Project Mage

Sadie, seeing newfound assertiveness simply said, "Well, it looks like you're not the same person you used to be, Runebelle."

Runebelle's Mother chimed in, "Sometimes, a little anger can be a powerful force…."

Runebelle stared at Harty with concern. "Holy cow, I didn't realize how strong I was." She frowned, kneeling beside him. "Is he dead? Did I accidently kill him?"

Sadie spoke calmly in her mind. "You need to make sure, Runebelle. Check his pulse and see if he's breathing."

Runebelle took a deep breath. She gently placed two fingers on Harty's neck, feeling for a pulse. It was steady, and his chest rose and fell with each breath. Relief flooded through her. "He's breathing and his pulse is normal. He’s okay."

"Good," her Mother said softly from within. "Sometimes, we need to stand up for ourselves, but we must also take responsibility for our actions."

Runebelle nodded. She looked at Harty. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I didn't mean to nearly kill you."

Sadie spoke next. "Now, let's wake him up and find out more about this case he mentioned. If he truly needs our help, we should hear him out."

A blush crept onto Runebelle’s cheeks. She didn't know why, but the thought of waking him up made her feel flustered.

Sadie noticed Runebelle's sudden discomfort and chuckled. "What's wrong, sister?"

Runebelle's eyes darted around nervously. "I... I don't know what to do!"

Inside Runebelle's mind, Sadie and her Mother were momentarily dumbfounded. They looked at each other, then dropped to the ground in disbelief.

Sadie, lying flat on the imaginary ground, sighed deeply. "Of all the times to lose your nerve, Runebelle..."

Her Mother, similarly sprawled out, added with a chuckle, "It seems that this boy has you all flustered. Who would've thought?"

Runebelle tried to ignore the reactions in her mind. She took a deep breath and knelt beside Harty. With a slightly trembling hand, she gently shook his shoulder. "Hey, Harty, wake up. I'm sorry I hit you. I didn't mean to do it that hard..."

Harty groaned, slowly coming to. He blinked a few times, looking up at Runebelle with a dazed face, then felt around for his glasses. He found them and placed them on. Then he asked, "What... what happened?"

Runebelle offered a sheepish smile. "I overreacted. I thought you were part of Shadowcroft, and... well, I let my anger get the best of me. I'm sorry."

Harty rubbed his cheek, wincing slightly. "It's okay. I understand now. Shadowcroft must have done some terrible things to you."

Harty looked up at Runebelle. "You know, you're a tall woman. It kind of makes you intimidating. I should have expected that. Your boyfriend might need to be careful about you, you know..."

Runebelle's shoulders slumped a little with sadness creeping into her eyes.

Seeing her sadness, Harty waved his hands infront of himself. "No, no, I didn't mean it in a bad way! I mean, you carry yourself with such strength and confidence. It's... it's actually really impressive. You’re someone people can look up to, literally and figuratively."

Runebelle glanced at him with a sad smile. "Thanks, Harty…”

Harty was eager to make things right between them. He began to speak while gesturing towards her figure. "Seriously, though, you're actually beautiful. Your multicolored hair is unique and amazing. The guys who avoid you because of your appearance must be crazy. I mean, anyone who can't see how incredible you look is just missing out."

Milaca's words echoed in Runebelle's mind, but this was different. She was accustomed to Milaca's daily comments, but Harty’s was a whole different level.

Runebelle's cheeks flushed a deep crimson. She raised her hands to cover her face. "Stop, Harty! You're making me... blush..."

In a flustered state, Harty tried to clarify, "I just wanted to compliment you, not... I mean, I don't have any romantic feelings... I just... I'll stop talking now…"

Runebelle's Mother chuckled in her mind. "Looks like Harty got himself in quite the predicament, didn't he?"

Harty, still a bit flustered, finally got to the point. "I…have a detectives meeting planned after my chess club activities, and I've got permission to use the chess club room for it. I'd really like you to join, Runebelle. With your skills and knowledge, you could be a valuable addition."

However, Runebelle shook her head. "I appreciate the offer, Harty, but I've got my hands full with my own club activities and other commitments. I won't be able to attend your meetings."

Harty was persistent, trying to convince her. "I understand you're busy, but think of the mysteries we could solve together. The doppelgangers and the strange events – there's a connection, I'm sure of it. With your help, we could uncover the truth."

Runebelle remained resolute in her decision. "I’m really sorry, but I have to decline. I've got responsibilities and a lot on my plate right now."Harty presented Runebelle with a piece of paper bearing a username and explained, "This is the username for a private chatroom of investigators. I'm forming a team to track down the doppelgangers and uncover their true nature. I believe with your help, we could make significant progress."

Runebelle questioned, "Why are you so insistent on having me on your team, Harty?"

Harty hesitated for a moment before responding, "Because you're the Sleuth of Shadows, and having you with us would mean having someone with incredible knowledge and skills when it comes to doppelgangers. I've read all your posts on the Epic Quest Forums, and I believe you can help us solve this mystery."

Runebelle hesitated for a moment and gave it thought before nodding and accepted the piece of paper.

"Alright, Harty, I'll join your team. But I'm not making any promises about how much time I can commit."

Harty's face lit up a smile. "That's all I ask for, Runebelle. We'll be in touch through the chatroom. I'm excited to have you on board."

Runebelle returned home after her club activities, her mind buzzed with thoughts about her encounter with Harty and the new investigation team she had joined. She couldn't wait to dive into the world of detectives and investigators, which seemed to be a path she was working down towards.

She logged into the chatroom with her username, CipherMystery08. Runebelle observed the chatroom and noticed that there were only two other usernames actively participating in the conversation: Chessmaster12 and EnigmaGamer19. It appeared that these two individuals had been chatting frequently and were the only ones currently online. ‘Harty's group is smaller than I thought,’ she said to herself.

Runebelle decided to introduce herself to the chatroom: "Hello, I'm CipherMystery08. I'm new here. What have you all been discussing?"

EnigmaGamer19: Hey there, Newbie. We've been discussing a lot of stuff. What's up?

Chessmaster12: Welcome, CipherMystery08. Today, I met two girls: Roselle and Risebelle. They seem interesting.

CipherMystery08: Nice to meet you all. What's so interesting about these girls?

Chessmaster12: Roselle joined our detective's club today with her friend Sarah. Risebelle is a chess player from the chess club. I plan to talk to her tomorrow.

EnigmaGamer19: Watch out for 'Jess,' though. Avoid that girl at all costs.

Chessmaster12: That might be impossible if we're going to make her part of the detective's club.

EnigmaGamer19's reaction was immediate and intense. She starting typing in caps.

EnigmaGamer19: WHY DO YOU WANT TO LET JESS JOIN, CHESSMASTER12? WHY?

Chessmaster12 responded to EnigmaGamer19's outburst with a calm and collected demeanor.

Chessmaster12: I know you've got your issues with Jess, but sometimes, it's better to keep our enemies close, just like a game of Chess lol.

EnigmaGamer19: YOUR CHESS JOKES ARE AS LAME AS EVER!

Chessmaster12: ….EnigmaGamer19: FUCKING LAME ASS! FINE, DO WHAT YOU WANT. I DON'T CARE.

EnigmaGamer19 has left the chatroom.

With EnigmaGamer19 gone, Runebelle sought an explanation from Chessmaster12 in private chat.

CipherMystery08: What was that all about, Chessmaster12?

Chessmaster12: EnigmaGamer19 will be fine once they cool down. They just have some strong opinions about Jess, it seems.

Runebelle contemplated the situation, trying to piece together the information she had gleaned from the chatroom. In that moment, she felt Sadie's presence in her mind, “Runebelle, I think I might have a big idea here. We can use Harty to find out more about Roselle and Risebelle. If we're right, this could be the key to unraveling everything. My intuition tells me that Rosebelle might be the doppelganger, not just for Roselle but possibly for Risebelle as well. This could be our chance to stop Shadowcroft for good.”

Runebelle's eyes lit up with realization. “You're onto something, Sadie. This might lead us straight to stopping Shadowcrofts plan. Let's work with Harty to find the answers we need.”

CipherMystery08: Alright, I'll do my best to help you. Just let me know what you need.

Moments later, another message popped up from Chessmaster12.

Chessmaster12: I'd like to see you again, Runebelle. Would you be interested in meeting sometime again outside of school?

Runebelle blinked at the screen, slightly surprised by the unexpected request. She wasn't quite sure what to make of it, and she typed her response with a sense of curiosity.

CipherMystery08: What do you have in mind?

Runebelle's Mother offered her own perspective. “It sounds like a date, dear. You should consider it. It might be nice to get to know him better.”

Runebelle's cheeks flushed while typing her response to Chessmaster12's request.

CipherMystery08: Actually…Sure, we can meet up, but I'm pretty busy with my club, and I assume you are with yours.

Chessmaster12's reply was swift.

Chessmaster12: We don't have to go to the club every time, you know. How about one day a week, we meet outside of our club activities? It could be fun!

Runebelle contemplated his proposal, realizing that it might be a pleasant way to get to know him better. With a nod to herself, she typed her agreement.

CipherMystery08: Alright, one day a week sounds good. We can plan it out later.

Runebelle logged off her computer and changed from her school uniform into comfortable nightwear, she felt a sense of satisfaction. She had adjusted to the fusion of her own thoughts, her Mother's guidance, and Sadie's insights. It was a unique dynamic that had become an essential part of her life.

With a contented smile, she spoke within her mind to her Mother and Sadie, "You know, I've gotten used to this fusion of ours. It's like having the best of both worlds. Let's keep moving forward together."

Runebelle suddenly felt a gentle, yet firm pull prying her away from the vivid scenes of her past. Runebelle found herself back in the realm of her mind. The cheerful System had transformed into the likeness of a cheerleader, complete with pom-poms and a beaming smile.

"Rah-rah, Project Rune!" the cheerful System cheered, twirling a pom-pom with enthusiasm. "The Memory Fragment has ended!"Runebelle watched the enthusiastic performance of the System with slight surprise, but then a faint smile came to her face. The system continued. “Hooray! Project Rune Data collection increased to 75%! That's a fantastic 15% boost from the previous 60%!"

But then it turned more thoughtful and asked, "Do you feel more alive than you did before? Did this memory bring you some happiness within the sadness?"

Runebelle hesitated for a moment before responding. "I've experienced emotions I never thought I would. Finding out that I'm a fusion of three people... it's a lot to take in."

Then, a sudden realization struck her, and she asked, "Wait a minute, why am I called 'Project Rune'? My Mother's name is Rune, and it only just occurred to me…."

The System's cheerleader form took on a more serious tone, its pom-poms fading away. It began, "It's time, Project Rune. Now that your data collection has reached 75%, new information about yourself has been unlocked. This is a crucial moment, and what I'm about to share with you cannot be told to anyone. Any attempts to do so may result in an instant shutdown by Dr. Kintovar."

Runebelle, intrigued and slightly apprehensive about the seriousness of the situation, questioned, "What about my sisters? Can they know about this?"

The System responded with a somber tone, "You cannot tell anyone about this, not even your sisters, Runebelle. This is the risk we take when we discover such sensitive information."

The System placed her hands behind her back and said, "I've grown so attached to you, Runebelle, and I want you to continue to function. I fear being shut down, and that's why I must emphasize the importance of keeping this information secret."

Runebelle nodded. "I understand, and I won't share this information with anyone."

The System took a deep breath before continuing, "Very well, Runebelle. Project Rune stands for 'Reconstituted Unification Nexus Entity.' “Runebelle's eyes widened with each passing word. The System leaned in closer and continued,

"It's a title that represents fusion, but it's not only fusion... Rune, your mother's name, symbolizes the core of this project, and..."

The System’s trailed off for a moment, and Runebelle shifted from curiosity to shock. On the System’s final words, Runebelle's eyes finally widened to their fullest extent. She uttered the words, "It's ….Unthinkable!”