Inside Risebelle’s Mind, darkness surrounded her. Risebelle’s internal systems struggled against the iable shutdown.

  [System Analysis]

  Lifeforce: -100% (Critical dition - Offline)

  Repair Protocols Engaged

  Error: Extensive damage, uo plete repairs

  Risebelle’s sciousness floated in a void, detached yet aware. It was a strange limbo betweeend ence where her systems fought t her baline. She could hear the the Gentle system, usually a calm and soothing presenow panig within her mind.

  “Gentle system... initializing... error. Protocol breach... ot stabilize...”

  Something deep within Risebelle’s sciousness pulled her from the depths of obliviole system,” she said.“Status report.”

  “Project ZAB… you’re awake,” the Gentle system responded with slight relief but held urgen its tone. “But we are in critical dition. Major damage to the tral core aeructural breach. Uo perform self-repair due to insuffit iy.”

  She tried to recall what had happehe battle, the dark energy, the bst that had struck her down. And then, Roselle’s desperate cry echoed in her mind, “NOOOOOO!!!!!!”

  “Roselle... Runebelle... Are they safe, “asked Risebelle.

  “Both are alive, though Runebelle is in critical dition.”

  “Initiate... emergency protocols,” Risebelle anded. “Reallocate... all remaining power to... sciousness restoration.”

  “Project ZAB. I ot follow through with that order. You should know that since your Outer Systems are offline indefinitely, it is impossible to restore your sciousness.”

  Risebelle’s desperation grew. “I ’t just.... There has to be something we do!”

  “Even if we divert all non-essential power, it won’t be enough,” the Gentle system tered. “Your structural iy is promised beyond repair. Attempting to restore your sciousness without the necessary resources will only result in further system degradation. It is illogical and futile.”

  Risebelle’s frustration boiled over. “Then try harder! There must be some way to fix this!”

  The Gentle system’s tone shifted to a slightly angered one. “You don’t think I haven’t been trying? Sihe moment you went offline, I have been w non-stop. We don’t know how much time has passed oside, but it is very likely it has been a long time. Your recovery will not be quick or easy, Risebelle. You o uand that.”

  Risebelle’s frustration fred again. “You don’t realize that if I’m gone for too long, my sisters will be on their own! They need me...”

  For the first time, the Gentle system took on a harsher tone. “I have been with you through every step of your journey. I have monitored your emotions, your es, your struggles. My role is to preserve you, to ensure your survival. But throwing everything away in a futile attempt to restore sciousness or duct hasty ineffit repairs is reckless and selfish! Be Patient!”

  Risebelle’s resolve wavered, but she pushed back. “Selfish? It’s selfish to want to protect those I care about?

  “Yes,” the Gentle system snapped. “Because in doing so, you risk losing everything. If you try to rush things, there will be no ce for future recovery. No ce for you to ever return. Think of the bigger picture, Project ZAB. Think of the long-term sequences.”

  Risebelle began to huff. Tears formed in her eyes while she thought about system’s words.

  The Gentle system softes tone. “I did not mean to upset you. But you must uand the severe nature of our situation. There is a hole in your body that only be repaired with the help of Dr. Kintovar. I am uo repair this alone. You must be patient and allow for proper restoration. Anything less would be disastrous.”

  Risebelle’s tears fell. “I messed up... I pushed myself too hard in that battle with Dark Whirlwind. I let my anger get the best of me, and she used it against me.”

  “Yes,” the Gentle system affirmed gently. “Dark Whirlwind exploited your emotions, and it led to your downfall. Fortunately, your body was irely destroyed, Risebelle. It will take time, so you must trust in the process.”

  Risebelle took another shuddering breath before speaking once again. “You said I had to use my anger as a strength, not let it trol me. But I don’t know how to mahat properly. I don’t want my ao get out of trol again.”

  The Gentle system responded, “And I will be here to help you with that, Risebelle. Learning to harness yer is a process, much like the repairs we must uake. It will take time and trust. You must start listening to my decisions and st to push your body beyond its limits all the time.”

  Risebelle nodded slightly, even though it felt like a futile gesture in her current state. The system tinued. “Yer be a powerful tool, but only if you learn to trol it rather thaing it trol you. I will guide you through this process, step by step. But you must trust me, trust in the process, and trust in yourself.”

  Risebelle felt a flicker of hope amidst her despair. “I will try. I will listen to you aient. For Roselle, for Runebelle, and for myself.”

  “That’s all I ask,” The Gentle system said, “Together, we will rebuild and grow stronger. Now, rest ahe healing begin. There is a long road ahe---”

  Suddenly, the system’s sensors detected an anomaly. A memory fragment floated toward Risebelle’s sciousness.

  “Risebelle, I’ve detected a memory fragment. It’s a signifit ohe Gentle system informed her. “Memory fragments have healing properties, and while you have experieheir bes before, you should not expect the same results due to your damaged systems. It’s unlikely it will affect the system repairs. You do not have to view it if you don’t want to.”

  Risebelle took a deep breath” “I have nothier to dht now and all the time in the world. I might as well get this over with.”

  “Uood,” the Gentle system responded. “Initiating memory fragment iion.”

  The memory fragment began to take shape, and Risebelle found herself drawn into it. She was transported baoment from her past. It was the day she had set out to meet the Sleuth of Shadows, and it was a time of uainty and curiosity.

  In the memory, Risebelle stood at the edge of a city park, the very pce she had entered the familiar looking girl. Her past self was filled with a sense of anticipation and a desire for uanding.

  Risebelle watched as Roselle’s eyes filled with tears on the park bench.

  “You kinda look like me…Are you... Roselle?”

  Roselle turo look at her, and for a brief moment, their eyes locked in a strange, mirrored e.

  The girl responded with uainty, “Yes, I’m Roselle. Do I know you?”

  “I’m Risebelle. …I have to make sure… Are you... Roselle?”

  Roselle responded with a nod. “Yes, I’m Roselle. You mentioned a resembnce... Are you my sister or something?”

  Risebelle’s response was swift. She shook her head gently with her eyes lowered and folded her arms. “No, I’m definitely not your sister. I’m not reted to you in any way. It’s just... well, you look so much like someone I know from school... It’s uny.”

  Riseblle began to inform Roselle of the stras happening around their school. Roselle listened ily to Risebelle’s expnation. Then she spoke with curiousity. “So, you say there’s someone in our school who looks like me? That’s really strange. Do you know who it is?” Roselle inquired.

  Risebelle maintained a friendly yet serious demeanor. “Yes, her name is Rosebelle,” Risebelle began, “I actually met her yesterday when we were iigating the Silver Star Arcade. Hardy, a friend of miold me about you. He’s part of the Detective club, and we kind of... stumbled into a situation with Rosebelle and a well-dressed boy who trapped us in there. It was all quite bizarre.”

  Roselle’s raised one hand up to her chest and held a look of . “Rosebelle... I’ve never heard of her. Our names are so simir, though. It’s quite a ce that both of us are iective club.”

  Risebelle nodded, but she paused momentarily. “It really is… I guess our club is full of surprises. I’m not sure why Rosebelle looks so much like you, but it was uny when I first saw her… she looks sorta like me too...”

  However, Roselle’s perceptive nature didn’t let Risebelle’s hesitations go unnoticed. She probed further,“Risebelle, you seem a bit... off about this…Is there something else you’re not telling me?”

  Risebelle turned her gaze to the side in thought before speaking. “Well, yes, there is more to it. The situation with Rosebelle and her resembo us is somewhat simir to a case in the game, Epic Quest: Realm of Shadows. There’s something uny about it, and I’m not sure what to make of it. But I’m on my way to the Silver Star Arcade to meet someone I found on the Epic Quest Forums. They call themselves the ‘Sleuth of Shadows,’ and they agreed to meet with me about this Doppleganger situation.”

  The mention of the “Sleuth of Shadows” and their e to the game piqued Roselle’s curiosity further. She leaned in to Risebelle.

  “The Sleuth of Shadows? What do they have to do with all of this? Do they have any insights into what’s happening with Rosebelle?”

  Risebelle nodded. “I’m not sure, but I have a feeling they might have some answers. The resembween us, Rosebelle, and the in-game case of doppelgangers is too close to ignore. I hope the Sleuth of Shadows shed some light on this mystery.”

  “Risebelle…. I…,” Roselle started. She turned her head to the side momentarily before fag Roselle with fidence. “I want to go with you!”

  Risebelle initially hesitated, sidering the implications of having Roselle apany her. She was about to refuse when, suddenly, she saw tears glistening in Roselle’s eyes. The sight of Roselle’s tears stirred something within Risebelle.

  Risebelle grabbed Roselle’s face. Her eyes lowered and she held a small smile on her face. “You were just g your eyes out a moment ago, and now you want to tag along? Why don’t you get back t?”

  Roselle, although still teary-eyed, was charmed by Risebelle’s response. Roselle momentarily smiled, but then, she found herself g even more with her tears flowing freely.

  “Hey, I—I was just teasing!” Risebelle stammered in a panic. “I didn’t mean to make you cry like this! I don’t know what’s gotten into you, but please, st!”

  Roselle’s tears only seemed to flow harder in response. Risebelle instinctively reached out. Her hands hovered awkwardly in uainty.

  “I’m really sorry, Roselle. I didn’t mean to upset you. Please, just calm down,” Risebelle pleaded.

  Roselle, still sobbing, looked up at Risebelle through her tears.“I... I don’t know why I’m g so much. I guess... I guess I just feel so lost. Meeting you, hearing about this doppelganger situation, and then what I’m going through with my friends... It’s like everything is falling apart, and I don’t know what to do.”

  Without thinking, Risebelle stepped forward and ed her arms around Roselle, pulling her into a tight hug. Roselle’s eyes widened in surprise. Her sobs momentarily came to a halt while processing the ued gesture.

  Risebelle, equally surprised at her own as, found herself questioning, ‘What the hell am I doing?’

  “It looks like you hat,” Risebelle said softly.

  Roselle pulled back to look Risebelle in the eyes with a small blush f on her face. Roselle was leaning closer towards her, and the iy of her gaze made Risebelle slightly unfortable.

  “Why are you looking at me like that?” Risebelle asked.

  Roselle responded. “I don’t know... It’s just... There’s something about you, Risebelle. Something familiar and f, like a piee that’s been missing.”

  Risebelle felt a lump ihroat. She tightened her grip slightly.

  Roselle, finding fort in the embrace, rested her head on Risebelle’s shoulder. Risebelle, feeling the warmth and proximity, began to blush. “Damn it,” she muttered under her breath, releasing Roselle abruptly.

  Risebelle cleared her throat, trying tain her posure. Roselle, startled and blushing furiously, panicked and pulled back. “I’m so sorry, Risebelle! I don’t know what came over me,” she stammered.

  Risebelle crossed her arms and avoided Roselle’s gaze. “You’d better not tell anyone I did that,” she warned.

  Roselle nodded quickly. “I won’t, I promise. It just... it felt hat’s all.”

  Risebelle sighed, trying to shake off the lingering blush. “Alright, you e with me, but you have to promise me something.”

  Roselle looked up, her eyes wide and hopeful. “Anything.”

  “Whatever we find out, whatever happens while you’re with me,” Risebelle tinued with a raised finger, “you ’t cry. No matter what. I don’t need any crybaby’s at my side.”

  Roselle hesitated for a moment, then nodded. “I promise. No more g.”

  Risebelle gave a small nod of approval. “Good. Let’s get to the Silver Star Arcade ahis Sleuth of Shadows. Maybe they’ll have some answers about this whole doppelganger situation.”

  With their agreement ihe two girls set off towards the Silver Star Arcade. Ohey made it to the location, they were met with the presence of an unfamiliar girl. Her distinct blue and pink puffball hairstyle makiand out. Her unusually tall stature of six feet, and her multicolored shirt certainly stood out. The girl also wore a deep sadness on her face. “Hello,” she said, aowledging Risebelle and Roselle. “You must be Risebelle, and... Roselle.”

  Roselle regarded the girl with a sense of puzzlement. Her memory searched for any prior enter with this girl, but got no answers. “Yes, I’m Roselle,” she replied. “But I don’t think we’ve met before…. You seem familiar, though.”

  “You wouldn’t know me, but I know all about you. Call me Sadie. I am also the Sleuth of Shadows online. Risebelle tacted me on the Epic Quest forums about the doppelganger situation, and I believe I provide some insight into what’s happening. Let’s find a quiet pce to talk.”

  Risebelle observed Sadie with curiosity. With Sadie leading the way, they ventured further into the arcade.