successfully sneak into the central area of the technology design division. Many staff were busy trying to calm things down thanks to the commotion with the silver apparition. Security was a tad looser, so the difficulty of sneaking in dropped by a mere few percentages. But that was all Cecil needed.

Cecil was competent with computers, given his previous position as the head of operation design. Nevertheless, his expertise only allowed him to turn off the primary exterior security cameras. The central systems were far too complex for him to break into with the current time constraints.

Cecil entered one of the rooms, the one where he found the blueprints of weapons months ago. The blueprints only revealed the structure and how it was built. Nothing about what was powering it. And Cecil had a suspicion of what it might be.

Physical copies of the weapons were a delight, but Cecil wanted to know what information was hidden behind a computer screen, secured by passcodes and identification. Or, more importantly, what was in the main technology design division lab.

Both these were near impossible to get access to without getting caught. Cecil was reckless and ambitious, but he wasn't foolish.

Cecil was at a loss until you had a certain suggestion. The forgotten SF member. He would play a crucial role. According to you, his condition allowed him to remain undetected by cameras.

"His name is Kein, and he's very cute."

Cecil nodded. "The last part was vital information."

Whilst waiting for Kein, Cecil meticulously scanned the room for any additional information. Nothing of note. Boringly the same as the last time he snuck in. Cecil heightened his senses to keep a lookout for those within his radius. It was a useful skill; however, it would compromise his vision whenever he performed this action, depending on how intensely he utilised the ability.

Just like a snake, my eyesight wasn't the best to begin with––

He paused. Someone was close by. Someone familiar.

A quiet chuckle escaped Cecil's lips. Looks like he has a visitor. Swiftly, he notified you. You had drilled it several times into his brain that even the slightest feeling of danger meant he should inform you immediately. It was kind of hot seeing you act so stern with him.

Despite the danger, Cecil wasn't at all nervous. Excited, intrigued, and curious were more suited adjectives. There was little point in running away, so Cecil patiently waited for the individual. Only a few minutes passed before the doors opened. Cecil glanced over, and he couldn't help but smile in excitement.

(Y/n), darling. You were spot on.

"So you ditched the others as well? That's something Caleb would do." Cecil tilted his head, eyes crinkling in amusement. "Not you, Finn."

Yes, Finn. That one from the speciality force. The loveable brunet that took care of everyone. The reliable brunet who would jump at the opportunity to act like a loving mother when someone was injured.

Finn returned Cecil's sly smile with a friendly one of his own. It was almost unsettling how there were no traces of malice.

"I was worried when you disappeared," Finn said. "I told the others that I went looking for you."

"As considerate as always." Cecil lightly applauded him. "Strange how you came here out of all places."

Finn scanned his fingerprint and locked the door behind him. How curious, so he was given access to this area. Just what kind of connections with the chairman did Finn have?

"You don't seem that surprised."

"Well, a certain someone warned me ahead of time."

Finn's gentle expression remained, but his eyes dimmed a little. "(Y/n)?"

"A wonderful kind of trouble, isn't she? So, what brings you here?"

"I could say the same for you."

"Snooping around, wanted to find some fun information. Nothing new."

"This isn't a place to do that."

"What do you mean? This is the perfect place."

Finn sighed, a frown on his lips. "Can I convince you to leave?"

"I doubt you'll be successful, but I'm all ears."

The look of gratitude in Finn's expression almost made Cecil let his guard down. The tension was heavy as if hundreds of apparitions had suddenly suffocated the room. Cecil's eyes never left Finn as the brunet walked further into the room.

"You're curious about the weapons, right?"

Cecil hummed. "When someone does something suspicious, you find evidence and snitch. Weren't you a good student in school? That concept shouldn't be foreign."

Finn chuckled lightly at that. Despite the tension, Finn had a knack for easing a sense of comfort.

"This situation isn't as black and white as school drama. Though, I wish it was," Finn replied. "Is this 'wrongdoing' just speculation?"

"It's a speculation worth looking into. Can I convince you to let me go with a night out?"

"Unfortunately, no. I'd still love to hang out with you, though."

Cecil laughed. "Shame. So the next best thing is to use force? I'd rather avoid that, I recently got my nails done."

"I don't like fighting my friends, so I rather solve things through a discussion. Let's keep hearing each other out."

"Well, you know me. Ambitious and all. How can I pass up the opportunity to uncover more about the AEI?"

Finn nodded. "But would you put your friends in harm's way to pursue your ambition? "

Cecil narrowed his eyes at that. He was surprised how quickly Finn came to that conclusion. The brunet didn't sound accusatory or hostile, but it still struck a nerve.

"I have a strong feeling whatever is going on here has the potential to endanger my friends."

"It won't," Finn said. "I'll make sure it won't."

"Not letting me in on your master plan?"

"With the way things are going now, we'll be safe. Sacrifices will be inevitable, but we will be safe."

"Safe, huh?" Cecil was quiet for a moment. Finn's words were genuine, but something about annoyed Cecil... Ah. He figured it out. "So you like security; you like to be certain of things."

Finn was unphased by the note of annoyance in Cecil's voice. If anything, he looked understanding. Wow, it was really hard to stay mad at this guy.

"Sometimes it's best to stick to what's secure. That way, we won't lose anything," Finn said. "With the introduction of the weapons, things will change for the better. Can I ask you a question?"

"Be my guest."

"What do you think of the AEI's motto?"

"Putting the citizens above ourselves? Well, it is our job, so I can't really complain."

"Honestly, I find it disgusting that people expect us to sacrifice ourselves no matter what. Of course, we should protect the vulnerable, but the expectations are too much."

Cecil was very taken aback. Finn, the guy who did charity and volunteer work like it was in his blood, said such a thing? Sure, he knew better than to assume everyone was one-dimensional and that Finn wasn't just a nice guy everyone liked––but still.

"It's a selfish thought, isn't it? I do the charity work to make myself feel better for having these thoughts," Finn said. "It's only human of me to value my friends over everyone else, right? You can't tell me you're the type to care about everyone."

"Your points helped me understand your perspective, but I'm nowhere near convinced," Cecil said. "I don't like being oblivious. My determination to act on my ambitions is my strength. I know I can use it to protect those I care about."

"That's admirable," Finn said, sentimentality in his voice. "But, just this once, please direct your ambition elsewhere."

Desperation lurked in Finn's voice despite his best attempt to hide it with a veil of composure.

"Sorry." Cecil meant it. "I have a feeling whatever's going on behind the scenes isn't the most moral thing."

"You're a morally righteous person?"

"Not like Amias or (Y/n), but I'm not that cold-hearted. I help a lot of people at my bar, listening to their stresses and all that, you know?" Cecil chuckled. "And I've come this far, I'm so close to finding out more about the AEI."

"Your ambition is really something. It can get you in trouble."

"Maybe, but guess what? (Y/n) said something funny to me." Cecil smiled softly. "Rather than scolding my ambitions, she asked me to let her in on it. She didn't invalidate it but offered her support. Feels like I'm letting her down by backing out."

Finn remained quiet, and Cecil continued.

"We can always find another way to fulfil our goals."

"We can't."

Cecil felt an eyebrow twitch. "We can't? Come on, don't shut me down so quickly."

"I..." Finn sighed. "It's clear that we have strong opposing views. Ones that can't be resolved in a singular conversation."

"I was hoping we could reach some conclusion."

"Unfortunately, that doesn't seem to be the case. I don't want to fight a friend," Finn said. "But I'll have to ensure you can't go further than here."

"I wonder what led you up to this point," Cecil mused. "There are so many questions about you."

Finn smiled. "You don't need the answers."

"But I want to," Cecil smirked. "I'm greedy."

"You're too curious, Cecil." Finn whispered, "Someone who is too curious working alongside someone who knows too much is a bad combination for me."

Cecil heard him loud and clear but didn't address his words. "Another discussion can be held after I beat you."

"You're confident you can win against me?"

Finn was more proficient in terms of strength and had significantly more combat experience. However, there was more to the fight than just those two elements.

I'll have to get creative. How fun.

Cecil's eyes illuminated. "I have a few tricks up my sleeves."

The tension grew heavier. Unbeknownst to Finn, a faint apparition of a snake had already wrapped around his neck. If the brunet was surprised, he didn't show it.

"I see," Finn said. "I––"

A thunderous thud suddenly echoed in the room, it came from the wall next to the two men. It was followed by a crack cutting across the wall before a deafening explosion filled Cecil's senses as the wall crumbled down as if it were a mere sand castle.

Finn had narrowly dodged the debris. That was all Cecil could see as a cloud of dust enveloped the room as a new figure entered.

(Y/n)?

Happiness and relief were soon mudded with confusion and doubt. It was you... But something felt off.

Cecil finally saw your face when the dust cleared up—or so he thought. You hung your head low, expression obscured by your hair. Lifting your head, you pushed your hair out of the way, revealing your eyes.

Oh? Cecil angled his head a little to confirm his suspicions. Red eyes.

"No broken bones, as promised," you muttered, dusting down your clothes.

It was odd to hear your voice so flat and indifferent. Finn seemed to be just as confused as Cecil.

"(Y/n)? No..." Finn took a moment to collect his thoughts. "The vengeful apparition, the one from the SF trials."

Your gaze locked onto Finn. "Not need to point out the obvious."

Well, this was a surprise. You kept the vengeful apparition with you after all. Cecil had no idea how you managed to do so, but he wasn't surprised that you pulled something like that off. It was you, after all.

Your eyes locked onto Cecil's. Eyes really were the windows to the soul. Cecil felt like he was looking at an entirely new person despite the face being no different from yours. You scanned him, seemingly confirming something. With a nod of your head, you redirected your focus back to Finn.

"(Y/n)'s not physically injured," Finn said. "Is it safe to assume that she let you possess her of her own violation? If not, I may have to exorcise you."

You let out a sharp laugh. "You're concerned over her well-being? Considering what's happening right now, you're the biggest threat."

"Hey now, don't be so quick to jump to that conclusion."

"Then what did I just interrupt?"

"I do look bad right now, don't I?" A thoughtful look reflected in Finn's eyes. "A powerful apparition... Seems like I'm at a disadvantage."

With a wave of your hand, you said, "Oh. I'm not here to beat you."

Cecil found himself chuckling at the apparition's confidence.

"But..." There was a short pause. "You should at least try and hear her out."

Finn nodded. "Of course."

"No," you snapped. "Not listen with the intent to find a reason to reject her words or find fault in them. Listen with the intent to understand and emphasise with her perspective."



===



Alright, Cecil had sent you his location. That was a good thing. The bad thing was that Amias' teleport points weren't as close to where he was.

"We're here," Amias said. "What now?"

"Can you rejoin the others? I think Lyle and Jade are around here."

As much as you'd like to bring Amias with you, it was hard to include him in your current plans. Around this time, the game showed some interaction between Lyle and Jade. The two were very similar yet also very different. They worked out a lot, had monstrous strength and stamina, were health-driven, etc. However, a lot of arguments took place because of their opposing ideologies. It wasn't an earth-shatteringly dangerous situation, but maybe Amias could help smooth things over as a mediator.

Amias frowned. "You're going off on your own?"

"I have my apparition companions, don't I?"

"But..." Amias shook his head. "Sorry, you have a plan, don't you? Still, I can't help but worry."

You then realised that you were still holding onto Amias's hand. You gave it a gentle squeeze, and his expression softened.

"I'll call you as soon as things go south."

"I... Okay." Amias smiled. "Good luck."

You made a run for it. Whenever the thought of slowing down crossed your mind, you were reminded that any wasted second could result in Cecil's death. Should you call Cecil to check how he's doing? Would that interrupt something? Put him in more danger?

Alastor, you there?

Unfortunately.

Surprisingly, Alastor's sarcasm helped mitigate some of your stress.

I'm gonna need you to possess me.

You ran through a quick outline of what you'd like Alastor to do once he gained possession of your body. It was fine if you were caught with the possession; you planned to reveal it during this arc anyway.

It's reckless, but––

We're in a rush.

Yeah.

There was no telling what was happening with Cecil as of right now. You stopped running and positioned yourself within a camera's blind spot. Being an avid fan of the game came in handy with the layout of the building. You took a deep breath, steadied yourself, and relinquished your control to Alastor.

Everything was muffled as if you were underwater. Unlike Alastor, you weren't adept at this 'take a backseat in the mind' sort of thing. Thus, it was hard to make out your surroundings or keep a clear consciousness to see what Alastor was doing, but you managed to obtain a general understanding of what was happening.

When your consciousness came back, you were met face-to-face with Cecil. It took a moment to accustom yourself to all your senses returning. Once you did, you practically sprinted to him.

"Cecil, you're okay!"

"I promised, didn't I?" Cecil said with a wink. "Welcome back."

You smiled and shook your head. "You can still joke around, huh?"

Well, to be fair. It wasn't like Cecil was aware of the anxiety you felt knowing he was supposed to die during this arc.

When you turned around, your eyes widened when you saw Finn.

"Hey, Finn..."

The game never revealed who killed Cecil, but as any good fandom does, people speculate and formulate theories. Everyone had varying opinions, but the one with the most consensus was that it had to be a character we had already encountered up to this point.

Each character had one or two theories attached to them as the traitor. Some were coping and said Caleb had returned from the dead (honestly, a whole mood). Whenever someone would accuse Kein, you would become a keyboard warrior to defend your favourite blond himbo.

Finn was the most popular suspect, and you were on board with that. He could utilise fire; it helped get past all the ice Shen used swiftly and reach Cecil. That was the practical aspect. There were also some suspicious comments he made throughout the game.

"Of course. If you're not here, the speciality force won't be the same." Finn leaned against the railing and stretched his arms out. "And we can't have that. A family sticks together, right?"

Whilst that sentence was directed to you personally, Finn said something similar to Amias in the original game. It was something along the lines of:

"A family should stay together; they should do whatever it takes to protect each other." Finn savoured another breath of his cigarette. "And sometimes, that means making some compromises."

You did try to keep Finn by your side during this arc, but that failed when Shen separated the two of you before you could fight alongside Finn. You wished you could have done more, but nothing came to mind. A theory was a theory, and you can't just outright confront Finn. What would you even say? 'Hey, I know you work for the chairman and whilst you haven't done anything bad yet, I think you're very uncool for that'? Plus, your mind was too smooth to devise an ultra-master plan to expose him on your own accord.

Either way, this suspicion had been going on for months now. And you couldn't believe it was right. A part of you wanted to get unisekaied right now to tell all your internet friends, 'YOU GUYS WOULD NOT BELIEVE THIS. WE WERE RIGHT. GO ON REDDIT RN'.

"Cecil said that you warned him about me. You've had suspicions?"

Finn sounded a little hurt.

"I..."

"You always seem to know so much," he said bitterly, voice soft and vulnerable as it wavered in his following sentence. "It makes me nervous."

"Nervous?"

Finn shook his head. "I trust you're here to try and talk things out?"

You wanted to point out Finn's previous words, but you felt like he wouldn't elaborate.

"Talking is what I do best... Kinda."

"Alright then." The tension softened a little, and you almost relaxed your shoulders. "What do you have for me?"

Finn was more cooperative than you anticipated. But then again, you've never experienced his character in this situation before.

"Finn, were you originally from outside of the city walls?"

The brunet's eyes winded at your inquiry. Yeah, your words came out of left field, but there wasn't time to waste.

"Why do you say that?"

"It was pure speculation. You're defending this system, stopping us from prying deeper. It has to be because you like the security it brings," you said. "Unlike outside these walls where there are no regulations."

Plus, Finn was the only main cast with a vague backstory until the end of the game. It left room for speculation

"I see. With so little to base off on, you sure came to a sharp conclusion," he said. "Well, that means you can understand where I am coming from, right? We already know apparitions are becoming more dangerous. This city will fall apart if we don't do something about it."

...

You wondered if Finn would say the same thing if he knew that, in a different timeline, Caleb's death was utilised to fuel one of the weapons.

Yes. That happened. If you thought that was morbid, listen to the details.

Of course, you can't just throw a body on a weapon and call it a day. Self-preservation and an exorcist's ability were the ingredients needed to create the power needed for the weapon. Meaning a meticulous process was required to bring Caleb back as an apparition through force. It was similar to when James was injected with a certain substance. Once that happened, Caleb's abilities would be extracted, and he would be exorcised soon after.

Amias found out about this towards the end of the game through a videotape documenting the process. The game showed a cut scene of it all. It was heartbreaking to see.

"Your expression is grim, (Y/n)."

Finn's voice snapped you out of your thoughts.

"I know you care deeply for this group, and I appreciate that. Answer me honestly: do you have a clear solution to how we can resolve this city's conflict with apparitions?"

For a moment there, you were confident in your response. However, the more you thought about it, the more you realised how flimsy your answer would be.

Preventing character deaths, surviving to prevent said deaths, working towards building a system more accepting of apparitions, figuring out what led to Amias massacring everyone towards the end, and investigating the whole thing with the system that brought you here––you had so much on your plate already—so, solving the entire conflict with apparitions? You hadn't even begun to make a plan for that.

"If I recall correctly, the book reads that there used to be a world where apparitions didn't exist. However, one day a human changed that." The silver apparition summoned a snowflake, and it hovered just above his fingertips. "On the brink of death, their desire to make a wish was so strong that the universe had to grant it; they wished for a second chance at life. Since then, a new law has been applied to this world."

The story concerning the man and the wish was the closest clue you got, but you couldn't tell Finn about that right now.

"I'm working towards one, I already have a lead."

Finn looked a little disappointed. "So, no clear answer."

Okay, it was unrealistic for his opinion to do a complete 180, but there had to be some way to influence him, even just a little.

Let's see... Finn cared about his friends—especially Elias, Sara, and Caleb since they had been friends since school. Maybe you can try and appeal to his emotions a little more.

"You've seen James. He's come back as an apparition."

"I... I have."

"He's different, isn't he? James attacked Caleb. That's what the system you're trying to protect did to him," you said. "They tampered with his self-preservation."

That managed to get through to Finn a little. A guilty look was reflected in his averted gaze.

You continued. "Sure, this sense of order will protect this city, but where would we draw the line? How many more moral boundaries will be pushed? Why not challenge it now before it gets out of hand?"

You were going through things one at a time. The ending wasn't clear to you, and Finn knew that. It wasn't what he wanted.

"I would like to believe you, I really do. It'll be a miracle if we can solve everything like a fairytale," Finn said. "I can't. I can't find myself to trust your words. I'm sorry."

Finn looked genuinely apologetic. There had to be something more impacting his views, but what was it? What was Finn's past like? What environment was he in that shaped his ideals to what he believed now?

Cecil finally decided to step into the conversation.

"I wonder how we will explain this to the others. As much as I like drama, I rather not have it between those I care about."

"That's why this needs to be settled now," Finn replied.

You had no idea what changes would be made to the future now that you knew Finn's position. Was he directly working for the chairman? How much access does he have to the technology design division's labs? There was also the fact that he killed Cecil in another timeline... But there had to be more to it than a heartless slaughter. Finn was genuine when he said he cared for his friends, so why would he take the life of one?

This was an area where your knowledge fell short and your theorist mind took precedence.

"You know, regardless of what happens, the others will eventually find out," Cecil said. "I know I'm not about to keep my mouth shut."

Finn's eyebrows furrowed as he whispered, "Let's stop talking now."

You and Cecil glanced at each other and nodded. However, before you could act, a purple mist seeped through the door's cracks and the massive hole in the wall Alastor created. Immediately, you held your breath. Though, it was hard to hold back a small smile.

Finally, Kein had made his entrance.

A/n: Finn friendly firing (literally because his ability is fire har har)

Anyways! Finally, more drama is unfolding. Wonder how Shen's doing tho. Hopefully well :))

Alt scenario

Cecil: I can take him

Y/n: Finn? In what way?

Cecil: Both