"Try to keep up, yeah?"

Amias returned the vengeful apparition's words with a nod. "Of course."

Amias looked over to you—or rather, the silver apparition. The mirthful warmth Amias adored was absent from your eyes, replaced by a cold stare and a composed demeanour that stood unwavering even in the face of the most perilous situations. Despite it being you physically, the difference in personality made your presence foreign.

The vengeful apparition took the initiative, conjuring a storm with a mere flick of his wrist. The storm enveloped the three, creating a makeshift cage. Witnessing such mastery over the environment made Amias glad that the vengeful apparition was an ally.

"What about Jade and Lyle?" Amias asked. "You've blocked them out."

"Oh, whoops." The vengeful apparition shrugged. Strangely enough, his nonchalance eased the tense atmosphere. "There's probably a ton of other apparitions that came because of Sh—the silver apparition. They can handle that. Anyways, usually I like to be the one in the front, but you're the exorcist here. Do your thing, I'll support."

Amias teleported in front of the silver apparition. Being mindful to not hurt your body, Amias made a move to perform a swift exorcism. The silver apparition deftly dodged and snapped your fingers, unleashing a surge of snow and wind to rush towards Amias.

He's keeping his distance...

"He sucks at hand-to-hand combat," the vengeful apparition said. "Since he's in (Y/n)'s body, his skills might've improved. But it's still a weakness."

Amias thanked him for the information. Though, it was information that would be more useful if it wasn't your body he was fighting. Amias wanted to minimise as many injuries as possible. However, if he wanted to get you back, he couldn't play it too safe.

Amias's ability to teleport was useful to close distances. In response, the silver apparition had quick reflexes and always managed to push him away with his abilities each time. The vengeful apparition seemed to have picked up on this and quickly accommodated, synchronising his movements with Amias's. Amias noticed that the vengeful apparition was familiar with his attack patterns. Was it due to his observant nature? Was it because the apparition worked with you? A combination of both?

"Shit..." The vengeful apparition mumbled. "I have to stop here. As much as I want to get her back myself, I need to take care of the kids."

Before Amias could ask any questions, the storm dissipated abruptly. Now with an unobstructed view of the field, Amias snuck a quick glance over his shoulder to check up on his allies. To his surprise, there was a shadow enclosure in the distance, blocking everyone from his sight. Assuming the fight was taking place inside, it was likely that Lyle and Jade got wrapped up in it as well. As much as Amias wanted to know what was going on, he needed to focus on the silver apparition.

"According to her memories..." Your voice caught Amias's attention. You were looking in the same direction as him, examining the shadow-enclosure. "That must be Copper. So that child has the ability to manipulate shadows, does he? I'd assume the more people present, the stronger his abilities become... Well, enough about that."

Your eyes illuminated with a captivating silver hue, reminiscent of moonlight. Slowly, you exhaled and a trail of mist escaped your lips. With an elegant wave of your hand, a wall of ice and snow shot up from the ground, creating a cold enclosure.

"I think this has become my signature move. I'll look into making it more visually appealing, I'm sure (Y/n) will appreciate that." The silver apparition brushed some hair out of your eyes and your gaze met his. "I have a few questions for you."

Amias could easily teleport outside, so he doubted this wall's purpose was to trap him. "Questions?"

Amias simply wanted to get you back, he didn't want to humour the apparition. However, Amias thought about what you would do in this situation. You'd likely hear the apparition out, try to gain some additional information.

There was silence. While waiting for the silver apparition to speak, Amias quickly assessed his surroundings. The space was simple, yet the colours and the way light would reflect off the ice and snow made it seem almost ethereal.

"Do you love her?"

Amias snapped his attention back to the apparition.

"Love?" Confused, Amias said, "I don't understand."

"I suppose there are many ways to interpret love. You're rightfully confused. Then, let me rephrase. Would you pursue a romantic relationship with her?"

Not once did such a thought cross Amias's mind. He wanted to always be by your side, support you—he was happy to have your attention on him. A lot of his thoughts and actions revolved around you and it made him happy.

Although...

With each hand planted beside Amias, you remained on top of him. On the bed. Amias's faint breaths were loud against the silence, gold eyes fixated on you as he had a gentle hold on your wrists that had him pinned down.

Amias didn't want to let go.

You leaned in a little closer. Amias's breath hitched and his heart rate picked up.

Your question was just above a whisper. "... Is it okay if I keep going?"

Amias was glad for the cold space; remembering that night would've surely made his face grow warm. Scenes like that... Don't they occur in romance novels? Amias shook his head, hoping to get rid of the thought. It was only a one time thing, he shouldn't dwell too much into it.

It confused him. He knew of love from books and Sara's ramblings about her latest reads, yet the silver apparition's question left him speechless. Amias cared for you immensely, he'd do anything for your sake—was he allowed to have something as valuable as your romantic attraction?

"I... I don't know."

"Hm." It was hard to read the silver apparition. "I, for one, know my feelings. I love her. I care for her, I adore her, I would do anything to remain in this world with her by my side."

The silver apparition was clear with his word, tone enveloped in sincerity. Amias found himself relating to the apparition's last sentence; however, hearing a similar sentiment from someone else... It left a disquieting sensation in his heart—not overpowering, but uncomfortable and likely would bother him more if he kept thinking about it.

"In a perfect world, (Y/n) will only look at me. Belong to only me."

Amias narrowed his eyes. (Y/n) doesn't belong to anyone.

However, Amias didn't mind belonging to you.

Yes, he knew you would be upset if he ever said that. Yet, he could not deny the truth. Whatever you asked of him, he'd gladly execute. Your success and happiness was his priority. It was the least he could do in return for the comfort, security and kindness you've shown him. Even the mere thought of being yours was enough to lift Amias's spirits.

His eyes widened. Do... Do I love her?

"It's frustrating." There was a bitter expression on your face. If it wasn't the silver apparition making such an expression, Amias' heart would've ached at the display of vulnerability. "To know that she cares about you more than me."

His eyes lit up, but his expression did display a hint of confusion.

"That oblivious look on your face does irritate me." The apparition then mumbled, "There's that static again... why does she care for you so much? Why am I unable to access––Ah, I shouldn't dwell on it any further."

With a sharp snap of your fingers, the walls of ice shattered and vanished. Rushes of wind grazed Amias' skin and he found breathing to be a little more freeing after being out of the confines of the ice enclosure.

"Let's continue. No more discussion," the apparition said. "Much more simple, isn't it—?"

The silver apparition stopped talking, focus off Amias as he concentrated on the ground as if in deep contemplation. For a moment, Amias saw a flicker of you.

"Oh... " The apparition sighed. "Well, who am I to deny her?"

A dense gust of snow blinded Amias for a split second, but despite his vision being obscured, he still reacted quickly and teleported to close the distance between him and the silver apparition. However, when Amias was met with your eyes, your gaze was different this time. His guard dropped and he was hopeful.

Amias' voice came out hesitant when he called out,

"(Y/n)?"



===



You'll never understand how Alastor does this. Maybe it was because you were a human and not an apparition, but taking a backseat in your consciousness was tough work. If you had to describe it, it was like trying to swim up to the surface amongst powerful waves in the middle of an intense storm. Whenever you finally manage to get some air, it only took a few seconds for you to be submerged back into the water.

You didn't know how long had passed, but you finally managed to push through the mental fog. Slowly, your vision began clearing up. Was that... Amias? Conversations were muffled and your vision was a little blurry, like a camera constant trying to refocus. Trying to get a clear image of the scene took up too much energy. Instead, you focused on trying to communicate with Shen.

Shen?

Just sending one message was tough. You needed to be quick and clear in what you wanted to tell Shen.

I need my body back.

As tempting as it was to relax and just let Shen handle everything, there were still things you needed to do. One of those things involved a character you had yet to meet face to face yet. There was a short moment of silence after you tried communicating with Shen. You wondered if your message even reached him at all. Right as you were about to make a second attempt, you got a response back.

Of course.

Like ink gradually soaking a piece of paper, your physical senses began returning, dispelling the sensation of aimlessly drifting around your subconsciousness. The last of Shen's words was a delicate and fleeting whisper, like a snowflake in sunlight.

Thank you. I'll see you soon.

The first thing you felt was energised, refreshed. The pain in your stomach was gone and your bones didn't feel broken. There were still parts of your body that ached, no doubt they would form a bruise over time. However, you did notice that some bruised areas were noticeably cold. Huh. Did Shen do that? Of course, it could've been for his own benefit since he was inhabiting your body, but the idea of him trying to ease your wounds was nice.

"That's enough possessions for the day," you mumbled.

"(Y/n)?"

That was Amias' voice. He was only a few metres away from you. When your gaze met his, his eyes lit up in joy.

"It is you!"

"Amias—"

Your sentence was promptly cut off when Amias rushed to hug you, almost causing you to fall backwards due to the force. His arms wrapped around you tightly, afraid of letting you go. The gesture caught you off guard, but you eventually melted into his embrace.

And was it just you or did Amias feel a lot bigger? Broader? Well, you suppose his suit did accentuate his muscles more compared to his oversized AEI uniform, but feeling it was another story. His early morning gym sessions with Lyle were really paying off.

Amias whispered, "I'm so glad you're okay."

You could NOT tell him you were just thinking about his muscles.

Suddenly, Amias pulled away from you. "The silver apparition! Do you know where he went?"

"Ah, about that." You almost felt guilty saying your next words. "Do you think... We can look the other way for today? He healed me! And ah..."

Amias didn't seem entirely pleased, but he eventually nodded his head. "Of course, you know I'll do anything you say."

"Anything, huh?" You teased, trying to lighten the mood. "Careful with your words there."

Amias tilted his head with a smile. "Hm?"

He's too innocent. I can't finish that sentence.

"Don't worry about it—"

Brief flashes of gold appeared in your vision before three small figures tackled you into a hug. This time, you actually fell over. Amias teleported out of the way in the nick of time. After getting over the initial surprise, his gaze softened and an amused chuckle slipped past his lips. It took you a moment, but you recognised the culprits to be your apparition companions.

"Alex, Sam, Copper—even Copper is hugging me?" You cleared your throat. "What happened? Why are you guys out of the book?"

The kids squeezed you tighter in response and they didn't say anything. Sam had practically buried herself in your chest, Alec was holding onto your side like there was no tomorrow, and Copper had a solid grip on your arm. You weren't going to lie, you were loving the attention, but you also felt incredibly bad that you made them worry this much.

"Welcome back, you missed out on a lot."

You glanced over and saw Alastor. Mochi was beside him, panting happily and tail wagging energetically upon seeing you. He gave your cheek an affectionate lick, to which you laughed at.

"Ah!" Sam practically launched herself off your body. "You're hurt!"

Alec got off you. "Oh no... Did we make it worse?"

"But she's not bleeding anymore," Copper said, letting go of your arm.

You were already missing their hugs. "Don't worry, I'm healed. Shen healed me."

The twins looked at each other and asked in unison," "The one with the fancy lab coat?"

"The silver guy?" Copper asked.

"Yeah, that's him."

Alec smiled. "I knew he was a good person!"

"Good person my ass," Alastor mumbled, loud enough for you to hear but not for the children to. "He was planning on taking you away."

Huh. That was news to you. You'll ask Alastor more about it later when the kids weren't present.

Alec carefully asked, "That means we can keep hugging you, right?"

"Yes—"

The twins tackled you into a hug yet again. You noticed that Copper didn't join in this time.

"Wanna join?" You asked.

Copper huffed. "No."

You smiled and ruffled his hair, to which he mumbled something under his breath. The child lowered his head, but you saw the small smile on his face. Aw.

Alastor asked, "What even happened?"

Oh. With the apparitions and the fight with Finn. Honestly, you weren't even sure yourself. This certainly wasn't the optimal environment to reflect on it.

Alastor examined your expression. "Got it, talk about it later?"

You nodded. "Thanks."

"There's no need for that. And uh... Sorry for causing more trouble. Me showing up is gonna put you in a rough spot."

"Well, you knew I wasn't planning on hiding you forever. Actually, this is a pretty good time."

Alastor paused, examining your expression once again. "... You're not just saying that to make me feel better. Another thing up your sleeve?"

"You know me."

You looked around in search of anyone else. Oh. There were a lot of people, regular AEI members included. Sara, Jade, Elias, Lyle and... Finn. Hm. For now you'll be averting eye contact. That wasn't all. The media finally made an appearance. They were outside the gates of the building, close enough to get clear shots with their expensive gear. Fun fact, most reporters have pretty decent exorcism abilities. After all, people gravitated towards news on apparitions, so you'd need to be able to handle them to get the best information and camera shots.

"Well, ah. This is a little confusing." Sara said, approaching you. With a friendly smile, she continued, "But! At least we're not fighting anymore. Misunderstandings happen."

Misunderstandings, huh?

"But why were they after Finn?" Jade asked.

Ooft. This question. Not right now. The kids hugged you tighter and glared at Finn. At this point, everyone's gonna put two and two together. There was going to be a storm of conflicts soon, so you'd have to postpone this one. Your gaze instinctively landed on Finn. He smiled at you, a smile that teetered between one of guilt and one of relief.

"What's this? A reunion without me?"

You mentally pumped your fists in the air. Conveniently timed interruptions!

Cecil was back! Along with Caleb as well. You weren't surprised Kein wasn't around, you hoped things went smoothly and according to plan. If so, then her appearance would be quite the spectacle.

"Miss Support! You're back!" Caleb beamed brightly. "And who's this kid?"

Alastor pointed to himself. "Me?"

"Who else?"

"Eighteen is not a kid."

"Ah, a baby."

Alastor mumbled something under his breath, but dropped the topic knowing any further conversation would lead to more teasing.

"I'm Alastor," he said. "A vengeful apparition working with (Y/n) from the SF trials."

You quickly added, "I promise I'll explain everything later."

Everyone seemed to be taking the information well, some more contemplative than others.

"Anyways!" Caleb exclaimed. "How's everyone holding up? Where's the snow guy?"

"He managed to escape," Amias answered. "Though, I'm thankful we got (Y/n) back."

"Woah, woah. What happened there? Got Miss Support back? Was she taken?"

"He possessed me––well, I let him possess me."

"Ahh, another fun narrative you'll need to tell me later."

"Will you bring cookies?"

Caleb winked. "I'll make them fresh out of the oven just for my favourite person."

"Flirting in front of me of all people?" Cecil tilted his head, amused. "I'm offended."

Elias spoke up, "Cecil, where were you? We lost contact."

"I was taking care of a few things and ran into Caleb."

"He helped patch me up."

"It was a very intimate time."

Cue every Cecil x Caleb fanart you've ever seen to resurface in your mind. You vigorously shook your head to get rid of those thoughts and Amias shot you a confused look.

With Shen gone, things were calming down and people were less tense. Conversations started, more people began coming outside, and citizens even began to crowd outside the AEI building gates.

"Isn't that... That's a vengeful apparition."

"It was caught live on TV! I'm pretty sure it's the one from the SF trial?"

"Why is it working with (Y/n)?"

"Wasn't (Y/n) possessed by the silver apparition?"

"Are we sure she's okay? I mean––possession from such a powerful apparition?"

"Hey, don't you think it's kind of odd how she looks fine?"

"Excuse me, Miss (L/n)! May we have a word with you?"

Voices of many varieties filled the air––a blend of concerned AEI members, gossiping citizens, AEI members saying whatever's on their mind, and reporters shouting questions and trying to make as much profit from the moment as possible. The atmosphere was quite the headache, especially since you were the main centre of attention.

Eyes were focused on you. Some critical, others fleeting, and many were expecting some form of explanation, searching for a reason to tear your response apart. You were prepared for this, you were always a controversial figure, but it didn't make things any less easier. Instinctively, you hugged the apparition children tighter. Copper noticed that you looked tense and came closer to you.

An AEI member approached you. "Hey, is it true that the silver apparition––"

"If you have time to ask useless questions, go tend to the injured," Elias curtly said, evoking a flinch from the AEI member.

"Some AEI members you idiots are," Lyle snapped.

"It's time to be useful!" Caleb clapped three times. "Quickly before you get fired~"

Sara added, "There are plenty of things to do, no one should have time to stand around and chatter."

You smiled, grateful for your friends covering you. Whilst everyone was clearing out the reporters, cleaning up the space, etc, you allowed yourself to have a short moment to relax. Most of the action had passed. There was still one last thing left, though.

You gently nudged the apparition children and they reluctantly parted ways with you. After standing up, you said,

"Alright, as much as it pains me to say this, it's time to go back in the book."

The twins frowned. "Aw..."

"Sorry, Sorry. I'll be sure to spend more time with you later, okay?"

The apparition children disappeared into the book. Mochi nuzzled your cheek before doing the same, earning an affectionate chuckle from you. Before Alastor left, he said,

"Don't pull that off again. I was... worried."

Surprise etched across your features. "You were—"

Anddd, Alastor was gone.

You stretched your limbs and checked the state of your body in more detail. Amias asked you if you needed any help. His eagerness was cute, but you told him you were fine.

"Miss Support! Here."

Caleb threw something your way. You promptly caught it and found out it was a small piece of candy, your favourite flavour.

You smiled. "Thanks."

"Of course! Sweets make everything better. Who needs actual medical attention?"

You and Caleb exchanged a few more banters before you parted ways. While you helped around, you'd send an occasional glance at the AEI building rooftop. Cecil stood beside you with a knowing look in his eyes.

"I met her, you know. Just as you predicted," he said. "What I wouldn't give to take a peep into that pretty little head of yours sometimes."

"Money, probably."

"Very funny."

You did your routine glance at the rooftop. This time, someone was actually there. A figure was sitting on the edge of the rooftop. Well, floating would be a better term.

Captivating rose gold eyes that matched the colour of her hair looked directly at you with a stern gaze, unwavering. There sat a young woman who wore a form fitting crimson dress, one that hugged all the right curves and complimented her brown skin. There was also a slit on the side of the dress, revealing her long legs and sleek black heels. Her hair was a short and fluffy wolf cut, highlighting her sharp features well and revealing her collar bone.

In other words, she was gorgeous.

Shortly after you saw her, more people began to notice the woman. It didn't take long before all attention was on the mysterious figure—or a better term, mysterious apparition. Roses began sprouting from the ground, delicate petals unfurling from the soil and blossoming into a vibrant shade of red. A sweet scent infused the air, a scent that was almost intoxicating. Next, petals showered from above in a theatrical fashion. The scene was reminiscent of flowers being thrown at the end of a performance.

The woman descended from above and plucked a rose from the ground. She approached your way––wait. She was approaching your way???

Hot woman. Don't freak out.

Next, she extended the rose to you, brushing the rose ever so slightly under your chin as she lifted it up.

"(Y/n), am I right?"

I'm freaking out.

"... Yes."

She nodded, satisfied. "Good."

The woman then left the rose in your hands before turning her attention elsewhere. With a decisive snap of her fingers, a stage made out of rose petals bloomed under her feet, elevating her. It reflected everything the individual was: elegant, bold, and graceful.

"My lovelies." Dark red lips curved into a graceful and confident smile, she asked, "Did everyone miss me?"

A former member of the speciality force and actress. Someone who had passed away years ago. Rose, that was her name. Fitting, wasn't it? Someone coming back from the dead––the term apparition no doubt crossed everyone's mind. Yet, despite that, people were reluctant to express any negativity. Murmurs and chatters soon surfaced and you listened in.

"Did... Did she come back as a vengeful apportion?"

"But why...?"

"Wait... How did she die in the first place?"

Rose's appearance in the game introduced a new plot point regarding Kein, to which you've already established thanks to your prior knowledge on the game. Kein's existence wasn't remembered upon his death, Rose's death was not remembered. Of course, there was a connection.

In the distance, you saw Elias talking to Sara. Ah, that's right. Sara and Rose were close. You couldn't even imagine what kind of emotions she was experiencing at the moment. Turning your attention to Finn next, you noticed that his expression was composed, yet his fists were clenched. He must've felt your gaze. The moment Finn glanced your way, you instinctively averted your eyes.

"Hey." Rose's head tipped to the side. "Eyes on me. Stop the useless chatter."

Yes ma'am.

Her voice resonated with clarity, it didn't sound forceful like a yell for attention. Hell, Rose could whisper and people would listen carefully with bated breaths.

Unlike James and Shen, Rose was simply a vengeful apparition. No experiments were done on her. She didn't take on a form like Alastor thanks to the nature of her character. Rose played many roles as an actress, she was good at keeping her emotions in check.

At this point in the original game, this was when the SF began to think more about the hidden aspects of the AEI, questioning more about it. It was a hard transition and they were thrown off, but your efforts over the past few months should mitigate that.

Rose snapped her fingers and a projector flashed behind her.

Cecil hummed, proud. "Looks like it went smoothly. Thanks to me, of course."

"What kind of information did you come across?"

"So much. You'll see." Cecil smiled. "Having Kein around was really helpful."

"So you remember him now, huh?"

"Despite his condition? Yes."

Blueprints and notes flashed on the screen. Not just the physical ones, but ones you needed access to hack through walls of security to obtain. Damn. Cecil really was talented with technology, wasn't he?

In the original storyline, Rose only had her words and her reputation as a well loved actress when she spoke to the crowd. Hence, it wasn't super effective, but it did help stir a little bit of doubt in the crowd. This time? It should be massively different since she had evidence. Plus, your own influence should also contribute. People have seen apparitions in a good light, namely your apparition children, so doubts on Rose being malicious would also lessen.

Overall, things should go smoother. Changes in attitude should be more prevalent. However, one looming thought remained stubborn in your head.

What was your end game? What did you hope to achieve at the end of this narrative?

"..."

Think about it later. Focus on the moment.

Kein was nowhere to be found. You frowned. Well, granted it made sense because he was probably working the projector from behind the scene, but still. Seeing his face would've given you some motivation. Wait, speaking of missing people. This individual had completely slipped your mind due to how hectic everything was.

James. Where was James? Did he leave? Was it too emotionally conflicting to see the SF again? Those conclusions made sense, yet... There was a bad feeling. You didn't like this. You didn't like being this unsure.

Think... You've changed the plot a lot at this point, what could come back to bite you?

A realisation hit you. Eve. Eve's involvement in this arc was major. It might have to do something with them.

You mumbled, "I still have their phone number, right?"

It was worth a shot. You dialled the number on your device that was, thankfully, not broken from all the action. You learnt to install extra protection after the first time it broke. Cecil cast you a curious look, but didn't say anything. You quickly lowered the volume on the device to not interrupt Rose's speech. Currently, she was exposing the chairman about the weapon creation process.

"Oh!" Your eyes lit up upon hearing a response. "This is the first time someone other than the chairman has called me! What do you usually say on phone calls? The weather? How was your day?"

"Hey, Eve." Your bad feeling was making you more impatient than usual, your voice was hushed and hurried. "What are you doing at the moment?"

"Ahh, that's also a good way to start off a phone call." While you were over here panicking, you could totally picture Eve sitting on a seat and casually kicking their feet whilst they talked to you. "I'm not doing much! Just taking care of some apparitions––Oh! I should get back to that."

"Wait!" You didn't mean to sound so desperate. "Uhm, does James happen to be with you?"

"James? I don't recognise that name. Well, I don't recognise many names––Oh!" There was some muffled shuffling in the background. "So that's his name! Green eyes and black hair, right? I think a number would be easier to remember."

In favour of saving time, you ignored commenting on Eve's last sentence.

"What's going on over there?"

"Nothing much! Just got into a little scuffle, it was good exercise, though!"

Your blood ran cold. If James was unable to interrupt the conversation and if Eve sounded completely fine, then it was safe to assume that James was in a precarious position.

"... What are you planning to do after?"

"Capture him and turn him into a weapon, of course! I already have some ideas that I'd like to test out."

You winced, but you had to give credit to Eve for being so straightforward. Something so morbid was mentioned so casually... Just what has Eve done behind the scenes that the game never showed to the player? Yet, It was also odd. You didn't feel any malicious intentions, it was as if Eve saw nothing wrong with their actions.

"What can I do to make you let this go?"

"What? A negotiation? How fun! I've never done that before." Eve hummed. "You're in luck. The chairman isn't that strict about this little task of mine. There can be some leeway, but you'll have to give me something greater in return."

You swallowed. "Such as?"

There was a moment of silence.

"How about this? If I can't experiment on this apparition, then let me conduct one experiment on you."

Oh. A part of you was quick to accept the offer. After all, you had your knowledge on...

On Eve?

What knowledge, (Y/n)?

For scenarios and characters you were up against, you always had some knowledge to rely on. Shen, James––Hell, even the chairman to an extent. However, Eve? They were barely a figure in the original game. This was your first time facing such an unknown variable. You had to admit, you were afraid.

"(Y/n)! Are you still there?"

You cursed under your breath. There wasn't enough time for you to gather your thoughts. Taking a deep breath, your next words felt heavy on your tongue.

"You have a deal."



A/n: Final character finally got a proper introduction! Rose :D