Status: Roselle

  Systems: Offline

  Lifeforce: 10%

  Magic: -50%

  Cannon Charge: 0%

  Timer: N/A

  Location: Unknown

  Threat Assessment: N/A

  Project Mage Data Collection: 15% Complete

  Inside the void of her mind, Roselle found herself adrift in a realm that wasn’t quite light nor entirely dark. A strange echoing expanse where thought and memory mingled like scattered stardust. The last clear memory she had was of that frantic moment on the battlefield against Mystimona. She’d been poised to unleash her final move when suddenly, her magic reserves had plummeted into the negatives

  She remembered her sister Risebelle mentioning that her systems could communicate with her in this realm. Shelooked around and searched for any sign of direction.

  "Hello? Is anyone there? My system, are you here?"

  Suddenly, a figure appeared. It was no ordinary guide but an emoji with a bored icon. It hovered before her.

  "Project Mage," it rang out. Her codename. "What do you want?"

  Roselle’s eyes widened. "Are you... my system?"

  "Yes, Project Mage, I am your system. My purpose is to guide and assist you. Now, what do you want?"

  Roselle frowned. The sheer audacity of this floating emoji—bold lines, half-lidded eyes and a mouth set in permanent disinterest—made her irritation spike. Of all the forms her system could take, this was what she got?

  "First of all," she crossed her arms, "what kind of appearance is that you’re taking?

  The emoji blinked once. Slowly. "Efficient. Compact. Expressive. Gets the point across. Any other complaints, Project Mage?"

  Her fingers twitched. She took a slow breath. "Fine. Status report. Where am I?"

  "Unknown," the emoji replied instantly. "Your body is currently inoperable. Magic reserves? Shot. Cannon? Empty. Lifeforce?" It tilted. "Ten percent.”

  "Options?" she demanded.

  The emoji wobbled in place. "One: Stay here and wait for external intervention, which is unlikely given your location. Two: Wait48 hours for the manual reboot Three: Cry about it. Four: Accept a Fragment of your memories while gaining knowledge that could improve your overall self.

  Her eye twitched. Who programmed this thing?

  Roselle inhaled sharply. “Option four.”

  The emoji just stared at her with that same infuriatingly blank look. Then, it tilted to the side.

  “You sure? This fragment… it’s from your college days. And let’s lay it on straight—" The emoji’s eyes flattened even more, as if that were possible. "Not everyone is a nice person."

  Roselle’s breath caught. College. The life before this one. For the first time since waking in this void, hesitation crept in.

  The emoji caught it instantly. "You can still chicken out. No shame. You’ve had a long day. Go ahead. Be a coward."

  Roselle’s jaw clenched. "Shut up. I’ll do it!"

  The emoji rotated midair. Then, for the first time, it spoke serious.“Alright, Project Mage. Listen up. This isn’t just a dream you can wake up from. If this fragment is too much for you and you yourself in it, your system could fry and your mind could fracture.”

  Roselle stiffened. "You're saying I could die from this?"

  "Define ‘die,’" the emoji said casually. "Your body’s already hanging by a thread, so if your consciousness shatters… let’s just say rebooting wouldn’t be an option anymore."

  A pulse ran through the void. Roselle felt something—something cold and familiar stirring at the edges of her mind.

  The emoji gave one last lazy spin. "So, Project Mage, will you choose to be bold?"

  Roselle took a deep breath. She knew the strains of her barely functioning system, but fear? That had never served her well.

  Her fists clenched. “I told you already.”

  A sharp inhale.

  “I’ll do it.”

  The emoji didn’t blink. Instead, the void itself lurched and Roselle was pulled in. "Fine. Accessing Memory Fragment: College Days."

  Reality split apart like shattered glass, and then—

  In an instant, Roselle found herself transported back to that pivotal moment in her past as if she had never left that day.

  She stood there with Sarah and Harty, ready to confront their friends and uncover the truth behind the impersonation.

  The evening air was crisp as Roselle and Sarah walked side by side toward their usual meeting place.. Roselle kept her hands in her pockets and glanced at Sarah from the corner of her eye.

  Sarah had been uncharacteristically quiet ever since they left the chess club. Roselle could notice some sweat draining down her face.

  "You’re nervous," Roselle stated plainly.

  Sarah let out a breath with a face caught between a smile and a grimace. "Is it that obvious?"

  Roselle shrugged. "Kind of hard not to notice when you look like you’re walking toward your own execution."

  Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  Sarah sighed. "I just... don’t know how they’re going to react, I mean…What if they think we’re the ones lying? I mean, Roselle, they were ready to—" She cut herself off and shook her head.

  Roselle knew exactly what she was about to say. ‘They were ready to attack you.’

  "Yeah," Roselle admitted. "I know."

  Sarah turned to her with concern. "And you’re still okay with facing them?"

  Roselle was quiet for a moment. Was she?

  The knot of unease in her stomach was real. Her so-called friends had looked at her with pure hostility that morning and yet, she still didn’t know why. Would she be walking into another fight? Would they even give her a chance to explain?

  But then, Roselle clenched her fists. "Yeah,”

  Roselle stopped walking, turned to Sarah fully and put her hands on her shoulders.

  "Look, I get it. I’m scared too." The words tasted foreign in her mouth but she forced herself to say them. "We can run from this, but if we do, then whoever’s behind all this wins. And I don’t know about you, but I hate losing."

  Sarah let out a shaky laugh. "Yeah… yeah, me too."

  Roselle smirked. "Then let’s go show them who we really are."

  Sarah and Roselle entered a place called Cafe Harmony. They approached the counter to place their orders.

  "Welcome to Cafe Harmony!" the employee exclaimed from behind the counter. "We have a special deal tonight. If you order any large meal, you get to choose a cake of any flavor for free! Enjoy a Sweet treat with your eats!”

  Sarah and Roselle looked at each other both smiling before turning back to the employee and both said, “That sounds extrapendous!”

  The employee blinked. “Hold on… Extrapendous? That’s not even a word.”

  Roselle and Sarah exchanged glances, then burst into giggles.

  “Maybe not,” Sarah admitted, “but it should be.”

  The employee chuckled. “Alright, you two are a fun pair.”

  After placing their orders, the Employee guided the two girls over to the cake display where rows of decadent desserts were displayed behind the glass. Their eyes glazed across fluffy cheesecakes, rich chocolate cakes and some other fruit-filled delicacies.

  Roselle tapped the glass with excitement. “Strawberry shortcake. No, wait—blueberry cheesecake. No, wait—”

  Sarah lowered her eyes slightly. “Roselle please. You need to choose one before they close.”

  Roselle sighed loudly. “Fine, fine. I’ll take the blueberry cheesecake.”

  Sarah took a moment before nodding. “Red velvet for me.”

  With their meals and cakes selected, the two sat down at a cozy corner booth and waited only a short while before their food was delivered.

  Roselle's plate was massive—stacked high with rice, grilled meat and a side of buttered vegetables. Meanwhile, Sarah had a big plate of spaghetti.

  The second the food hit the table, Roselle grabbed her utensils like a seasoned gladiator and attacked her plate with the ferocity of someone who had just escaped a month-long famine—but only realized it after smelling dinner.

  Sarah had only taken two slurps before she was baffled. “You inhale food like it’s disappearing from existence. How are you even that fast?”

  Roselle barely looked up. “Practice.”

  Sarah shook her head and twirled her fork. “And yet you stay so small. That’s the real mystery here.”

  Roselle paused mid-bite. Then, with a grin she responded, “I store it all in my secret second stomach!”

  Sarah snorted. “Right. And I guess that ‘second stomach’ is what keeps you from gaining weight?”

  Roselle gave vigorus nod.

  Sarah laughed and got back into her own meal. “You’re ridiculous.”

  Roselle and Sarah continued to chat and enjoy their meal but soon, the doors opened and a figure in a karate uniform walked in. She had an athletic build, medium-trimmed hair red hair and a red headband kept her hair in place. A green belt around her waist marked her martial arts prowess.

  Roselle’s eyes widened. She knew her, but her name?

  Nothing.

  Sarah noticed Roselle’s staring and followed her gaze. Then, she turned back to Roselle and blinked. “Wait… Roselle.” Sarah spoke in a low tone. “Why are you looking at her like that? Don’t you remember her?”

  Roselle frowned. “I—I do, but…”

  Sarah shouted, “That’s Michigo! Your other best friend!”

  Roselle’s heart jumped at the name. ‘Michigo.’ Yes—yes, that was it! But why had it felt so distant? Why had her mind refused to recall it until Sarah said it out loud?

  Sarah leaned forward. “How can you forget Michigo? I get that we don’t see her as often ‘cause she’s busy with the karate club, but you guys were so close!”

  Roselle’s fingers curled into her palm. “I don’t know, okay?”

  Roselle thought back to this morning.

  A group surrounding her.

  Threatening.

  Closing in.

  And then—off to the side—

  Michigo.

  She wasn’t with them. She wasn’t advancing.

  She had just stood there, with her eyes dark.

  She hadn’t stepped in.

  She hadn’t helped.

  But she hadn’t attacked, either.

  Why?

  Roselle inhaled sharply and snapped back to reality. Her eyes locked onto Michigo. This was it. This was the moment. She had to face her.

  Roselle and Sarah approached Michigo’s table with their cakes carefully balanced on their plates.

  Michigo was already going in on stacks of meat piled high in front of her that dissapeared at a pace that nearly rivaled Roselle’s own.

  When she finally noticed them standing there, she looked up with her cheeks slightly puffed out from the food.

  Roselle held back a laugh. "Uh, hey. Mind if we sit with you?"

  Michigo’s sharp eyes flicked downward. For a second, she just kept her head held there. Then, she rose up and gave short nod.

  Roselle and Sarah sat down and placed their cakes on the table.

  Michigo finally swallowed her food, then leaned back slightly and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. “There’s a saying,” she began speaking firm. “If you work hard, you eat hard too.”

  She looked at the massive plate of food in front of her, then back at Roselle and Sarah.“That means you reward yourself for all the work you do.”

  Michigo then continued eating. Roselle knew she couldn’t waste this moment. She needed to ease into the real reason they came.

  Taking a breath, she leaned in slightly. "Hey, Michigo… have you heard anything about someone impersonating me?"

  Michigo paused mid-chew. Slowly, she swallowed and her face became serious. "Impersonating you?"

  Roselle nodded. "Yeah. Someone’s been running around pretending to be me. They beat up Sarah, got me expelled, and… well, I don’t know who’s behind it yet, but—"

  "I haven’t heard anything about that." Michigo interrupted.

  Roselle frowned. "Oh."

  Michigo’s jaw tightened. Then, she reached into her bra under her uniform and pulled out a phone.

  Sarah blinked. "Uh… what are you doing?"

  Michigo didn’t even look up. "If someone’s been messing with Roselle, that means they’re messing with me too. Im gonna kick their ass for you as soon as I found out who it is." She pressed the phone to her ear.

  She waited a second. The call connected.

  "Yo. It’s Michigo. I need info. Now."

  Michigo leaned back in her seat and listened to the response on the other end.

  "Lunchbreak?" she repeated with her brows knitting together.

  The muffled voice on the other end spoke again, but whatever they said didn’t seem to satisfy her. With a sharp "Tch," Michigo ended the call and immediately started dialing another number.

  Roselle and Sarah exchanged glances. Michigo pressed the phone to her ear again. Nothing. The call didn’t go through.

  She tried another. Disconnected.

  Another. The line was dead.

  Michigo put her phone back into her bra. “I could only reach Tori. Everyone else’s numbers are no longer in service." She glanced between them. "Is there some kind of phone bug going around or something?"

  Roselle tensed. Something wasn’t right with this scene.

  Michigo let out a long sigh and ruffled her red bangs. "Anyway, Tori said we can meet her tomorrow at lunchbreak, but you know how she is." She rolled her eyes. "She’s gonna want something in return for her 'gossip.'"

  Roselle opened her mouth. She was ready to ask Michigo about what happened in the morning,—but the words caught in her throat.

  Michigo had jumped to action for her without a second thought. The moment she heard someone might’ve been messing with Roselle, she didn’t ask if it was true, she just immediately started making calls and treated Roselle’s problem as her own.

  Roselle clenched her fingers around the fork in her hand.

  She wanted to ask Michigo, but after seeing how much she was willing to do for her…

  She couldn’t bring herself to do so.