"T-thank you, come again!" The cashier nervously expressed their gratitude as Rea exited the convenience store called 'ConvinienceStoreGreen.' The expression sounded way too forced to be genuine.

Rea couldn't care less. She walked the streets of Unmei, carrying a plastic bag filled with groceries her aunt had ordered her to buy through a phone message. If Rea wanted to eat dinner tonight, she had to comply, especially since the sky was more night than day.

The sidewalks had barely any people on this side of town compared to the side where there was a shopping mall where Rea heard all of the shops would have a massive 50% discount for today and tomorrow only. She had no idea why those two days specifically, but it was not like she cared.

Rea would've gone there if it hadn't been on the other side of the city, making it not worth the trouble for her.

The lit cigarette in her mouth helped subdue the annoyance she felt about having to do such a task, the urge to beat up anyone who gave her a funny look, and the anger over how Yvy, from Rea's perspective, didn't mind their own business when she minded hers. Even if it was Rea's fault for forgetting to put out her cigarette when she returned from outside the school building, Yvy's self-righteous attitude about the whole thing still angered Rea.

Hey.

An intimidating frown grew on Rea's face as she remembered how Yvy had attempted to take the cigarette from her even after she had told her off. Such an annoying bitch... I guess that's what I get for thinking this year couldn't be more of a drag with my aunt teaching me...

Rea's frown deepened as she remembered how Yvy had stood her ground against Rea, someone who looked like they could easily snap their slim arm like a twig if they wanted to. Even after Rea grabbed her arm and stared Yvy down—something that once made every other stickler-by-the-rules, rich-kid Rea had dealt with before back off—Yvy only stared back at Rea in defiance, without a hint of fear in their eyes.

Hey!

If Rea hadn't been the target of said defiance, she would have actually respected how Yvy stood her ground against someone who could easily beat them up. But as it stands, it only made Rea grow even angrier.

HEY! A mental shout sounding exactly like Rea's voice called behind her for attention.

Rea stopped momentarily before entering the nearest alleyway, unable to further ignore the other major annoyance that had come to her life recently. Assured no one was nearby, Rea finally addressed the ghostly presence, which looked eerily similar to herself, clothes and all. Give me a break... WHAT DO YOU WANT!? Rea's expression grew into a snarl as she asked, her patience thinning.

The spirit scratched the back of her neck while looking away. I was just wondering if we could... y'know, talk? The ethereal presence shrugged. Throughout all the time we've been together, you've only been calling me names or just plain ignoring me. I've been playing along until now, but I'm getting fed up with your refusal to communicate!

That made Rea pause for a moment before brushing it off. Oh, you want to talk? Ok, how about we talk about the time you got me arrested?! Because of you, I got scolded by my aunt for days and transferred to that dump of a school!

The ghostly existence looked away, abashed, while pretending to kick a rock. I already said I was sorry. She muttered before continuing. And besides, it's not my fault you decided to try punching me out of nowhere. I mean, what was the big idea about that again?

Rea rolled her eyes. Oh, I don't know, how about you being some sort of... spiritual copycat probably trying to do something to me by trying to convince me that you are somehow me! I wouldn't even be surprised if it's all an elaborate ruse to possess me!

The expression of Rea's humanity grew into a scowl. Copy—I already told you I'm your humanity! How hard is that to understand? Also, why would I try to possess myself? How would that even work?

Very hard, actually, and as for you possessing me... as I would know, you're the ghost here! And last time I checked, other people's humanity doesn't just appear out of thin air! After a small pause, Rea tilted her head in curiosity. They don't, right?

Rea's humanity rolled her eyes and opened her mouth as if to disagree but... nothing came. After a pause, a frown grew on her expression. Y'know... that's actually a good question. I mean, no one but you seems to be able to see me. So it wouldn't be strange if the same applied to us where we can't see other people's humanities. And no one would talk about it because it has been known for so long that it's usually ignored. Add the fact that we don't usually pay much attention to what other people say, so there's a high chance we wouldn't care to know at the time when we were told about it... yeah, probably.

Rea stared at her humanity for what felt like an eternity until she was snapped out by her cigarette running out. Y'know what? Fuck it, this is stupid, I'm going home.

Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

Rea replaced her used cigarette with a new one before exiting the alleyway, trying her best not to think about the potential implications of what she just heard. The pace she walked to her home increased in turn. Shitty ghost, because of you now I gotta look for something or someone to punch to forget this...

You do know I can hear you, right? Rea's humanity asked with incredulity as it floated right behind Rea.

SHUT. IT! Rea ordered, nearing a point where she would try to punch her humanity, even if it led to another arrest by unintentionally punching someone else.

"Oh, come on, just give us a chance. We promise it'll be fun!"

Snapping out of her thoughts and looking to her right, Rea could see deep in an alleyway how a group of four shady guys circled a young girl. From where she stood, Rea saw how uncomfortable the delinquents made the girl feel through her expression. ...I can work with this. Rea thought as she may have just found a way to release some pent-up stress.

"As I already said, no is no. Thank you very much." The girl politely denied it, although Rea could see how forced it was from afar.

Normally, Rea would've just turned a blind eye and gone home. But now, after her talk with the ghost who claimed to be Rea's humanity, she wanted nothing more than to beat the first thing she could find to a pulp without worrying about her aunt finding out or getting arrested. Those delinquents harassing that girl checked all of the figurative boxes for Rea.

"Hey!" Rea called the delinquents after she entered the alleyway and picked up the cigarette from her mouth.

The delinquents turned their attention to Rea. After a second of taking Rea in, the one she assumed to be their leader addressed her. "What the hell do you want?" He asked, trying to intimidate her to go away.

Rea found his attempt to do so amusing as she smirked deviously. "I'm the one who's going to kick you and your friends' asses if you don't stop harassing her and get out of here this instant!" She warned them. Not to possibly avoid fighting—in Rea's eyes, it was inevitable—but to gain the plausible deniability to tell anyone who may witness the beatdown she was about to give them that they hadn't heeded her warning and that she was just defending someone.

Three out of the four delinquent's expressions grew uneasy after Rea's warning reached their ears. Rea wouldn't judge them for it since she wouldn't want to fight herself either.

The leader of delinquents, however, didn't seem entirely intimidated. "Who's saying we're harassing her? We are only inviting her to have some fun. She was even about to accept, isn't that right?" The leader and the three other delinquents turned to the girl he had been harassing with a smile.

Rea had to contain the urge to roll her eyes at the attempt to pressure his victim into agreeing with him. Rea was tempted to dropkick the delinquent's leader while he was distracted.

"What?! No! Just leave me alone already!" The girl instantly denied it, surprising all four delinquents at how badly their intimidation failed.

Rea couldn't help but burst out in a cackle of laughter. "Ah ah ah, wow, okay, I admit, I didn't expect that!" As she calmed down, Rea calmly walked towards the flustered delinquents. "So... since you guys aren't willing to leave, how are we doing this? Are you guys going to come at me? Should I come at you? Together? Any way is fine by me~" Rea taunted with a smirk as she clenched her fists.

Phrasing! Rea's humanity exclaimed, blushing slightly red.

Rea only needed a second to realize how weird what she said sounded, her eyes briefly growing wide. "Oh... shit, that sounded better in my head. Also, I told you to shut up!"

The delinquents didn't answer. They just tilted their heads in silent confusion at Rea seemingly talking to no one. The girl Rea was helping also tilted her head in confusion.

Rea shook her head in frustration. "Y'know what? Screw it. If you guys aren't choosing, I will!" Rea declared before rushing the four delinquents. Rea had her sights on the leader as she launched her attack.

Rea's punch against the leader's face was barely blocked in time, and even then, Rea could tell how sloppy it had been due to the loud crack of bone she heard from his arm and the loss of balance which made them fall backward on the ground with force.

Oh, I forgot to hold back... oh well.

The leader cried in pain while grasping their arm. The other delinquents traded nervous, wide-eyed glances between their crying mess of a leader and the intimidating figure of Rea, considering if they should run or fight. Rea chose for them as she threw a left hook at the closest one's face.

Unlike their leader, they weren't fast enough to dodge as Rea hit a clean hit on them, instantly knocking them unconscious. This time, Rea remembered to hold back so she wouldn't crack his skull by accident, but still strong enough that Rea saw one of his teeth fly out of their mouth.

Uh, so even holding back this much is still too strongg for them to get back up? How weak are they? Rea asked herself.

Come on, it was clear as day they wouldn't be as strong as us. If anything, they should've picked their fights better. Rea's humanity deadpanned.

"Fuck this! This girl is a monster!" One of the delinquents nervously yelled as he lifted the leader and ran away, with the other delinquent soon following by carrying the unconscious one on his shoulder.

As they left the alleyway and her sight, Rea tsked at how they had just run away when things didn't pan out for them. "Man... they didn't even stay long enough to serve as a warm-up, all bark and no bite I say! Can't even give me a good fight..."

They would've died if they stayed, Rea's humanity pointed out the flaw in that logic before adding. Even if it wasn't fun, at least it wasn't time-consuming. Our aunt would be so mad if we arrived late with the groceries.

"Thank you." Rea was snapped out of her thoughts by the voice of the girl that she just saved.

Turning her attention to them, Rea saw her giving her a small bow in appreciation. "Uhhh, don't sweat it?" Rea wasn't used to ending up in a situation where someone would thank her for anything. Rea had expected the girl to run away from her in fear, so she didn't know how to handle this. "I was just on my way home when I heard something coming from here."

"I see... well, would you mind giving me your name?" The girl politely asked.

Rea shrugged. "Sure, my name is-"

Rea couldn't finish that sentence as an unfamiliar voice interrupted her. "Stop right there!"

Rea and the girl she just saved turned to see who shouted that. Rea couldn't help but grow a frown at the two girls wearing animal masks that looked like they were made out of plastic, and the dog with a star-shaped yellow mark on their forehead.

The girl wearing a white bull mask stepped forward before pointing dramatically at them. "I won't let a darkspawn like you trick this innocent girl, not while I, Guardian Taurus, am here!"

Give me a fucking break...what now? Rea groaned.