Every second not spent by your side, especially when danger was present, was torture for Amias. During the times when you were not there physically by his side, he made up for it by always thinking of you. Even under the burdens of so many demands and responsibilities, they seemed light as long as Amias thought of you. Maybe you'd even ruffle his hair again with that affectionate smile he loved so much. Amias' cheeks flushed a little at the thought.

You were a kind person. A person with a gentle heart, and always held her head high, looking forward. Your ambitions were selfless, and Amias adored that about you. However, it was a flaw of yours. Being too selfless meant you had to compromise your own needs. That worried Amias.

His device beeped, and Amias' expression lit up.

(Y/n) called for me!

Yes, he made your sound different from anyone else's. The message you sent was simple: your location. As it was brief, you must be in danger. Without question, Amias teleported to the closest waypoint to that destination.

I'll send Lyle a quick message to let him know I'm away from my station.

Amias:

(Y/n) asked for my help, so I'll be away from my post. I've already evacuated everyone in the area.

Lyle

It's fine. I'm almost done here as well. Update me.

Update him... Lyle must be worried as well. Though Lyle would rather go off and fight hordes of apparitions than openly admit it, he did care for you. Amias was pleased by that fact. You deserved all the care in the world. However, no one would ever care for you as much as Amias did. That was one fact he would never compromise on, and he'd go to great lengths to prove it.

Once Amias arrived at the sent location, he searched for you. However, you were nowhere to be found.

It took around five minutes. Was I too slow?

While Amias was criticizing himself for taking five minutes—a feat that would have taken anyone else approximately half an hour—he noticed Caleb. The first thing he observed about the cheerful exorcist was the various cuts on his uniform. Cuts also crisscrossed his exposed skin—some shallow and already drying, while others were still bleeding.

"Caleb! What happened?"

Despite his state, Caleb simply dusted off some debris on his gloves with a playful hum. "Today I confirmed that explosions are superior to strings."

...?

Amias didn't voice his confusion. He dug in his pockets and took out a few bandages. "It's not much, but you can stop the bleeding for the deeper cuts."

Caleb laughed. "I'll take em. Thanks, doc."

While Caleb applied the bandages, Amias asked, "Do you know where (Y/n) is? She sent me a message to come here, but I can't find her."

Caleb's gaze grew dim for a moment. It was so fleeting to where Amias just barely registered it. "That would be my fault."

Caleb proceeded to explain what had happened. Eve and Caleb had engaged in combat. Unlike Caleb, Eve spent their time researching rather than training. Their abilities were formidable—almost invincible against apparitions—but less so against humans. Caleb had gained the upper hand, but Eve swiftly called in reinforcements: their staff members. Individually, the staff's skills were equivalent to those of a mediocre AEI member. However, there were enough of them to slow Caleb, giving Eve enough time to slip away.

"Considering how you needed to be careful not to hurt the staff, I imagine it would've wasted more time," Amias commented.

Caleb tilted his head with a confused smile. "Not hurt them?"

"Huh?"

"As long as they're not dead or lose an arm, it's fine, right?"

"..." Amias moved on. "I was surprised to see you here. I thought Elias assigned you somewhere else."

"Oh, he did. But you know the honor student—strict on the outside, sentimental on the inside. I simply mentioned that I didn't want what happened to my older brother to happen to Miss Support and, well, that I wanted to protect her if possible."

Before Amias could respond to that statement, Caleb continued.

"My bet is they put Miss Support somewhere she can't act," Caleb mused. "The technology design division's lab is an obvious choice, but for a good reason. It's locked down with security measures." He let out a dramatic sigh, shoulders slumping. "Should I just blow it all up after all?"

At Caleb's words—no, not the blowing up part—a thought occurred to Amias.

" ... I think I might know how to get to her."

It was something you had told Amias in the past. One day, when Amias joined you in the library (he'd always go there when he missed you, and half the time, you were there), you taught him something new.

"Amias! Come here, I wanna tell you something."

Amias perked up and swiftly grabbed a random book from the shelf so he could run over to you as soon as possible. "Yes?"

"Can you take out your map?"

When Amias summoned the holographic map, you continued.

"Alright, zoom in around here. See this? This is the technology design division's lab."

"There are waypoints I can unlock, but the problem is getting into the labs."

"Yup. Keep an eye out for opportunities to get into the labs without raising suspicion. However, in the case of an emergency, there is a way to unlock all of them," you explained. "However, only strictly during emergencies, okay?"

Amias nodded. "Okay."

You ruffled his hair. "Good––Ah, whoops. Sorry. Your hair is just so fluffy."

Amias smiled to himself. Oh dear, was he smiling too much? "I don't mind."

"It's hard to explain, but it involves a lot of teleporting," Amias said.

"Ah, so I can't come with you." Caleb snapped his fingers. "Okay, so what if I blow—"

"Caleb, I don't think we need to do that."

"Fine~ But notify me with an update as soon as you can, okay?" Caleb paused for a moment, and Amias couldn't tell what he was thinking. "Oh! If you do find that freakishly tall pink scientist, let me know."

Amias nodded. "I will."

As Amias turned to leave, he felt a sudden grip on his arm. When Amias glanced back, the smile on Caleb's face was so cheerful that Amias almost doubted the fact that the exorcist was holding onto his arm. Hard.

"Preferably lead them to me," Caleb said, his tone steady and slow. "You can do that, can you?"

For a moment, Amais froze. But he swallowed his hesitance and responded, "I... I'll try to."

Caleb hummed a pleasant tune before releasing his hold on Amias. "Great! I don't know what your plan is, but good luck!"

Amias could only offer a small smile as a response. ...Was I just imagining that?

Amias didn't have the luxury to contemplate Caleb's words any further. You were in danger, and that was all that mattered. Without hesitation, he summoned the holographic map, the familiar interface that he has seen millions of times, invisible to everyone else other than you.

Something only the two of us can see.

With ease, Amias teleported inside the AEI building and rushed towards the technology design division labs. Amias reached the entrance, and true to his expectations, there was an intricate security system in place. Placing his hand flat against the control panel, he sent a sharp crack of lightning through the system. The control panel sparked and hissed, and the doors malfunctioned, which allowed him to slip inside.

The moment Amias stepped in, he was met with a handful of staff members. Expressions of concentration and faces buried in paperwork quickly shifted to alarm.

"An intruder—wait, isn't that Amias?"

"Doesn't matter who it is, we can't let him in!"

Amias whispered an apology. He moved like a bolt of lightning, and he was quick to knock the staff members unconscious. Sirens blared, but that did little to waver Amias' focus.

"There," he muttered, his eyes catching a faint glow near the centre of the lab.

A waypoint. The subtle flicker of a grey triangle hovered just above a cluttered table. Amias reached out, placing his palm flat against the waypoint. Then, the dull grey transformed into a vibrant gold that mirrored his eyes.

"Once you reach the first one." Your fingers dragged along the map, creating a route. "Go here. It's the easiest way point to unlock after."

Your teachings were clear in Amias' mind. He then whispered, as if responding to you, "Alright."

Amias rushed further into the labs, and staff members spilled into the hallways. He pivoted on instinct, narrowly dodging a taser by a staff member who tried to take advantage of his blind spot. Amias would avoid fights as much as he could, opting to use his agility and ability to teleport to unlock waypoint after waypoint.

At one point, it became too overwhelming. The relentless waves of staff and the constant use of his abilities were finally taking a toll on him. Amias teleported out of the lab and into a quiet, dimly lit corner of the AEI building, gasping as his back hit the cold wall. Sweat dripped down his face, and his mind spun.

"Make sure you take your time," you said, looking Amias in the eyes. "After all, this plan needs a bunch of teleporting. Don't push yourself too much."

"Hah..." Amias wiped a bead of sweat off his forehead. "I can't do that, (Y/n). You're in danger."

Away from the action, Amias had time to process his thoughts. He looked at the holographic map. Good, he was over halfway. Once all the waypoints were unlocked, he'd be able to teleport freely throughout the building, bypassing security and narrowing down your location. It would be strenuous. Even now his body protested for rest. Amias exhaled softly and pushed himself off the wall. He adjusted his ponytail, and his bangs fell over his gold eyes. Eyes that held an unwavering gaze, a gaze with enough determination to bring down a city.

"Eve took you away from me," Amias whispered.

They had the nerve to confine someone like you. Amias allowed that spark of anger to also fuel his resolve.

I'm always relying on you. This time, I want you to rely on me.

"Wait for me, (Y/n)."



===



It was faint, but you sensed apparitions.

Of course they would be here. It was the labs, after all. Naturally, your presence drew them in. You doubted they would possess you, given your resistance, and they seemed too weak to cause any real harm. Layers of whispers and murmurs enveloped your mind. It was difficult to hear them clearly, but you managed to piece together what they were trying to say.

"... Do you want revenge on Eve?"

Ah, great. The whispers grew louder. Emotions bubbled up, emotions that weren't yours. And despite these emotions being ones of frustration and anger, you felt deathly cold. Revenge, was it? You never thought about revenge. Your focus was on trying to create a better future, not rectify a past where you were wronged. You never once felt revenge towards Lyle, Finn, or Eve.

But you supposed there was a first time for everything, because right now, revenge sounded pretty darn sweet. What kind of face would Eve make when you ruined their plans beyond repair? What kind of words would Finn say when you cornered him? Your eyes languidly shifted to the side. It was decided. You were going to make use of these apparitions for your survival. This feeling was familiar. Was it when Finn made you unconscious that you had felt this way?

"If you want revenge...." Your soft whisper was clear amongst the apparitions' wave of murmurs. "Then give me your strength."

It wasn't a question or a request, but a quiet, stern demand.

You gripped the chains. With one powerful yank, you freed yourself from their confines. The clatter of broken metal replaced the silence of the room. You stretched your leg out. The newfound strength gathered from the apparitions was refreshing. Even the cold seemed welcoming.

Now, the hard part was to successfully leave the room. You had no doubt the moment you left, some sort of alarm would trigger.

"..." You sighed. "I... don't like feeling like this. Feeling so negative."

Even now your mind was constantly fighting to defend Eve's actions. It was no surprise that you loved Anomalous and its characters. Hence, while you could understand someone was bad, you couldn't find it in yourself to personally hate them.

Although...

"Because I love this world so much, I'll do anything to save it. And sometimes, being a little angry gets the job done."

Suddenly, sirens blared and a crimson light swallowed the room. You looked up ahead and saw remnants of electricity cracking on the edges of the door; a pretty gold amongst the harsh red. The door hissed before bursting open, revealing a protagonist you knew all too well.

"(Y/n)!"

Amias' face was flushed with relief and exhaustion. It was difficult to get a word in because, in an instant, had rushed in to hug you, squeezing you tightly.

"Amias..."

He had come to save you. The negative emotions from the apparitions became a dull hum in the background as some light returned to your eyes. When you tried to pull away, Amias stubbornly held you even tighter.

You laughed. "Come on, you're crushing me."

"S-sorry."

Although Amias pulled away, his hands were still wrapped around your waist. The corners of his eyes were red, and you reached up to cup his cheeks. Amias' smiled at that and nuzzled his face further into your palm.

"Were you crying?" you asked.

"Mmm..." Amias blinked a few times to pull himself out of his blissful state. "I got frustrated since I was taking so long. But it's okay, you're here now."

"You pushed yourself." You frowned. "But I guess reprimanding you for that won't do anything. How close are you to leveling up?"

Amias showed you the screen. Ah, so close. Just a few more apparitions needed.

When Amias leveled up in the game, his health would fully recover. Now, did that logic apply in real life? A while ago, you tested it out. In short: yes, it does apply. Amias would recover his full strength, as if he had rested for an entire day. Injuries would heal as well.

I wonder if it would apply if he were to get a severe injury––not that I want to purposefully test it.

"There are a few apparitions here," you said.

You didn't understand how this strange ability of yours worked, but on instinct, you snapped your fingers and your hold on the apparitions were released. You were now no longer using their strength.

"That should be enough to level up."

It was a bit cruel, wasn't it? Use them, then toss them aside when they're not needed. You hesitated for a moment, but you knew they wouldn't have lasted in Eve's lab. Besides, Amias was in terrible condition, despite his smile trying to reassure you otherwise. He couldn't handle any more teleportations, let alone the ordeal of finding and exorcising apparitions elsewhere.

Amias didn't waste a second to listen to your words. For a moment, his eyes illuminated brightly—an indicator for him reaching a higher level.

"How are you feeling?" you asked.

"Great." Amias beamed at you. "I can protect you better now."

"That's great, but make sure to prioritize yourself as well," you replied, finding his puppy-like demeanor cute. "Let's go—"

Amias had tugged the ends of your sleeve, which prompted you to shoot him a puzzled look.

"What's up?"

"Are..." Amias hesitated, searching for something in your expression. "Are you okay?"

"Me? Aside from a fuzzy head, Eve didn't hurt me."

"I meant..."

Amias looked like he was trying to find the right words to say, and the concern on his expression was transparent as glass.

"If you're talking about emotionally, I'm just a bit frustrated." You offered a small, genuine smile. Not one of joy, but one of acceptance. "After all, I was kidnapped. I always knew Eve could never be an ally, but I really did enjoy their company from time to time. I guess... I felt betrayed."

And Finn as well. You knew that it was logical to remove you from the scene, that he had his own goals. But it still sucked that he would stand back and let Eve capture you.

"It's okay to be mad," Amias said.

"Yeah, I know."

"..."

Amias didn't seem convinced, but he didn't press further. Instead, he extended his hand toward you.

"Let's get out of here before the staff finds us."

Amias teleported you on top of a building. It was a lot colder, but far more refreshing. You looked over the city. Red roses sprouted along the streets, the vines twisting around buildings and cars. You felt a reluctant sense of relief. The city was in a terrible state, but at least this display of power meant that Rose wasn't going to be exorcised any time soon.

"Do you need a moment?" Amias asked.

"Just a few minutes."

The fog in your head was clearing up, so you quickly tried to check up on your apparitions. Everyone seemed to be safe as well; however, Alastor wasn't inside your book.

Alastor?

... You're here.

Even if Alastor sounded like a teenager forced to go on a road trip, you could feel his relief.

What are you doing now?

Nothing.

Alastor.

I was planning on visiting the labs. I just happened to break a few things.

... You were going to interrogate him later.

Amias saved me. I'll explain more later. Wait, how did you find out?

Inference and eavesdropping. Anyways, I'll return to your book. Don't disappear randomly again.

Aw, you care so much.

Ugh.

Your short conversation with Alastor ended there. When you turned to Amias, you caught him watching you with a fond expression.

"What?"

"Well, it's just... It's nice to see you smile." Amias laughed softly to himself. "Let's go to Rose now. Do... Do you want me to carry you?"

You swore the sun had slipped into the sky behind Amias. His eyes seemed impossibly brighter than usual, and his expression was so adorable. Was that why Anomalous was always monochrome and cloudy? Because Amias stole the sun??

"I uh..." Oh god, he looked so eager. "You know what? Sure."

Amias proceeded to sweep you into his arms (you were close to his chest, nice), holding you bridal style. The next time you blinked, Amias had teleported you to a location close to where Rose was. There was slight hesitation in his actions when he had to settle you down.

The air was incredibly dense with apparitions, heavy with their whispers and cries. Amias stepped forward, and in one swift movement, the entire field was alight with electricity, exorcising them all.

"Calm down, you should conserve your strength."

Amias gasped. Wow, what an innocent reaction for such a grand display of power. "I forgot that I was at full strength, and I'm also stronger now, too, since I leveled up."

You shook your head in amusement. "Well, good job either way."

Amias' eyes lit up, and he leaned down slightly, offering you easier access to his head. He looked at you expectantly. Did he want you to ruffle his hair? Just as your fingers brushed his hair, an unfamiliar voice cut through the moment.

"Shit, is that (Y/n)?"

"Eve said that there's a chance she could be here."

Amias' eyes grew dim at the interruption. If you hadn't been distracted by the sudden company, you might have caught the quiet scoff that escaped him. Staff members of the technology design division. The game itself didn't go into specifics, but you bought the art book so you knew a bit about them. Of course, they were intelligent. Their strength was average, but what made them formidable was their talent with weapons.

They surrounded you with tasers and guns loaded with anaesthetic rounds. You should feel worried, but having Amias by your side subsided that feeling.

"Take care of them."

Your voice was steady, almost casual, as if the scene unfolding was no more alarming than a change in the weather

Amias smiled at your words. "You're finally relying on me."

The first staff member made a move, aiming their gun at you. Amias teleported in front of them and disarmed them effortlessly. Amias' expression was calm as he fended off the TDD staff. With how smooth his movements were, you would've thought he had rehearsed the choreography of this fight. The warmth in his gold eyes was absent when he dealt with them; the warmth only reserved for you.

Each glance you cast towards a staff member was a silent message for Amias to handle them. Really, this powerful individual was someone you could command with the simplest words and actions.

Of course, you weren't idly standing there. Amias took care of the individuals with long-ranged weapons. You were in charge of the rest. A staff member rushed forward, taser sparking. You caught their wrist mid-swing, borrowed some of Mochi's strength, and used your other hand to break the device. It crumbled under your grip like brittle glass.

"I feel a little special that all this effort is for me, but I can't let myself get captured again."

One snuck up behind you, and you noticed just in time. Before you could act, Amias was there—his form blinking into existence like a flick of a light switch. He grabbed the man's arm and twisted it with a chilling crack, to which you flinched at. Following that, Amias delivered a heavy punch to the man's face. Then, another.

"Amias, that's enough."

Your voice cut through his trance with ease. He released the man without hesitation and let him slump to the ground like a child who lost interest in a broken toy. Amias glanced around, scanning for any remaining TDD members.

"That was the last one." Amias looked over to you with a small smile, a smile far too soft and friendly for a man who has blood on his knuckles. "Did I do a good job?"

You sighed, stepping closer to him. Your hand reached out, ruffling his hair. "You did, but that wasn't like you. You're not normally that violent."

Of course, you had an inkling of why he was acting this way, it was because of his devotion to you. Amias stood there, utterly content in the moment. A smile was on his lips and a faint blush on his cheeks.

"Sorry," he murmured. "I'll be more mindful."

You quickly pulled your hand back and glanced at Amias' clothes. Oh, woah. His jacket was torn in half due to the scuffle. Amias followed your gaze. With a shrug, he grabbed the frayed edges and ripped off the bottom half entirely. He basically made his jacket cropped.

Woah... His waist.

Before you could have any other thoughts, an unmistakable nickname burst onto the scene, cheerful and bright like a splash of colourful fireworks.

"Miss Support!"

You turned, already bracing for the whirlwind that was Caleb. "Caleb—wait, what happened to your clothes??"

His jacket was unzipped, revealing a shirt that was ripped with slashes. The shirt was holding on for dear life. Parts of his chest and stomach were visible. What was up with all this fanservice?? You rushed over in a panic and zipped up his jacket.

Caleb snickered at that. "Too scandalous? Were you at least seduced?"

"Caleb..." You sighed. "How did your shirt even get torn like that? Was it Eve—"

Your question was replaced with a surprised yelp as Caleb wrapped his arms around you, lifting you off the ground. He spun you in a circle, laughing.

"Sorry~ Just happy that my favourite person is safe." Caleb set you down and patted your back with exaggerated affection before turning to Amias with a thumbs-up. "Great job. Very efficient work. I'll give you four stars."

Amias looked like he almost had a heart attack when Caleb hugged you. He then returned Caleb's gesture with a smile. "What happened to the last star?"

Caleb wagged a finger. "Tsk, tsk. Did you know that no one is perfect? You need to always strive for improvement."

Amias laughed at that. "Moving on, I've recovered my strength. Don't worry about me slowing you down."

"You always work in such mysterious ways." Caleb grinned as he slung an arm around your shoulder. "Well, since Miss Support and I aren't at full strength, we'll be heading off together now!"

"...!"

It seemed like all logic just left Amias' mind as he looked at you with wide eyes, silently pleading for confirmation.

"Don't tease him."

Caleb pouted. "But it's fun."

After a few more exchanges, you three set off to head towards Rose. It didn't take long for you to spot Finn, who was currently facing Elias. You could only imagine the tension that was happening; childhood friends who now have to face each other as enemies. For now, you tore your eyes away from the scene and kept going.

"You don't think I have to write a report for all of this, right?" Caleb asked.

"Let's sleep on it," you replied.

"A wonderful idea."

Roses scattered across the scene, a hauntingly beautiful sight that was vivid against the gloomy skies. The vines had thorns, and they weren't inactive either. They'd attack you at any chance. Caleb and Amias rushed to your side and made sure nothing touched you.

Wow. I really don't have to do anything.

Moments later, you three arrived at a very... peculiar scene. A scene you've never seen in the game because, in the centre of it all, was a character that only showed their face to the public because of your influence. Eve was giggling to themself. They moved with a measured pace, dragging something along the ground behind them. A sword—a machete? Some sort of large bladed weapon. The edges crackled with an otherworldly light.

... The weapons.

The weapons the game had mentioned for so long were finally in front of you. Weapons that exorcized apparitions by using their life force. A step forward for this city to defend its people, but also a grim reminder of the thin, wavering line of the city's morality in the future.

Any apparitions summoned by Rose were swiftly exorcised by Eve. Caleb was strong, Amias too. However, Eve had a natural affinity when it came to dealing with apparitions. Their movements were fluid like a flowing stream.

"Quite the monster," Caleb commented. "The natural enemy to apparitions."

Caleb's tone was playful, but there was a sharp edge to it—like the graze of a blade's edge. You've heard it a few times in the game and recognized it as the way Caleb sounded when he was pissed off. His fingers twitched, itching to jump into the action as soon as possible. For a brief moment, you reached out and held Caleb's hand. The tension in his body eased slightly.

Caleb then showed you a rare, gentle smile. "Thanks."

After replying with a nod, you looked up ahead. Sara stood protectively in front of Rose, who was on the ground. Her expression was hidden, but the violent thrashing of the vines and thorns were very telling of how she was feeling.

...

Alastor, is this familiar to you?

Yeah. It sucks. You don't have control over anything––your emotions, your thoughts, your limbs. It's a fucking mess. She's holding up really well.

You hummed in thought at Alastor's words. Despite Rose's precarious state, none of her attacks harmed Sara.

In the game, having Sara in the party would change the dynamic of the fight with Rose. In a turn based game, Rose's attacks would be reduced towards Sara. If you played your cards right, the former actress wouldn't attack Sara at all. On the other hand, Sara's attacks against Rose would weaken significantly. If Rose's health dropped too low, Sara would outright refuse to land any more hits. Push her too far, and she'd even defend Rose instead.

Eve tilted their head, pressing their palm against their ear as if clearing water from it.

"Oh, your ability is quite strong! You're immune because you constantly hear the cries of apparitions, don't you? Same here! I also hear their screams, probably more than you do. When I was younger, there were many instances where my ears would bleed because of my experiments with apparitions. A very ambitious and reckless person I was."

When they spoke, their voice danced through the dreary air with theatrical amusement.

"Well! I still am just as ambitious and reckless. I'm just far more capable of handling the repercussions now. The chairman had a field day keeping me under control back then." Eve's eyes narrowed, yet a smile was still present on their face as they hefted the weapon onto their shoulder. "Step aside, Sara."

Sara didn't flinch or take a step back. Instead, she glared at Eve. Around Sara lay the unconscious forms of TDD staff members, and her hair was disheveled. However, she looked more ready than ever to fight. In the original game, the start of Sara's development was when she had to make the decision to land the final move to exorcise Rose. It was horrible losing a precious friend, but in the original timeline there was no other way to stop Rose's destruction.

"You're not turning her into a weapon," Sara seethed.

"Hmm, that's a shame. She's too far gone as a vengeful apparition, you know? It'll be beneficial to turn her into a formidable weapon. Instead of harming others, she can now protect." Eve clasped their hands together and their voice became more cheerful. "Isn't that a wonderful ending?"

Eve truly didn't seem to find anything wrong with their line of thinking. Morality and ethical considerations were out the window—no, they weren't even inside the building to begin with.

"She can still be saved. Even if she has to be exorcised, I won't let you disrespect her like that. Rose detests the idea of being reduced to a weapon, she was the one who exposed your endeavours!" Sara pointed an accusing finger at Eve. "You need to capture apparitions then essentially torture them to extract their essence for weapons, don't you? That's horrible. I won't let you do that to Rose."

Honestly, Eve's stance on weapons was... conflicting. The line between pragmatic necessity and outright cruelty was thin. To strip apparitions of what little existence they had left so they can be used as tools for humans was a terrible notion. Yet, these weapons could protect the city. Do we justify such practices for survival? Do we consider the well-being of an apparition the same as humans?

If we cross this ethical line, what other lines will be crossed in the future? Would there be any humanity left in a city of humans if we kept going like this?

"It's temporary pain!" Eve's simple answer almost reduced your tsunami of moral dilemmas to a random puddle on a sidewalk. "The apparitions are essentially dead for a second time, but now they're in the form of a weapon that can help society. Well, maybe they have a tiny bit of consciousness in there, but that's a work in progress! Honestly, I don't care about the last part, but I'll work on it for people like my darling who cares."

Darling? They couldn't be referring to you, right?

Sara scoffed. It seemed like she realised there was no way to change Eve's line of thinking.

"No," Sara said. A simple response with a world's amount of conviction. "I'm not letting you come near Rose. Don't try to justify this as necessary, Eve. I know the AEI has been exploiting support members to create more weapons. Why else would the criteria for entry be so ridiculously low? It's all to funnel people into your experiments. The AEI has done so many awful things, and I can't believe it's only now that I'm challenging them."

Eve's eyes became dull, and the smile on their face faded. "How unfortunate. I won't hurt you since you are the chairman's granddaughter, but..." They took out a syringe, twirling it between their fingers as if it were a harmless toy. "I have other ways to ensure you don't stand in my way."

You, Caleb, and Amias exchanged a silent nod and darted further into the scene. Rose's thorns acted quick, lashing out at you guys and creating constricted pathways. Additionally, snatches of conversations floated through the air from lingering AEI members at the scene.

"... The weapons."

"Did you see how powerful it was?"

"It's unethical, but having it would really make our lives easier."

"We should prioritise the living. It's reality, not fiction. Of course sacrifices have to be made."

The last voice you recognised—Brynn. The only voice that was untouched by the hesitation that laced the others. She pushed through the crowd, using her abilities to clear the vines and thorns. You glanced at Sara. Okay, She was holding her ground well and Caleb had already stepped in as her backup.

You hurried over, and Amias followed you. Then, you harshly snatched Brynn's arm. She narrowed her eyes, and you flinched at how much hatred there was in her gaze .

"(Y/n)."

"Don't. Eve's dangerous—especially right now. Did you not see what they were planning to do to Sara?"

"Dangerous to apparitions and anyone who opposes them," Brynn snapped, ripping her arm away from your grip. Her glare shifted sharply to Amias. "Freak."

Amias didn't respond or seem offended. He simply looked at you, as if silently asking if he should react or not.

"People are hesitating to support Eve. I'll be the first," she said. "Staying stagnant means I'll die eventually. I refuse to let that happen. I'm going to survive, no matter what it takes."

"Why?" You asked. "Why are you so hung up on it?"

"Don't try to understand me!" She yelled. "I have no reason to answer you. Does standing on your moral high ground make you feel good? Do you think you're better than all of us?"

At Brynn's outburst, Eve slowly turned their head in your direction. Their smile widened unnervingly when their gaze locked with yours.

"You escaped," Eve said with a soft giggle. "That's no good."

Red strings cut through the air, heading straight towards you and aiming to trap you like a spider's web. Although, before the red could reach you, Caleb stepped in and tore the strings apart with several explosions. Damn, fast reflexes. Sara had turned her attention back to Rose, and Caleb returned to your side. From the looks of it, Rose was beginning to respond to Sara. That was a good sign. You, Caleb, and Amias needed to buy more time for the brunette to get through to Rose.

"Isn't it extraordinary? The very things we feared—apparitions—can now be harnessed to protect us! I can't help but wonder... What else might be possible? What other boundaries can we break? It's enticing, it's exciting." Eve's eyes, once pink, were now illuminating a vivid red. Despite the bold colour, there was some hurt reflected in them. "I don't understand. I'm trying to save this city. Life isn't perfect; sacrifices are inevitable. And compared to the terrible conditions outside the city, this sacrifice is so small! So why..."

Eve paused for a moment, their gaze fixated on you as a bittersweet smile graced their features. "Why does the one person I care about oppose me?"

Their speech was grand, but there was solitude in the words. Eve glanced at the sky for a moment, as if seeking for something unknown in its expanse. At that moment, just a brief moment, they appeared vulnerable. However, that moment passed over like a shadow. Eve then looked over to Brynn, who had moved ahead while you were distracted by Eve's speech. They closed the distance between themself and the red-haired woman.

"Hey." Eve easily towered over Brynn. "What do you think?"

Brynn straightened, her chin tilting upward as she met Eve's gaze. "I think your weapons are necessary for the advancement of this city. We can't stay stagnant while apparitions are evolving."

"Hm~" Eve's hum was playful, yet empty. "What? Do you want to be my assistant?"

"Can I?"

"I don't know," Eve mused. "What makes you stand out?"

"I understand your endeavours to create weapons, and I won't be held back by morality or ethical considerations." Brynn took one confident step forward. "And I'll do whatever it takes to survive."

"Whatever it takes to survive?" Eve's voice dropped to a whisper. "You'll make a good weapon then."

Brynn's face paled a little. "I—"

"And you said you understand my endeavours! That's a dangerous assumption. Do you understand my abilities? My past?"

The conversation was getting dangerous. You stepped in.

"Brynn—"

"Shut up," she snapped. A few beads of sweat were forming down her forehead. "I'm not a kid you need to take care of. It's patronising."

Eve blinked owlishly at the interaction. "Oh, dear. You and (Y/n) don't get along, do you?"

Brynn scoffed. "We don't."

"Ah..." Eve smiled. "I see."

In an instant, red strings wrapped tightly around Brynn. Her eyes widened, and a short, shaky gasp left her.

Then, a vibrant, horrific shade of red flooded your vision. Next, a thud. Your heart stopped. Then, slowly, you looked down. A pool of blood was underneath Brynn, blending in with strands of red hair. Too much red. And... And her limbs—

You looked away and raised a hand to your lips. You didn't want to see anything else.

"I got rid of a hindrance for you, (Y/n)! Did I do well?"

When you tried to speak, a short gasp left you first. You felt sick. "You—you killed..."

"I wonder if she would come back as a vengeful apparition? I hope her talk about survival wasn't for show."

Shit. This was disgusting. Murdering without a care, drugging and caging someone as if it were nothing. And Eve just moved on? Stepping over Brynn's corpse like it was nothing?

"Oh well! Back to you," Eve chirped. "What to do... It'll be hard to cage you now since you have two body guards."

Your heart pounded, and your vision grew hazy.

"Stop talking," you whispered.

"I suppose I just need to take other measures! Oh, oh! Maybe you were moved by my speech just a little? Will you become my assistant now?"

You took a step back. "Stop..."

"Aw, (Y/n)," Eve cooed. They cupped your cheeks, their fingers cold from using their ability. "Don't look so sad. She was nothing. Think of it as me killing an insect—"

A harsh, sharp, crack was heard. A stinging sensation burned across your palm, and Eve was on the ground. You looked at your palm, and some clarity returned to your mind.

I slapped Eve.

Their eyes were wide in shock as they raised a hand to their cheek. They glanced up at you. Finally—finally—Eve was speechless.

...

It was satisfying.

"Hey." You leaned down, your voice dripping with venom you never knew you had. "Listen to me properly, will you?"





A/n: Eve you done fucked UP.

We have some romantic moments and snippets of yandere !! Wow, I'm finally doing what this book's supposed to do LMAO. I hope no one's annoyed by the slow and subtle yandere ;;; Either way, very fun chapter to write. Wasn't planning it to be this long, but ideas kept coming haha. Also ! Sara and Rose were 1000000% doomed Yuri in the Anomalous fandom lmfao