-Still, it didn't matter to him. After all, he was "destined" to be a big bad wolf.

Oh, that painful headache, the screeches of those horrible voices damaging my sanity like a sledgehammer. Feeling them ringing in my ears, I slowly closed my eyes and tried to shut them up.

I don't care how loud I shout, as long as it makes them quiet, I don't care how crazy I look. Unable to hear my own voice through this cacophony, my vision darkened with each scream. Clutching the pink heart that I received, I could no longer feel its warmth in my arms. With nothing to hold my mental strength together, I simply broke apart like a puppet without its strings.

So I screamed, screamed and yelled until my lungs felt like rotting away. Out of breath, I did not stop, this headache making me crave for the impossible, an escape from this hell. My body feeling like it was melting, my mind was following the same process, losing itself to the foreign object.

...Is this what it feels like to lose oneself? It felt like my whole being was distorting in protest, I was breaking apart under the emotional trauma.

...

...

...Ha, how lonely it is. To be alone in this distressing moment, left on my own to feel the ravages of my mind and emotions boiling inside me.

How lonely.

...

I feel a presence though, a gaze upon me. Whoever they are, they seem to be waiting for a better opportunity.

...

...

Y/N: ...

Then, as if it was nothing more than a bad dream, I merely woke up. Laying down onto a familiar bed, I silently stared at the ceiling before looking back at myself. Instantly, the sight of a pink sleeve was enough to make my eyes widen in shock. So many feelings bursting out, trails of tears was the only thing that truly became visible.

So warm... pink, not that vile mixture.

???: Took you a while to wake up, I thought you decided to drop dead on us.

Y/N: Hava?

Hurriedly wiping off my tears, I glanced at the other side of the room but couldn't see anyone. Surprised, I almost felt my heart stop when a hand firmly grabbed me to my left. Following that direction, I realized that the girl was laying right next to me in the bed, not under the sheet but merely to my side.

Y/N: W-What are you doing?

Hava: Playing the second wife I guess~? Tell me, what AM I doing?

Y/N: Uh... I don't-

Hava: Pft, come on now, don't give me that look!

With that, she shoved a light punch into my shoulder and bursted into a laughter, a laugh that I could not reciprocate considering my situation. Shifting my eyes away from her, I discovered the shape of a second person resting by the side of the bed, Alter Ego.

Y/N: ...

Hava: I suggest you don't wake her up, she needs some sleep.

Y/N: Yesterday... Arbiter, did it really happen?

For some reason, the mere presence of that abomination was enough to make my brain unconsciously refuse to accept the day that I've gone through, like a self-defense mechanism. To answer my doubts, the one awake nodded.

Hava: Since Melting Love's blessing stop working at the end of the day, you passed out. It was a real pain in the ass the deal with that thing on my own.

Y/N: You mean...

Hava: Nah, I merely held it off before Gebura did her usual "big unga bunga strength" and took care of it.

Chuckling at her words, I felt a light smile form on my face.

Y/N: That's the Gebura we know and love.

Hava: Aaaanyway, the short version: you got your ass kicked around but at least it was for your sake so I don't think you'll mind it.

Y/N: Nope, not in the slightest.

To be honest, I can't even feel any sort of bruise on my body. Maybe Gebura was going easy since I was still attached to that thing? Who knows but one thing for sure, I owe her one yet again, seems to be a recurring theme.

Y/N: Sorry for all the trouble.

Hava: Nah, don't worry! Though that promoted clerk will probably give you the stink eye for leaving so many slime stains around with that heart.

A bead of sweat falling down my face, I got out of bed alongside Hava and prepared myself for the next day, completely revitalized. Grabbing the pink sniper rifle laying next to me, I stood next to the sleeping figure of Alter Ego and remained still for a moment.

...Ah hell, why not. Rolling my eyes at myself, I crouched and gave her a peck on the cheek before marching to the door.

Hava: ...3, 2, 1-

Just as she finished counting down, Alter Ego immediately collapsed on the ground with her face completely red. She was muttering incomprehensible sentences in the air.

Y/N: Alter Ego?! Are you alright?!

Hava: Aw, look at her, still all so innocent~

Alter Ego: I-I-I was just not expecting it, t-that's all!

Firmly standing up on her feet, she pointed an accusatory finger at Hava while trying her best to look angry, despite her face still being flushed. Taking in her words, I placed the gears in my brain in motion and asked with a raised eyebrow:

Y/N: You were awake?

Alter Ego: U-Uh... H-Hava told me to do this!

I slowly turned back to the culprit. Sensing my look, she shrugged with her usual smile on her face.

Hava: Guilty as charged~

Y/N: I swear...

This was how the day began, all of us making our way to our assigned departments with a certain lightheartedness that felt odd after going through such a tough ordeal like yesterday. As I was about to leave, the one dressed with Da Capo addressed me one last time.

Hava: You should go speak with that Arbiter, she said that she wanted to talk to you.

Y/N: ...

So, with a sense of dread, I made my way down into the depth of the Earth.

...

Binah: ...Well, it seems like the little sheep made its way back all the way here.

Arboring a light grin on her face, she welcomed me inside her department like she knew I was arriving. Deciding against saying something to her words, I stepped closer to the woman in dark clothes, one of the demons and punishers of this facility. As one of the winners of yesterday's confrontation, one would expect for me to be able to face her with more confidence but it gave me the opposite feeling, fear.

Y/N: You asked for me.

Cutting straight to business, I turned on my radio in case I was demanded somewhere and focused back on the person in front of me. Her cape fluttering slightly, her calm expression only worsened my feelings.

Binah: You seem to be faring well, considering what occurred yesterday. You have to thank him for that.

Y/N: ...The Manager?

Binah: That man holds many secrets, that is for sure. Many mysteries as well, many that nobody will ever know.

Y/N: ...

Peeking around, it seemed like the office workers were actively avoiding us, no agents in sight as well. Only the both of us in our separate space, the only person we had to fear was probably Angela but I could already tell that the Sephirah of the Extraction team was not one to bend her back for others so easily without a reason.

Binah: ...Although the memories are distant, I still remember those eyes of his looking down at my defeated body.

Y/N: ?

Binah: Just like how you looked down upon her body.

A chill running through my spine, I squinted my eyes back to her with a frown. Feeling what one could describe as a blade cutting through me like butter, I heaved a deep breath and calmed down my beating heart.

Now was not the time to get emotional.

Y/N: If you are here to taunt me, I have no reason to stay.

Binah: Oh, do not worry little sheep... Or should I call you Y/N?

Y/N: ...The sheep is enough, hearing you say my name gives me cold sweats.

A smile forming upon hearing my answer, the defeated took a step closer and looked into the distance, as if trying to peek at something that wasn't there. Following her gaze, I couldn't see anything.

Binah: The sight you gave me was quite, interesting to say the least. As the victor of our reenactment, I should give you something that you also want.

Y/N: I don't really... see what you could give me.

Binah: An eye for an eye, a memory for a memory.

A memory? I have to admit a lot of areas are still gray at best for me so I wouldn't mind a hand to clear the mist in my head but do I REALLY want to hear it from her of all people? She knows more than the others around here but it could also backfire on me by learning something that I didn't want to know.

Binah: I wasn't an AI from the start, those called "Sephirah" are all the same. Once our first lives have reached expiration, we awakened in those bodies of metal. Those metal boxes confining our remains.

Y/N: Metal boxes? You don't look like that to me.

Binah: ...Is that so? I wonder why.

From the way she reacted to my words, she was clearly taken aback but not letting it show on her face. Inspecting her from head to toe, this "metal box" concept did not emerge, all I could see was a woman looking at me with cold eyes.

Was there something I was missing?

Binah: I won't dwell on their lives, nor mine. After all, the past shouldn't persist, one should strive to merely face it and move on.

Y/N: Where are you going with this?

Binah: This little project of yours, to "save people from the disease of the mind", a small group of people led by the incoherent babbles of a woman.

Y/N: ...

My voice cut short, now was not the time to step in and I knew it from the bottom of my heart.

Binah: She tried to make a better world, only to see nothing but failures upon failures.

Although it was new for me, my brain seemed to immediately try to toss it aside with a shrug. "Tell us something that we don't know." seemed to be the phrase it wanted to utter to the Arbiter. Silently telling it to keep it shut, I returned to the conversation.

Binah: Carmen. To think such a place wouldn't exist because of her belief, the extraction of one's mind.

Y/N: The extraction of the mind?

Binah: Here, trapped in this prison, I am forced to witness the extraction of the very human mind, shaping into monstrosities and powerful equipement without ever being able to hold it.

...Hold up, did I just hear that right?

Y/N: The abnormalities are...

Probably seeing that I was piecing everything together, her devilish smile formed on her face, reflecting a certain enjoyment out of it. My eyes widening, the realization came crashing down on me like a building, the weight making my shoulders drop.

Binah: Did you think they were all a common occurence in the outside world little sheep?

Y/N: ...

Looking back at all those... anomalies. From One Sin to all the way to the unspoken devil that is [CENSORED], to think that all those horrors were nothing more than the creation coming from humans?

Binah: Why do you seem so surprised? After all...

She leaned closer and took a hold of my shoulder, anchoring me in place.

Binah: That "thing" that you fear had to come from somewhere.

Y/N: ...

My sanity won't accept it, to think that such monstrosity was born from a human? Unacceptable, this has to be a mirage, a delusion! I won't accept this truth, I don't want to face it.

Binah: You can thank her for everything.

"I'm sure she would be glad to hear it."

Y/N: They're... those abnormalities are extracted out of people?

Binah: It's not as simple as that little sheep.

Then, as if sensing what was going on, the radio spoke up with a familiar voice.

Hava: Hey Y/N, Queen of Hatred is doing her usual fit, could you give us a hand?

Y/N: Coming.

Heaving a sigh, I freed myself from her grasp and stepped away in terror. Keeping my gaze upon her, her expression remained carved into the back of my mind like a scar, smiling at me. She may have lost the battle but still got that small victory out of it.

...Abnormalities born out of humans. Thinking about a certain magical girl of justice, who was she pulled out from?

QoH: Too quiet, this is too peaceful.

Y/N: Come on now, don't be like that.

Sitting next to her, I placed one of my hands on her face and slowly moved it to her hair. At this point, it was like a ritual, whenever she threw a fit, just call the captain of the Central Command team and let him fix everything.

Soon, I felt her own hand grab mine and her mumbles grew weaker. It felt more like I was being used as stress relief than anything else. Regardless, I silently wrote down a few notes, as usual.

Y/N: We've just defeat a great villain yesterday, of course it is bound to be calmer for a while.

At this point though, I doubt that we will be seeing something as bad as that in the next 2-3 days but that was merely my guess. Taking a deep breath, I pondered on the words given to me by Binah. Looking back at the girl next to me, I could only think about the fact that she came from someone's mind alongside every other abnormalities in here.

God, this is gonna take me a while to get used to this insight.

QoH: ...

Finally brought back from her hysteria, she changed her posture to a sitting one and simply remained by my side with her hand still placed on mine. Ignoring her, I hurriedly finished my report and placed back the pen back in one of my pockets.

Intercom: 17 PE boxes successfully produced.

Y/N: Oh, time for me to go.

Standing up from my spot, I made my way to the exit with a blown kiss thrown my way by the magical girl, a farewell gift if I had to assume. Rushing back to my department, I was almost immediately called once more for work and made my way to a containment chamber located in my department.

Y/N: Let's see... Aleph...

At the mere mention of that classification, my body tensed up and for a good reason. Those with that class tend to be the more horrible one to face, or at least to face inside their containment room. Bracing myself for the worst, I gathered my courage and stepped into the room.

WhiteNight: Why art thou afraid?

Y/N: ...

Greeted by the winged demon of this facility, my nerves were going haywire for a moment, fear seeping in. Gulping down my saliva to compensate that feeling, I tightened my grasp onto the notepad and began writing down observations, a clear difference from Queen of Hatred that's for sure.

Try to ignore it, that's the best I can do.

WhiteNight: Do not fear Y/N, for I shall save thou.

Y/N: No thanks... I'm good on my own.

Mumbling under my breath, a bead of sweat fell down my face while I shrugged off the words said by the flying fetus. Simply feeling its presence was enough to put me under stress. Continuing my report, I took a small ball from my pocket and tossed it at the flying monster.

Y/N: Catch.

As expected, it bounced off of its face and back to my side of the room.

Y/N: Hm... "Does not seem to like to play", noted.

WhiteNight: ...

I would hear its voice talking to me from time to time but once you start ignoring its meaning, the tension quickly dies down, so much that I almost missed the intercom signaling the end of my work. Packing my stuff, I was about to leave, stepping out at the same time as a few words came from the room.

WhiteNight: Thou shall witness disaster soon.

Y/N: Sounds like a regular Tuesday in here.

No shit a disaster was coming, this place was like a catalyst for every bad scenarios to occur, from bad management to terrible safety for the employees. The door closing behind, I returned to the main room, passing by the remains of one of those large robots that appear out of nowhere from time to time during the shift and once inside, I stumbled upon a group of clerks grouped together.

Clerk: Oh yea? Check this move!

One of them spoke up and then broke into a dance in front of the other office workers, some dropping a few whistles. To think that they can still get time to enjoy casual things like that without any knowledge, I envy them to some extend.

Tiphereth: What are you all doing?!

Clerk: Oh shi- I mean hey miss Tiphereth!

All instantly dropping what they were doing, they greeted the Sephirah of this department, only to receive a glare. Deciding that now was the best time to step in, I joined the small girl and gave the employee a glare as well.

Y/N: Please do this after work everyone.

Though I did give them a cold look, my voice was more tired than anything else and for a good reason, have you seen the past few days? Nothing but trouble, a break is something I definitely wouldn't mind but never get, such is life at Lobotomy Corporation.

Clerks: Yes captain!

All scattering, I dropped a sigh and turned to face the one above me in the hierarchy. Looking back at me, she greeted me with a small smile.

Tiphereth: Nice to see you Y/N.

Y/N: I'd say the same to, feels like an eternity since we saw each other.

Placing a hand on her head, I gave her a quick pat before stepping aside to let an employee walk past us. Taken aback by the sudden action, she dodged my face with her eyes out of embarrassment.

Tiphereth: Let's just say... the recent days have been quite rough, especially for you.

Y/N: Can't deny it.

Taking a seat, I watched her do the same. Both of us side by side, I looked at the documents in front of her, same old reports. That sight brought back memories of many days ago, when it was much less chaotic than it is now.

Y/N: So, how are you faring?

Tiphereth: Not bad... I guess.

Looking over at me, her eyebrows lowered, her gaze examinating me. Not minding it, I took some of her documents and began assisting her with her work, might as well do something to pass the time.

Tiphereth: I should be asking you this question, not you.

Y/N: Yea, probably.

Not deepening the conversation, I continued writing down on the sheets of paper, a small moment of break from all the craziness that comes with this job. However, it seemed like it was not enough for her...

...And so, she set off a mine.

Tiphereth: With what happened yesterday, that thing holding you, you were screaming in desperation.

Y/N: ...

The pen slipping from my fingers, it slowly fell down on the table, my body stiffening at the mention of that abomination.

Y/N: I don't want to talk about it.

Quickly grabbing the dropped object, I resumed my work without glancing at the Sephirah sitting next to me.

Tiphereth: *Sigh* If you don't want to talk about it, fine.

Well... The truth is that I would like to speak to someone about it but who could ever understand that feeling? The sensation of losing your own person to another while said invader was still keeping you conscious to their own will, to not be truly in control of your actions. Thinking about it, it was definitely the one thing traumatizing me.

Yet, I could already feel that escaping it was nothing more than a dream, it would always lurk in the corner of my vision, waiting for me. For it to be so focused on me, there has to be a reason and the sooner I figure it out, the sooner will I be able to find a solution.

Y/N's mind: Even so... What's the point of telling myself that if I can't even face it?

I was too weak, my mind too fragile to endure its mere sight. I couldn't understand its longing, I couldn't understand its obsession, I couldn't understand its existence. All of those piling up, as long as those remains, I will never be able to properly face this fear of mine and move past it.

...

Though the true question should be: CAN I escape this thing? Even if I were to run away to the end of the world, wouldn't it just follow me like my shadow?

Tiphereth: Y/N?

I have to do something, I can't let myself fall under its grasp, I have to stand my ground and affirm my position. That's what I wish I could do but reality would say otherwise, I don't have the strength to face it.

I never was strong, I could never hope to be strong even. Maybe Gebura was right after all? Maybe I really did delude myself into thinking that I was strong enough. Even with the employees here giving their all, none could save me from my troubles, nobody could save me but myself and I failed.

Tiphereth: Y/N.

Gebura was right, I'm just someone weak who babbles on.

Tiphereth: Y/N!

Y/N: ...?

Averting my focus on her, I asked her if something was wrong and she pointed to the sheet of paper I was writing on. Looking down at it, I realized that it was torn in half with scribbles written on the pieces.

"Scared" "Weak" "Fear" "Losing" were the most noticeable words in the pile of incoherent junk.

Y/N: I... I must have dozed off, I'm sorry.

Tiphereth: Y/N, your shift has already ended.

Y/N: Huh?

Looking over my shoulder, nobody was present in the department. Nobody? Not really, a set of 2 familiar figures were waiting by the exit, both of them I recognized.

Tiphereth: You should go rest, I'll take over.

Y/N: Are you sure?

She looked back at me and merely frowned, silently stopping me with a "Go now before I get angry".

Y/N: Right, have a nice night Tiphereth.

With that, I left my seat and the torn piece of paper behind. This fear of mine holding me like a puppet, it was terrifying to witness and even worse to experience and I couldn't do anything about it. It was the epitome of powerlessness.