A/n: Quick note, these events take place before the weapon announcement arc! Yk how there are a few time skips in between arcs? Pretend these slice-of-life events occurred during then :D

Daily life snippet #1: Shen catching the reader playing a dating sim

It was just a regular night in the city of Anomalous. Two young ladies were enjoying each other's presence, sipping on drinks outside a late night cafe. The neon sign remained as bright and vibrant as the conversations that stirred in the air, casting subtle hues of electric blue and yellow.

"I'm TELLING you, the male lead in this dating sim is gorgeous!" The woman settled down her drink with enough determination to believe she was investing in stocks that would make or break her bank. "Gorgeous silver eyes and hair, long lashes, a cold and alluring demeanour––gosh! And the best part? I swear I saw a cosplayer as well! When I tried to catch up to him, he turned a corner and disappeared! I'm kicking myself, I wish I got a photo!"

The friend that was the victim to the woman's ramblings gave her a tired look. "Are you... drunk?"

"I'm drinking orange juice."

As the two continued to chatter, a certain silver apparition was observing from the top of a building, concealing his presence. Well, this was quite the situation. Yes, the 'cosplayer' the woman saw was Shen. The apparition was simply wandering around, trying to gather a better understanding of the city's nightlife. After all, he was formerly a human from a generation an entire century prior to this one. The modern world interested him.

That was when he was spotted. Shen wasn't being careless per say; however, he was more distracted than usual after passing a bookstore and being reminded of you. The apparition managed to swiftly slip away. However, upon catching a brief glimpse of the woman's expression being one of recognition instead of fear had piqued his curiosity. Hence, Shen stayed around for a bit.

"Hm... So that's what it's about."

A dating sim game? Shen was not familiar with what that was.

"Would (Y/n) know anything about it?"



===



This was it.

Tomorrow? Day off. Current time? Late at night to where no one besides Caleb would disturb you. Caleb himself? Today was a rare RARE occasion where he was in bed early (he exhausted himself doing god knows what with Cecil today).In essence, this was the perfect time to be alone and indulge in your hobbies!

"This is why I live and breathe," you hummed happily to yourself.

A new dating sim came out. Playing video games within a world that was once a video game to you––what a concept. Anyways. The graphics looked amazing, the love interests were gorgeous, and the trailer had a banger of an ost. What more did you want? Hey, just because you transmigrated into a different world it didn't mean you've lost any degeneracy. Sure, you were surrounded by hot people, but you needed romance without the commitment.

You wrapped yourself in a blanket (because god forbid the day Anomalous had warm weather will be the day you grow a second pair of arms) and made yourself comfortable on your bed. Best part about being an adult? No one was here to scold you if you ate on your bed (maybe Finn, but you were 99.99% sure he was asleep right now). Hence, on the nightstand laid your favourite snacks.

Excited, you switched on your TV and booted up the game on the large screen. Ahh, a perk about being an SF member is being able to afford the best technology. Sure your chances of getting injured were higher and your responsibilities tripled, but you got to see hot people on big screens in HD.

You'd say it evened things out.

"Alright, alright..." You smiled. "This is perfect."

The game started with an amazing opening sequence to lay out the story's setting. A world without apparitions––which was the norm for you in the past––was novel to people here. It was fun to see how citizens in Anomalous would depict such a world.

Next, the love interests were introduced. You happily fawned over them. You were excited to learn more about them and subconsciously analyse their personalities, how they interacted with the plot, and how their motives and values tied to their past. Oh, and to bang them as well.

"That mage character looks like Shen."

Granted, the young man's bangs were parted differently and his hair didn't have that subtle waviness to it. However, everything else was pretty similar; a cold and indifferent demeanour, pretty eyelashes, ghostly white skin with silver eyes and hair.

"Anyways." You grinned. "Gonna go with the red haired himbo first."

After four hours (with short breaks, of course), you still have yet to obtain an ending. According to a spoiler-free forum, you were in the middle of achieving one of the neutral endings. Not bad for your first go.

"There are four endings for each love interest as well as an overall true ending once you complete everything," you mumbled. "I am not coming out of my room unless it's for operations, huh?" You laughed. "God, I feel the brain rot incoming."

Who should be your victim? Amias always happily listened to your ramblings and now you felt bad. You've already ranted to Caleb about that new book, and you've already tormented Jade with your recent rambles on that one indie game.

You chuckled. "Imagine if I talked to Shen."

"Talk to me about what?"

Huh.

Slowly, you turned your head around. Subsequently, you were met face to face with a beautiful man that was currently NOT behind a screen.

"Shen???" You almost fell off your bed. "How did you get in––wait, I know how. But why?? Did anyone notice you??"

"Rest assured that no one saw me. What are you up to..." Shen glanced at your TV screen. "I see."

Ah. Well. This wasn't an opportune time for Shen to visit you.

"Uh––I have an explanation––"

"I've heard about that game," he said. "I came to visit you to talk about it."

You were sure your eyes went wide. "You want to talk about it with me?"

"Yes. Is that alright? Did I come at a bad time?"

"No, no." You smiled. Target acquired: Shen will be the victim of your brain rot. "You came at a perfect time."

"For some reason, your smile is strangely off putting. However, I am glad I didn't interrupt anything."

You eagerly gestured to Shen to come sit/hover beside you. The silver apparition, again, voiced his mild concern for your eagerness. Nonetheless, he seemed happy you were so welcoming of his presence.

Little fun fact, Shen sometimes stopped by your room every now and then. The first time actually gave you a full panic attack. Visits were usually fleeting with a few sentences exchanged. Each visit was, however, always unexpected to catch you off guard. A part of you believed Shen did it on purpose to mess with you.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but is this a dating simulator?"

You never thought you'd see the day where you'd hear those words escape Shen's lips.

"Yeah! Do you know how it works?"

Shen shook his head. And thus, cue your ten minute crash course session on the basics of dating sims. Shockingly, Shen was playing very close attention.

"I see, so there are routes in which you can choose which love interest to pursue," Shen said. "Which character did you choose first?"

"The himbo—I mean, the knight."

"You didn't do the mage's route first?" Shen frowned. Huh. Why did Shen look disappointed? Pouty almost? "May I have a go?"

Ain't no way.

"You want to play a dating sim?"

"You like these kinds of games, right? I'd like to experience it for myself. There's also the fact that I've never seen you so enthusiastic over something before."

"Well, being taken seriously when I'm talking about something I'm passionate about makes me feel appreciated. So, thanks for showing interest."

Shen offered you a soft smile. "There's no need to thank me. Now, can you explain the premise of the game?"

"Usually, dating sims are visual novels, but this one is an RPG," you said. "In the game, you play as a well known travelling mage who specialises in herbs and medicine. The prince––one of the love interests––tasked you to find the remedy to a slow acting poison he's suffering from."

"He was poisoned?"

"You learn more about how and why when you play his route. The interesting thing is that, since there is a time limit, you need to use your time effectively to find the remedy. You gotta balance maintaining relationships and doing your due dilligence."

Shen nodded. "I'll be aiming for the mage."

The idea of Shen romancing a character that looks like him was a funny thought.

"And I'll be sure to secure a good ending."

"Oh? This game is known to be hard to achieve a good ending on the first try since it has so many elements you need to consider, not just dialogue choices." You hummed happily. "Which is what makes it so fun."

"Are you underestimating me?"

You giggled. "Course not. Let me load a new save file for you."

One hour passed and Shen somehow managed to achieve the shortest and worst ending.

"How in the world did you get the knight of all characters to kill you??"

There were four endings, yes. However, there were several shorter 'bad' endings scattered throughout if the player messed up. You didn't even know it was possible to die so early on. Impressive.

Shen furrowed his eyebrows. "Let me try that again."

Another hour passed.

"You got killed by the mage. Granted, the mage did it on accident, but still," you said. "Well, at least you managed to interact with the actual love interest this time."

Shen sighed. "This is complicated. Do you have a notebook?"

"Are you gonna take down notes?"

"... Yes."

Another hour passed. Good news, Shen didn't get a bad ending. Yet.

"I don't understand. The mage made it clear that he cares little for our wellbeing and that we should focus on our own task while he focuses on his." You've never seen Shen rant so passionately before. "So why did he scold us when we left his tower in the middle of the night without saying a word?"

Imagine Shen as a therapist...

"Well, if you remember the scene at the tavern, the mage hinted that he gets anxious when things aren't under his control," you explained. "Especially when it comes to things he cared about."

"He cares for us?"

"Sure he says he hates us, but he was the one who always made sure we ate three meals a day."

A soft huff left Shen's lips. "How complicated and fickle."

Seeing him frustrated because of a dating sim was hilarious.

After a mere twenty minutes passed, things were getting complicated again.

Shen hummed, contemplative. "It's very difficult to discern whether the mage meant 'get home safe' as a threat or as a genuine expression of concern..." He turned to you. "Do you have a bulletin board? This notebook won't be efficient enough."

"..."

You proceeded to tell Shen that he does not require a whole bulletin board for this. After two hours—it was well into 3AM territory now––things were finally looking up for Shen.

Shen sighed. You could envision him wiping sweat off his forehead. "It seems like my calculations were correct."

And by calculations, it was you guiding him and providing hints.

"That was quite stressful," Shen said. "This is supposed to be played for leisure?"

"I think you just suck."

Shen frowned. "Your words are harsh."

You laughed. "Isn't it interesting seeing how different outcomes play out according to your choices? Of course, the characters being hot and being able to win them over is a VERY nice bonus."

Shen was quiet for a moment. "It's not complicated to win my affections, unlike the characters in this game."

"Oh? How do I win your affection?"

Shen observed your face for a short moment. "Smile for me."

Confused, you did as he asked. At the sight, Shen chuckled, the sound was soft and warm. His eyes crinkling a little in amusement, he whispered,

"There we go."



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Daily life snippet #2: Lyle + Cat ears

"You guys have NO fear."

Here you were standing over Caleb and Sara who were happily lying on a bunch of beanbags in the SF living room.

"What?" Caleb grinned, sitting up from the beanbags. "It was all in good fun!"

"I also got to test out my embroidery skills!" Sara added.

What was going on? Apparently, Caleb had an idea and dragged Sara into it (well, you wouldn't exactly say dragged considering she was more than happy to do it). That idea being stealing the SF's AEI jackets and stitching cat ears onto the hoodie.

Lyle was one of said people. Long story short, he didn't notice that his hoodie had cat ears and that was a popular story across the AEI this morning. You weren't gonna tell anyone that you managed to snag a photo.

Well, at least Jade was extremely happy with the design.

"When he comes I'm not helping you guys."

"Aww, how cruel Miss Support––"

There was a knock on the door. A slow yet forceful knock.

... It was definitely Lyle. Sara and Caleb exchanged looks whilst you wished them good luck in your head.



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Daily life snippet #3: Maid Cafe

"I didn't think you were the type to visit arcades."

"I saw you and wanted to say hi."

" I also didn't think you'd agree to come to a maid cafe with me out of all places."

Finn beamed happily. "I think it'll be a unique experience."

At present, you found yourself seated at a two-person table with Finn in a maid cafe, accompanied by a plush rabbit nestled in your lap. It was certainly... a way to spend your day. The air buzzed with choruses of cheerful greetings from the maid and excited conversations from customers. There were photo booths set up, maids playing cards and board games with customers, and there was even a mini karaoke booth.

Why were you here? While you were out patrolling, you caught conversations regarding a special event at the cafe you frequented. Apparently, the workers were dressed as maids. Yes, even the guys. Of course, you had to check it out. On the way, you stopped by an arcade because why not and came across Finn. From that chance encounter, you learnt that Finn was really good at crane games.

"Thanks for the plushie."

"No problem. Where are you heading off to now?"

"A maid cafe, wanna come?"

"Sure!"

"... I didn't expect you'd actually agree."

"Hello~ May I take your order?"

Capturing your attention was a feminine voice that danced with playfulness. The woman had chestnut brown hair tied into a high bun with braids woven around the perimeter of it. A few strands of hair fell and framed her angular face as her red lips curved into a smile. The individual looked unfamiliar, but strangely enough you felt like you knew her.

She's REALLY pretty though.

"Can I get the special drink?" you asked.

"A wonderful choice for a wonderful customer!" The woman then turned to Finn. "What about this gentleman over here?"

"I'd like this latte, please."

"Perfect. Would you two like anything else? If you spend over a certain amount, you can get a special keychain." Amusement twinkled in her blue eyes. The woman leaned in closer to you. "And you could also earn some special treatment from me."

Wait, wait. This was incredibly familiar...

Your voice came out as a hesitant whisper. "Cecil?"

The woman (?) didn't answer your question. Instead, she leaned back and asked, "Well? Any last minute orders?"

You chuckled sheepishly. "No..."

"Alright! Your drinks will be ready shortly."

You and Finn didn't say anything for a solid minute. Finn decided to speak up first.

"That was––"

"Yes."

Cecil was great at impersonating a feminine voice, the makeup also changed his features up pretty well along with the brown hair and blue contacts––however! His personality would always slip through.

"Would you like some water?"

"Yes please––"

You stopped.

"Caleb."

"Ah. How'd ya guess?"

"It's just you in a wig."

You weren't exaggerating. Caleb's wig was similar to his natural black hair, but just longer. His green eyes were still there and he wore no makeup to change his features. He 100% rocked the maid outfit either way, though.

"What are you and Cecil doing?" Finn asked.

"There was an opportunity to make money and we took it." He grinned. "It also sounds fun. Hey, I can get you a spot, you in?"

Finn sheepishly shook his head. "I'll remain as a customer."

Not gonna lie, you were mildly disappointed Finn said no. Caleb and Cecil had slim physiques, so they blended in pretty decently. Finn was buff. Mannn, you wanted to see a muscular maid.

Caleb cheerfully poured you and Finn some water before heading back to work.

"This wasn't what I expected," you said. "But, the more I let it sink in, the less surprised I feel."

Finn laughed. "Seems like we can't avoid SF members no matter what we do."

It didn't take long for Cecil to return with your drinks.

"Would you like to join me in a game of cards? You ordered the special drink." Cecil asked. "If you win against me, you'll earn a prize."

He was already sitting down before you even got a chance to respond. Other customers took notice and some whispered words of envy.

"Ahhh, I wanted to play with that beauty. Who even is she?"

"She knows Caleb, right? Is she an AEI member?"

If only they knew. Well, actually. Even if people knew it was Cecil, you didn't think it'd change much. In fact, he'd be getting even more attraction.

Cecil began shuffling the cards. "Are you ready?"

You glanced over to Finn. He simply smiled at you, holding the cat plushie and raising its arm in an attempt to cheer you on.

"... I'm ready."

"Alright! Dear customer, let me explain the rules."

Once Cecil went over the rules, you two began the game. Finn was happily sipping on his latte as he watched the whole ordeal unfold. Not even ten minutes had passed before Cecil threw his cards onto the table.

"Oh dear." Cecil sighed. "It seems that I've lost."

"Huh? But you didn't even try––"

"Congratulations, dear customer! You've won a free photoshoot with a maid. Oh? You'd like me? Wonderful choice!" Cecil grabbed your hand. "Come, come!"

"Wait, huh. I didn't even get to––"

Cecil dragged you towards the back of the cafe where the photo booth was. There was a cute background along with various props to choose from. Humming, Cecil quickly glanced through the selection before deciding on the bunny ear headband.

He placed it on your head with a smile. "Lovely. Now, what pose would you like? Would you like me to carry you?" Cecil leaned in closer and whispered. "Or perhaps I can sit on your lap?"

You looked over to Finn, silently screaming for help. He simply gave you a sheepish smile while covering the eyes of the plush. That traitor.



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Daily life snippet #4: Caring for the sick

"If I catch you getting out of bed, I'm throwing you right back in."

"Ugh, but––"

"(Y/n)."

"..."

Alastor sighed. You were sick today because your dumbass decided to take on way too many operations when you were already feeling under the weather. You haven't been an SF member for long, so the constant exposure to the cold from being in the forefront when dealing with apparitions took a toll on your body.

"Thanks for worrying..." You coughed. "But after some sleep I should be fine."

"Then..." Alastor made a motion with his hand and swiftly placed the blanket over you. "Get some sleep."

You managed a weak laugh, the sound tinged with exhaustion, before sinking back into your bed and closing your eyes. No one knew you were sick. Yet. Alastor bet that the moment Amias found out, he would NOT leave your side.

Ugh, that sounds annoying. Alastor glanced over your sleeping figure. How can I speed up her recovery...

"The hell did I do when I was sick..." Alastor pondered it for a few minutes. "I guess... Some soup would help?"

There was a small kitchen attached to your room. Alastor checked the fridge. Nice, it was stocked up. Looks like you've moved on from instant noodle meals. With a crisp snap of his fingers, Alastor brought out all the necessary ingredients without lifting a finger.

"I can work with this."

Soup wasn't exactly his speciality, but he knew how to make it without poisoning you or burning down the kitchen. Though, since he can't feel physical things, managing the temperature will be a bit of a hassle.

"Big brother! What are you doing?"

Three kids entered the kitchen. Sam and Alec looked at Alastor, eyes sparkling in curiosity whilst Copper looked uninterested––well, pretended to. Alastor noticed the child couldn't help but sneak glances at the array of ingredients. Mochi was there as well, happily wagging his tail as always.

"Why are you guys out of the book?" Alastor scolded. "Having too many of us out at a time can strain (Y/n)."

Sam tilted her head. "Strain?"

"It can make her..." What's another way to word it... "Feel more tired. Which is bad since––well, she's sick."

"Oh..." Sam frowned. "But we wanted to find a way to make big sister feel better."

Alec walked closer to the table. Due to his small frame and short height, Alastor could only see his eyes peeking from below. "Are you making something?"

"Yes, I'll take care of her." Alastor made a hand gesture to shoo the kids away. "Now be good kids and––"

"No fair! No fair!" Sam cried. "I want to help!"

"Please? It'll only be for a few minutes!" Alec pleaded.

Alastor groaned. This is why I never took on any babysitting jobs.

"Stop being annoying and––"

"Pleaseeeeee," Sam said. "We promise we won't be here for long!"

With a sigh, Alastor quickly went back into your room to check on your state. Your expression seemed peaceful enough. After that, he turned his attention back to the kids.

"You can help me with the vegetables and just the vegetables. Are we clear?"

Mochi barked happily and the twins cheered.

I have a bad feeling about this.

He was right. Alastor was certain that trying to whip up a five star dish with dirt was easier than keeping the kitchen under control with these children. If Alastor let his guard down for even a second, something was going to somehow burn. Thank god they were apparitions, at least he didn't have to worry about anyone getting injured. Mochi being a second pair of eyes, keeping out for trouble––especially trouble coming from Sam––was helpful as well.

"Look!" Sam pointed at the cutting board. "I tried making the carrots star shaped."

Alastor had to squint to discern what the hell was that shape. It did not resemble stars in the slightest. Well, whatever. It wasn't like the taste would be any different.

"It's cool, right? Right?"

"... Sure."

Alastor went to check on Copper. A hum of approval left his lips.

"You diced the onions pretty well."

Copper nodded. "I know."

Brat. But at least he was competent.

"Alright, Alec. How are the potatoes going?"

The boy happily nodded. "I did as you told me!"

Alastor, expecting another Sam situation, was pleasantly surprised at the outcome. He ruffled Alec's hair.

"Good."

Sam gasped. "Can I get a pat as well?"

"Huh."

"Please?"

"I––okay, fine."

Sam squealed in happiness. He didn't understand why, but at least she seemed to be enjoying herself. Alastor then glanced over to Copper.

Copper looked to Alastor's hands. "Don't."

"Wasn't planning to."

After some time had passed, all the vegetables were cut up. The twins high fived each other and cheered in unison.

"We did it!"

Mochi even joined in, barking happily and wrapping the three kids in his fluffy tail.

"I'll handle the protein and the broth," Alastor said. "Now––"

Sam and Alec suddenly hugged Alastor from both sides.

"What are you––"

"That was really fun!" Sam beamed. "When big sister gets better, we all should cook together!"

Alec added "We can even make dessert as well!"

Weirdly enough, a sudden memory of Alastor's past came to mind. When he was sick, it'd simply be him in the empty kitchen, dragging his feet with only the sound of the soup simmering to keep him company.

"... I guess so." Alastor looked over to Copper. "You in?"

Copper huffed. "I'm the best out of the three of us."

"Just say that you want to. No need to be embarrassed."

Copper stuck his tongue out and Alastor rolled his eyes.

"Alright, get back in the book."

Once the children left, things were quiet. No more headaches. Though, Alastor will admit he missed having Mochi around as moral support. Swiftly, he prepared the rest of the ingredients and began making the soup. Once it was done, he nodded to himself in approval.

"All I need to do now is taste test––"

Wait. Hold on.

Alastor placed a hand to his chin. He was an apparition. He couldn't taste things. It's impressive that he forgot this.

"Alastor? Woah, something smells nice."

A blanket wrapped around you, you entered the kitchen. Your complexion seemed to improve somewhat, but you were still in no condition to be walking.

"(Y/n), what are you doing out of bed?"

"I woke up a few minutes ago and heard you in the kitchen." Stepping closer to Alastor, you peered over his shoulder at the pot of soup on the stove. "Got curious."

When your hand reached out for something to taste it with, Alastor stopped you.

"I haven't tasted it yet––well, I couldn't," he said.

"Are you confident it won't kill me?"

"Obviously."

"Then that's fine."

"It'll hurt my pride if it sucks."

"It won't. And if it does, I'll just say my taste buds are numb from the sickness."

Alastor sighed. "Alright. Don't wanna waste food."

He watched carefully as you took a delicate sip––not before he used his abilities to cook down the spoonful of soup for you––and hummed in satisfaction.

"It's good." You smiled. "It goes down smoothly, tastes great, and warms the throat."

"You're not lying, right?"

"I am way too exhausted to lie."

That managed a small smile out of Alastor. Was he feeling proud that you were happy? That couldn't be it. He was simply proud of his abilities to make good food without needing to even taste it.

"I'll make a bowl for you." Alastor narrowed his eyes. "Now get back in bed."

You laughed weakly and waved him off. "Alright, alright."



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Daily life snippet #5: Girl's night!

A cheerful shout left you, your voice carried away by the rushing wind as the convertible car sped down the neon-lit streets of the city.

Ahh, the breeze is great.

Tonight was a fun night. Just a few days ago, Sara gave you a heart attack barging into the SF living room and asking whether or not you were down to hang at a bar. Obviously, you agreed. You even went ahead and asked if Ness and Lily wanted to join. So! Currently, you were in Jade's car, her being the driver. Sara was in the front seat while you were at the back with Ness and Lily. 'The support team trio' as Ness liked to call you three.

"I brought flats for all of us," Sara said. "Let me know if the heels are killing your feet."

"Ohh, many thanks!" Ness replied.

You noticed Lily checking her reflection in her hand mirror. She seemed to be deep in thought.

"Lily? Everything okay?"

She jumped slightly at your voice. "Y-yes. I was just checking if everything's in order."

"Your lipstick, right?" You took one from your purse. "Here, you can use mine. We used the same shade."

"Y-yours?" Lily shakily accepted. "Th-thanks."

Ness laughed. "(Y/n), she's gonna combust at this rate."

You leaned casually against the low door of the car, one hand resting lightly on its sleek frame. A content smile played on your lips as you watched the city go by. Seeing the lively nightlife in Anomalous always sparked a sense of adventure within you.

"This is nice," you said.

Sara laughed. "We haven't even gotten to the bar yet."

"Yeah, but getting my makeup done, trying on clothes––getting ready in general was already so fun. I never really had any friends to do this with."

Sure you've been to parties, laughed, and drank in the past. However, the missing key component was having a group of friends you felt genuinely comfortable and safe around.

"Awww, (Y/n)! Just text me whenever you wanna hang!" Sara gushed. "I don't care if I'm in the middle of an operation."

Jade chuckled. "That's a little concerning."

Sara offered Jade a cheeky grin in return. "Moving on! Does anyone want any skin care products? I have a few coupons."

"I don't think Jade and I need to ask," you replied.

Sara got you into skin care (surprisingly, Lyle as well). It wasn't as complicated as hers because your brain couldn't keep up with it, but it was nice having some routine in your life. The girl seemed to have a fifth sense for whenever you or Jade were running low on products. Once you woke up to a bunch of boxes at your front door.

"Me please, my skin's been getting bad lately––" Ness paused. With a focused expression, she leaned over the car door, seemingly discerning something from a distance. "Hey, I think something happened ahead."

Everyone followed her gaze. Up ahead, there was a crowd of people gathered in front of a store, causing a minor disruption to the flow of traffic. Jade slowed down the car.

"An apparition incident," Jade mumbled.

Ness unbuckled her seatbelt. "Bad luck, huh? Lily, let's check for anyone who's injured."

"Luckily, I brought a medical kit," Lily said. "Jade, can you unlock the trunk please?"

Ness and Lily went to check on the citizens. You went with Jade and Sara to assess the apparition situation. You've had to exorcise apparitions in your pyjamas before so being out of uniform at the scene wasn't out of the ordinary.

"I've sent a message to the operation design division that we can handle the case," you said.

"Sara, can I borrow the flats?" Jade asked, taking her heels off. "I'll take care of this."

"Of course, but are you sure?"

Jade nodded. "Focus on clearing the crowd and putting the citizens at ease––"

Suddenly, a flurry of apparitions burst forth from the building's entrance. On instinct, you summoned Mochi to protect those nearby. Sara snapped her fingers and wiped out the apparitions that were close to possessing citizens.

A blue light manifested from the tip of Jade's fingers, the shape soon taking form into an ethereal blade. "This saves some time."

Long story short, Jade wiped the apparitions clean. When she was done, a soft sigh parted her lips as she turned back to you and Sara.

"Is my hair okay?"

You gave her a thumbs up. "Still looking hot."

"Absolutely stunning."

Jade chuckled, a soft smile on her lips. "Good. It would be a shame if tonight was interrupted."



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Alternative AU: Academy Days

Huh.

The last thing you remembered was telling yourself 'I'm only gonna to take a quick nap' in the library after a long operation. You've woken up now, but you were in a different space. Instead of a comfortable couch literally made for sleeping, your head was resting against a desk in an enclosed space.

Groggily, you rubbed away the sleep from your eyes. It looked like you were in a self study section of the library. On your desk was a laptop, textbooks, a pencil case, and a notebook. Confused, you took a look at your clothes.

"This isn't the AEI uniform."

It more so resembled a school uniform, and it was a very familiar design as well.

"Is the exhaustion finally getting to me?" you mumbled. "The heck is going on..."

Hidden underneath an open textbook was your phone. The first thing you checked was the date. It was several years into the past. What. You furrowed your eyebrows. Did you go back in time or something? This school uniform, this year––ah.

"The academy," you said. "I've gone back in time to where the main cast were still in school."

Plus, you checked your reflection. You were still you, but younger. This whole situation made no sense, but for some reason you were more than willing to roll with it. Confusion soon turned into excitement. The game never delved too deep into this setting. Which means...

You abruptly stood up, an excited grin on your face. "The hell am I doing sitting around? I need to explore."

You rushed to pack everything up. Once that was done, you began exploring the library.

Woah... It's not a highly respected academy for nothing.

Groups of students were huddled together, others studied on their own. Like any other school, subjects like maths and english were there, but matters regarding apparitions was the most popular study material. That was even reflected in the textbooks available in the library.

Also... If this is the academy you believe it to be, then you should be able to find—

"Whoops, out of the way!"

A sudden cheerful voice startled you. You glanced upward to see a figure jumping down from the second floor, a very familiar individual with black hair and bright green eyes.

Caleb?!

For some reason, your first instinct was to rush over and catch him. Was it the support member in you? Either way, it didn't go so well. Caleb ended up crashing into you. All you succeeded in was acting as a cushion.

Fuck. Forgot this body wouldn't have the strength I have as an SF member.

"Oh?" A bubbly laughter reached your ears. "I've never had someone try to catch me before."

Caleb was currently sitting on your lap while your back was pressed up a wall. Would be somewhat romantic if you weren't mildly in pain at the moment.

"You know, it'll be helpful if you got off," you said.

"Mmm, dunno. Pretty comfortable here."

"Hey."

Caleb laughed and got off you. With a hand extended, he offered to help you up. When you accepted the gesture, Caleb pulled you up with way too much force on purpose, causing you to stumble forward.

"Gotcha!" Caleb grinned, holding onto you. "We're even now, right?"

He literally never changes.

Even his appearance hardly changed. Caleb, as an adult, always looked young. The main differences you could see was that he didn't have the tips of his hair dyed green, his hair itself was a little longer and more tousled––it was almost like a short wolf cut––and he has less muscle.

"Answer this question and we'll be even," you said. "What the heck were you doing?"

"Oh, right! Thank you for reminding me. Running away from detention. You're my accomplice now!"

"Huh—"

"CALEB!"

A voice––that was very clearly pissed off––thundered throughout the library, likely belonging to one of the professors. You could vividly imagine the woman's face crinkling in anger. With a cheeky grin, Caleb grabbed your arm and began running.

"Gotta hurry before we're caught~"

You almost tripped over your own feet with how fast Caleb ran. He swiftly evaded students (they didn't seem surprised by his antics. Should you be concerned?) and bookshelves, dragging you along.

"I don't think you should be running away from a teacher???"

"She has something against me, I swear! I didn't do anything wrong."

"I highly doubt that––"

You almost ran into a wall.

Caleb laughed. "Less talking and more focus on running!"

"You––ugh, we'll talk later!"

After you two exited the library, Caleb had let go of your hand. You could very well just run away from Caleb, but that would mean missing out on the opportunity to learn more about what he was like as a teenager. Obviously, you weren't about to pass that up. Jumping over brick walls, jumping down flights of stairs, jumping over tables––you were barely conscious in this academy for ten minutes and you already feel like the worst student to ever exist.

"You're keeping up pretty well!"

While this body's physical capabilities was barely half as good as what you've honed as an adult, you were still aware of things such as proper breathing techniques, efficient energy use, and the best ways to move your body.

"I'm actually very close to collapsing," you said, out of breath. "Are we there yet?"

"Almost! Hold on for a few more minutes."

At least Caleb wasn't lying when he said a few minutes. He took you to one of the academy's food tech rooms. There wasn't anyone inside except for one person.

"Caleb?" The student was taking out a tray from the oven. "I swear you were supposed to be in detention."

Caleb grinned. There was a certain fondness in his eyes that only one person could evoke. "I was let off early."

"So you ran away."

"Oh, c'mon. Do you have such little faith in me?" Caleb tutted. "But yes, I did run away."

Green eyes that resembled Caleb's glanced over to you. A warm smile on his lips, he asked, "Who is this by the way?"

"She acted as my support when I jumped down." Caleb snapped his fingers. "Miss Support! That can be your name."

Some things really never change.

"(Y/n) is my actual name if you're wondering."

The individual beamed. "I'm James. It's nice to meet you! Would you like some cookies? They're freshly baked."

Damn. Back when you were an adult and met James for the first time, he tried to kill you. You knew the James in the past was a whole lot friendlier than the James you knew as an apparition, but it still caught you off guard.

"Oh, but I haven't finished decorating them yet." A hand on his chin, James tilted his head to the left a little in contemplation. "How about this? Do me a favour and help me out. We can get to know each other better while we decorate."

You took a better look at the cookies. They were Christmas themed cookies. Some were shaped like Christmas trees, candy canes, reindeers, etc.

Caleb was already washing his hands and getting ready. "Yeah, cuz you suck and need all the help."

"C'mon, don't pick on me in front of someone new."

"I don't mind helping. It seems fun."

James' smile only grew brighter. "Great!"

There was a selection of piping bags with different colours of icing in them, sprinkles and other edible decorations on the table.

"I don't decorate cookies often," you said. "So my bad if it turns out terrible."

"It honestly can't be as bad as mine." James took out his phone and showed you an image. "This was when I tried to decorate halloween cookies."

"Nah, that can't be––"

Oh. Oh, dear. It was quite ugly.

That aside, the three of you spent the lunch decorating some cookies. It was peaceful, different from both your previous life when you were a teenager––where you'd spend your lunches alone in the library––and your current adult life in Anomalous.

And also...

You glanced over to Caleb and James. The two brothers were laughing and smiling in each other's presence. It made your heart ache knowing what happens in the future.

"Alright! I think I've managed to make it look good." James' eyes were sparkling in triumph. "(Y/n), how does it look? I tried drawing Santa."

"It looks." You glanced over. Oh. Oh my days. "It looks..."

James sighed. "Still gotta practice more. But hey, that's the fun part!"

At least he was optimistic.

All of a sudden, you began to feel drowsy. You stopped decorating for a minute.

"(Y/n)? Are you okay?" James asked.

"Sorry I'm just...." You yawned. "For some reason I'm feeling really sleepy."

The next time you blinked, you woke up in a different space.

Still a little disorientaed, you sat up from the couch and took a moment to allow your mind to wake up. Yawning a little, you glanced out the window to your left and took note of your reflection. You were in the AEI uniform and your features weren't one of a child's anymore.

Huh...

"What a strange dream."

A/n: Lol imagine if Yn transmigrated when she was a teen instead of an adult and managed to save James wouldn't that be crazy.