Florence bolted upright from the floor, stretching her hands out with scars dotted her forearm, pushing the blanket off herself. Wait… her arms? No… it could not be. The sweat covered her forehead. She patted her body, rustling the soaked and torn dress and apron.

“Give yourself a break,” Aisling said. She sat on the round table, crossing her legs. She pushed her palm against her cheeks, glancing over the painting of a lily hanging on the wall. “You gotta stop pushing yourself too hard.”

Sam purred, licking his fur at the opened door leading into another room with a refrigerator.

“Pardon me, where am I? I was like somewhere else,” Florence said.

Aisling tilted her head. “Isn’t it obvious where we are?”

“This is… the charity that you worked for. But… how?”

“Also, try not to move too much.”

“Why?”

A snore rang on the left of Florence.

She turned around, scratching her right thigh.

Next to her, Yuze breathed in and out through her nose with her eyes closed. Her arms and legs spread across the floor, invading the space where Stella curled up into the ball.

Jack coughed, cupping the cracked monitor of his television head. He blocked the door with an electric warning sign and tapped his foot on the doorframe.

Florence stretched her hand out, reaching for Stella’s shoulder blade scar. The leathery texture rubbed against Florence’s fingertips. What happened recently… None of that was a dream.

“Well, at least you got better,” Aisling said. “That’s if I gotta guess.”

Florence placed her hand on the injured half of her face, prickling her nerves under her skin. “Pardon me, did you understand what I just said?”

“Yup.”

“How did my injuries heal this quickly?”

“It has been a month.”

“Pardon?”

Aisling nodded with a smile.

“Pardon me, what were you doing in the Prince Underground Railway?” Florence asked.

“I’m quite sure you already know why we were down there,” Aisling said.

“Sorry, but I am talking about why were you there back when it was not haunted?”

“What’re you talking about?”

A burning screech erupted from the nerves under Florence’s skin. She gritted her teeth, shrinking into herself. She covered the blisters bubbling on her shoulder blade.

Aisling jumped down from the dining table, landing on her feet with a thud. “Are you alright?”

Florence nodded, biting her lip. “I am certain that I am fine,” she said. She stood up in a stumbling step but immediately dropped to her knees. The muscles within her thighs contracted, stinging her nerves and preventing her from moving.

“Listen to Aisling, Florence,” Jack said. “You still ain’t recovered yet.”

Aisling pushed Florence on the shoulder to rest on the floor.

“Aisling, there are a few questions that I want to ask you.” Florence rolled onto her side. “If I may ask, how did you, Stella, Sam, and Mai get out there alive?”

Aisling smiled, killing the sparkle in her eyes as she evaded eye contact. She hushed, pressing her finger on Florence’s lips. “What’re you even talking about?”

“Could you stop doing that?”

“Doing what?”

“You know what I am talking about?”

The wrinkles on the corner of Aisling’s mouth disappeared. She kicked back, lying down next to Florence.

“Pardon me, how about you answer me for once?” Florence asked.

“I honestly kinda don’t know how you know I was there in the first place?” Aisling placed her hands behind her head. “I guess… it’s just that sometimes… I don’t know. Just forget about it.”

“I am absolutely not asking about that. It’s just that… would ghosts look the same as when they were back when they were an NPC or Player.”

“Gosh, this is what you’re concerned about?”

“Sorry, I just wanted to finish this investigation immediately. Since, you know… my sister. And I also have to find Martine somehow.”

Jack slid onto the floor, leaning against the door with an electric warning sign. He stared at Florence, Aisling, Yuze, and Stella in an eerie silence.

“Kinda creepy.” Aisling hugged herself. “Could you not do that?”

“What? It ain’t like any of you are going to leave this place with the pink androids looking for you,” Jack said.

Florence slapped her hand on her forehead, wiping the sweats off. “Why would the pink androids be looking for us?”

Stella yawned, cupping her mouth. She blinked, rubbing her brown eyes.

“Rise and shine, sweetheart,” Aisling said. “Anyways, they’re looking for us because we kinda might… you know what… I think you’re smart enough to figure it out.”

“Aisling, you are not her mother,” Florence said.

“I… I don’t think we were here a moment ago.” Stella brushed her hazel bangs. “I mean… how did we get here?”

Aisling raised her thumbs up. “Well, at least I don’t have to force Jack to smooch both of you.”

“Pardon me, what is a smooch?” Florence asked.

“Hey.” Jack snapped his fingers. “Don’t get me involved in this matter.”

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“Florence and Stella had been asleep for a whole month. Might as well give it a shot,” Aisling said.

Sam hissed, baring his teeth. He slapped his paws across the floor, diving under the shades of the table.

“I am not certain how that would help?” Florence cleared her throat. “Aisling, were you trying to derail me from asking questions about what happened that day?”

Aisling bolted upright, crossing her legs. “What? But… you are already asking questions?”

“I am asking questions regarding what happened on that day.”

“Is it me, or are you losing more brain cells?”

“Pardon?”

Stella sneezed, cupping her nose.

“Bless you.” Florence sat back up, pinching between her eyes. “By the way, I want to talk with you about something.”

“Wait a minute, Florence, I thought you wanna ask me some questions,” Aisling said.

“So, what’s it?” Stella’s cheeks reddened. “I mean, you can say it right here… I think.”

“Good, but I want to discuss it privately with you,” Florence said.

“Hey, you all are seriously gonna ignore me like that,” Aisling said. She pointed at herself, tilting her head sideways. “You do realize I’m still here.”

Stella nodded, looking over to an opened door leading into another room.

“You want to talk over there?” Florence asked.

Stella nodded.

“This is kinda amazing,” Aisling said. “Can’t believe I’m actually being ignored.”

Florence and Stella crawled, their bottoms sliding, into the other dim room through the opened door. They stopped beside a refrigerator.

Stella turned towards Florence, hiding her brown eyes behind her hazel bangs.

“I am sorry… for asking to talk with you privately,” Florence said. “It is that… you know… Aisling is not getting me anywhere.”

“I mean… It’s fine.” Stella waved her hands. “Don’t worry about it. It’s really nothing.”

Florence pushed Stella’s hazel bangs aside, staring at her brown eyes.

Stella fidgeted her skirt, rustling it. “What… what do you want?”

“Just… stop hiding behind your disguise,” Florence said. She pulled Stella’s eyelids, squeezing the brown lens out of her red eye. “I… am sorry.”

“What… I mean, what do you mean? You don’t have to be sorry.”

“I could have done something.”

“Done… what?”

“Why can’t I save any of you? Lucy… Chloe and you.”

“I think you’re… I mean, how do you know those names?”

“I am sorry, especially after shattering your band. I hope that you accept my apology.”

“I think… you don’t have to be sorry. I mean… you weren’t even there back when it happened.”

“I was… never mind.”

Florence hit the side of her head on the refrigerator, drooping the corner of her mouth. She clenched the skirt of her dress, wrinkling it. Her fingers turned white.

Stella looked down on her palm, twirling her thumbs. “I guess… it’s for the better,” she said. “Probably… I should have given it up years ago… I think.”

“Why? How could you say such a statement?” Florence asked. “At least you are alive. You can still… Wait, how did you… survive through all of that?”

Behind Florence, someone coughed next to her ear.

Stella yelped, leaping backward and covering her eyes.

Florence wheeled around.

“Why are you so surprised?” Aisling smiled, placing her hands behind her back. “Am I that scary?”

Stella shook her head. “I mean… I think you know why.”

“Could you not stick your nose in private matters, Aisling,” Florence said.

Aisling tilted her head. “Anyways, what’re you guys discussing?”

“Well, I mean… is nothing much,” Stella peered through the gap between her fingers. “To be fair… I’m not that sure.”

“Why am I not getting any answers?” Florence asked. She turned her head away from Aisling.

Aisling pinched Florence on the chin, rotating her head back.

“Pardon me, what do you want now?” Florence rubbed the back of her skull, rustling her unkempt hair. “Or are you trying to do something else?”

“Let me guess, you kinda think she is the one for our case,” Aisling said.

“I am only asking… for my own curiosity’s sake.”

“So, you’re kinda suspicious of me, her, and anyone else who survived it.”

Aisling jabbed her index finger at Florence’s chest.

“What are you trying to do?” Florence asked. “Shouldn’t you be worried about Yuze? I mean… look at her for a second.”

Aisling scratched her cheeks. “I’m kinda not sure how you… Did you eat that EXP Crystal and the Ability Leaf?”

Florence swallowed, nodding her head.

Aisling clenched her fist, striking her palm. “Whatever, we’ll figure out your ability later. Wait… is that the reason both of you’re being a bunch of weirdos.”

“This is very rude of you to say that,” Florence said.

“Am I that strange?” Stella lowered her head, clasping her hands together. “I’m… sorry.”

“Nope, I didn’t mean it like that,” Aisling said. She coughed. “Sorry, it’s my throat… again.”

“Pardon me, could we perhaps get back on track?” Florence asked.

Stella curled into a ball, collapsing onto the refrigerator. “I mean… Why would it be your throat?” She hid her face between her knees. “Of course, you’re talking about me.”

“I’m not talking about you,” Aisling said. She punched her chest. “It’s kinda something else.”

Florence squeezed the contact lens between her fingers. “I am a bit lost on who the one behind this case is,” she said. “But if you, Sam, and Mai survived that incident, it might be one of you.”

Aisling pressed her palms against her knees, standing up.

“Unless… it is someone else,” Florence said.

“Come on, you shouldn’t be doubting any of us.” Aisling shoved her hands into the pockets of her hooded shirt. “Plus, that’s kinda not how it works.”

“Pardon me—”

“You do kinda realize that all those ghosts must be a dead Ability User. Then they’ll kinda start doing their usual things like haunting or twisting the surroundings to their domain.”

“That still does not explain how you all survived it.”

“What’re you talking about? We’re still in one?”

“This is not what—”

Stella gripped Florence on the wrist, tugging her closer.

“So, wait… what you wanna know exactly?” Aisling shrugged, pouting. “Well, I guess it could be kinda disorienting for you.”

“How about you stop bringing me on this Ring Around the Rosie of yours?” Florence asked.

“Since when did I ever do that?”

“Every single time.”

“You’re exaggerating it at this point.”

Stella pulled Florence on the wrist again.

“Pardon me, how may I help you?” Florence asked. She turned towards Stella. “Feel free to say it now.”

A purr rang between them.

Florence lowered her head, peering down at Stella’s lap, where Sam curled into a ball with his tail tucked in. Wait… since when did he waltzed up next to Stella. But his pupils dilated as he stared at the opened doorway.

“I mean… I don’t think… Well, there is just one particular problem,” Stella said.

“Quiet up, you plebs and Stella,” Sam said. He gave Florence a side-eye.

Florence froze.

“What is it, pleb?” Sam hissed. “Didn’t you hear what I said?”

“I absolutely did,” Florence said.

“I mean… I don’t mean to offend you,” Stella said. “But… your sister… Is she… real? And… Martine?”

Florence nodded, leaning against the refrigerator.

Stella pulled her bangs down. “Are you… sure about that? I mean… are you not lying to yourself or us?”

“I am absolutely not lying to any of you,” Florence said.

“I… I really hope you are telling us the truth.”

“I am. Pardon me, but we must get back on track to solve this investigation now.”

A knock on the opened door echoed into the room.

Florence, Aisling, and Stella spun around.

Jack stood below the arch of the doorway. “Are you done with your chit-chat yet?”

“Sorry about that, it’s just that Florence wanna discuss… a certain stuff,” Aisling said. “We’ll help if this is what you want?”

“Get over here, now.”

“Am I getting paid for this?”

“I doubt this should be the least of your concerns with those pink androids looking for you.”

“I know… but I still kinda have to pay off the debt somehow.”

“There’s something you should be more worried about than that. Well… it’s Yuze.”