-The world's most beautiful concert starts from the ruined.

Y/N: ...

Waking up was the most painful thing, waking up with the feeling that something was going to happen. I slowly prepared myself and gave myself some words of encouragement, trying to calm myself before facing the new day.

...

...Unfortunately, I was right.

Y/N: What the-

Frozen in place, the only I could do was wtinessing the horrible reality in front of my eyes. Normally, I would deny it but after seeing it multiple times, I could only force myself to accept that sight.

Y/N: This is...

Seeing the large amalgamation of robots melted together, I could only think of the same girl known as Tiphereth, crying for my attention before running away. The same one that I first thought to be a brat, only to end up being the one tossed aside since nobody would look her way.

Y/N: Tiphereth!

Gathering my courage, I mustered the strength to say her name, wanting to put a stop to the current problem. The robot on the top looked down, observing me standing in front of it. Remembering the conversation that we had yesterday, she was probably on the breaking point and I caused her to snap...

Tiphereth: Y/N never looks at me, Y/N doesn't want to be with me, Tiphereth is gone and I'm all alone now.

Y/N: ...

I couldn't do anything, she was too deep in her delusions, the only thing I could do was my job. In that state, my words would only bounce against her. Thinking about the current situation, I probably shouldn't blame myself since I normally wouldn't remember about the 'last times' but I couldn't stop myself from putting the blame on me, it was my fault for ignoring her.

Tiphereth: Stop ignoring me!

Her long arms suddenly swung down and bounced against the bodies of the robots below her, causing the whole ground to shake violently. Trying to keep my balance, I used a desk to put my weight on it, gritting my teeth.

Intercom: Warning! Anomalies detected inside containment units, meltdowns imminent!

Y/N: Meltdowns?

???: What's going on?!

Turning my head around, I saw a familiar face, Maria. She ran inside the department, wearing Forsaken Murderer's suit. Noticing the eldritch monster standing near us, she dropped on the ground from shock.

Y/N: ...We have to call the Manager, he probably knows what those meltdowns are!

Pulling her back on her feet, I pressed her to go call him through the support services. Now back on my own, I prepared my stuff in order to perform my duties and glanced back at Tiphereth, grabbing the corpses laying everywhere.

Y/N: ...This is gonna be a very long day.

...

...

Alter Ego: What is this, why are we receiving so many work requests?!

Panicking a little, the captain of the Security team was trying her best to manage everything but it was slowly starting to overwhelm her, unable to fill every requests given to them. Plus, the recent memories of yesterday caused her to work a little slower than usual-

Alter Ego's mind: Now isn't the time, focus!

Daniel: Alter Ego?

Alter Ego: ...

Completely absorbed in her work, she wasn't able to hear the man's voice trying to grab her attention. Noticing that, he stepped closer and repeated the process that will soon lead him to his downfall.

Alter Ego: WHAT?!

With all the stress accumulating, she screamed at the one who tried to ask her something. Daniel took a step back from shock, not expecting her to lash out at him like that. The captain realized her mistake and hid her face with her arms.

Alter Ego: I'm sorry... I didn't mean... I didn't mean it...

Daniel: ...You're busy, it's my fault, I apologize.

He bowed in her direction and walked away to go take care of a task given by the Manager, trying to lessen her burden.

Alter Ego: ...I'm a terrible captain...

She looked down, blaming herself for her outburst. As a captain, keeping her head high to make the ones working with her glad to be with her was part of the job, she wasn't even able to do that.

Alter Ego: ...

...

...

Y/N: Another task?! Give me a break already!

The employee loudly yelled his discontent at the monitor giving him orders. However, nobody answered, causing him to look even stupider than before. Sighing to himself, he rushed through Tiphereth's department to a new one that he never went to before.

Everything that blue there, way too much blue in one room in his opinion.

Y/N's mind: At the same time, it's the same for every departments... where's the gothic department?

Chuckling a little at his own joke, he unlocked the door and prepared his notes, ready to face the unknown once more. He took a deep breath and took his first step, witnessing the new threat added to this facility.

This time, the unknown was shaped like a statue, a statue that could soon kill many if left unattended.

Y/N: ...Just keep observing and you should be fine.

Weakly encouraging himself, he quickly started his job, writing down the appearance of the entity. During that, a soft melody was playing around the room, a melody causing discomforts to the person with the statue.

Y/N's mind: Ignore it, ignore it....

Slowly but surely, it soon started to become louder, much more louder. With each notes, the volume only kept escalating, a distorted music capable of ripping someone's eardrums. Unable to continue the work, Y/N covered his ears and waited for the timer to reach its maximum, allowing him to leave.

....Something was wrong, why was this happening if nothing bad was going to happen? It was clear to him that he might have triggered a reaction from the new abnormality.

The timer then allowed him to leave, which he did. Exiting the containment unit, he held his head with one of his hands, feeling like he was about to pass out.

Y/N's mind: I'm gonna need some medecines after that...

However, he already knew that it wouldn't be that easy, the day only began along with the problems. Returning to the Central Command team, he was greeted by Tiphereth looking around while shaking her long arms around her.

Tiphereth: Y/N?! Y/N, why did you abandon me? You said before that you wouldn't leave me, where are you?!

Not noticing his presence, he silently watched her observe the main room of the department, at least the one she was stuck in. Trying to look for him but not finding him anywhere, she continued her pleadings for the one standing next to her.

Tiphereth: Y/N, I'm sorry! I'm sorry for yelling at you, please don't leave me, I don't want to be alone again! I don't want be ignored by Y/N!

Y/N: ...

...There was only one thing that could be done, a single chance to reach her through the loud alarm going through the intercom and her lamentations, his voice could reach her if the timing was right.

...

...

Y/N: Tiphereth, where are you?!

Yelling at the top of my lungs, I reached her, trying to make her react to my presence. Her eye suddenly started searching around until it landed on me.

Tiphereth: Y/N, don't leave me, I'm sorry for what I've done! I'll change, I just don't want to be alone again!

Y/N: ...

She extended her robotic arm in my direction, her sharp claws reaching for me. However, instead of grabbing me, she simply showed me her hands, waiting for me to grab it.

Y/N: ...

Looking back at her, I gave her a large smile, trying my best to fix the mistake that I caused. Reaching for her hand, I only focused on her and her only, reassuring her.

???: Don't do it Y/N!

Y/N: Huh?

I turned around and someone immediately tackled me, pushing me away from my designated Sephirah. Feeling the cold wall behind my back, I groaned for a moment and opened my eyes to see who it was.

Y/N: Gebura, what are you doing?

Gebura: Saving your ass, that's what I'm doing!

She was so close that the only thing separating us was the arm that she used to tackle me, keeping me pinned against the wall like I was a decoration. She soon stepped away, dragging me away from Tiphereth.

Y/N: What are you doing?! I have to help Tiphereth-

Gebura: You're not gonna help her, you're only gonna kill yourself!

She looked back at me, shooting a powerful glare in my direction. It was so strong that the strength in my legs vanished, allowing her to drag me away from the Central Command team under Tiphereth's watch.

Tiphereth: Y/N, don't leave me, I beg you!

Y/N: We can't leave her like that! She needs someone to help her, that's why this is happening!

Gebura: You don't understand do you?!

Y/N: Understand?

Gebura: You're only making it worse, YOU are the reason that she snapped, why do you think your presence will help her?

Y/N: ...But-

Gebura: Don't approach her, it's for your own safety.

Y/N: ...

Trying to formulate a response, I was left standing there in silence, looking at the woman in crimson.

Gebura: Now that you didn't become one of those upper Sephirah's slave, I can't afford to let you die right now.

Y/N: Slave? Why the hell would I stoop to that level?

Gebura: ...It's best that you don't know. All you need to know is to keep your distances from her, she's unstable.

Y/N: ...

Not saying anything back, I accepted her request. Pleased with my decision, she walked away, leaving me on my own in the hallway of her own department... that's what I thought until her voice reached me once more.

Gebura: Try to keep that kindness to yourself, a certain Sephirah from the lower level could use it against you.

Y/N: ...

I nodded.

Gebura: Good, I wouldn't mind punching her if she tries anything on you but Angela would reprimand me.

She then finally left the room. Now on my own for real, I started to assemble some pieces together inside my mind, frowning a little to myself with the new informations that I obtained.

Y/N's mind: I should keep my guards up around the ones from the lower level... noted.

I turned around and returned to my department, I didn't have a choice or else I wouldn't be able to get my orders. Knowing that the all-knowing Angela could be observing my movements, all I could do was to follow the Manager's orders and hope for the best.

Tiphereth: Y/N, Y/N where did you go?!

Y/N: ...

Watching my superior currently having a mental breakdown only caused me pain, knowing that I was one of the reasons of that said breakdown.

Y/N: I...

Remembering Gebura's words, I hesitated answering her question, it's true that she wasn't completely there after all. Unlike Malkuth or Hod, it doesn't seem like she was entirely in control, her emotions were controlling her.

Y/N: Work, I was doing some work-

Tiphereth: No no no! I don't want Y/N to leave, what if Y/N never come back?!

Y/N: I won't leave you, I won't die on you.

Tiphereth: Liar, you're lying! You already died plenty of times, I don't want to see you disappear like Tiphereth for the last time!

Y/N: ...

I couldn't refute that statement, I don't even remember how many times I died. Who knows, I might have reached a thousand without even knowing about it.

Tiphereth: Please stay with Tiphereth, Y/N won't die if he stays with Tiphereth...

She was once more begging for my presence, she wanted to know that I would live to see the next day. That would be a normal reaction for someone but in this current situation, the stakes were different.

Y/N: I...

Tiphereth: Stay with me, don't leave me please... We can be happy together... just like before with Tiphereth. Please... stay... forever...