Chapter Text
It’s an average, mid-autumn day. The sky is sunny, albeit a bit clouded, and a light breeze calmly flew around buildings and people, giving today’s morning a calm, cool yet pleasant feeling. What a nice, fresh start morning, was it not?
Well, our little protagonist by the name of Evelyn, could barely acknowledge the calm atmosphere, in a hasty hurry to not be late for school. "Shit, fuck, shit…" she curses and mutters under her breath, walking as fast as she could to the nearby bus stop.
Evelyn, also called Eve by friends, is a shy and (often) friendly person at first glance. She’s timid and closed off to strangers or adults, but open and playful to her friends or acquaintances. Her personality is rather pessimistic-realistic, but in an oddly cheerful way, always trying to help her friends and is somewhat a people pleaser. She tries not to get jealous at others and tries her best to stay neutral with others at the very least. She has also started to screw up her sleep schedule up a lot more. Living in Germany, daughter of two Asian parents, she lived a decent life.
For an asian, she wasn’t that short for her age (no offense to anyone who’s taller than me xd), 5'2ft seem decent enough. Probably because of the genes of her dad’s father and dad made her taller than some asian people. Her body is a little chubby, but she doesn’t hate it. What she disliked more was her face. Of course she had to have one of those bad habits of scratching open pimples. She really just didn’t like the form of her face, even trying to avoid looking into mirrors when she’s in a bad mood.
Eve also has her 'teenager phase' (or puberty) at the moment, so it’s nothing unusual that she doesn’t want to spent much time with her parents and tries to focus on other things. She’s a lazy procrastinator, a hobby-artist (of some sorts) and so on. School is fine to her, even if it’s giving her a slight hard time with all the homework (her procrastinator ass is NOT cooperating). Hey, at least she found some friends!
On the topic of school- Eve has forgotten to turn on her alarm and overslept over an hour. She won’t make it in time, the route taking around 35 minutes, IF there isn’t any annoying traffic jam on the way. She walks as fast as she can, the weight of her backpack hindering her to run.
Just as she reached the crossing with the traffic light, the lights turned red for the pedestrians, making her scowl even more than before. She mumbles something inaudible under her breath and anxiously glances at the street. The roadways are free though, so she just quickly sprints through them and reaches the bus stop. She breathes a sigh of relief, waiting for the bus while she plays a few (slightly boring) games on her phone.
When the bus arrives, she steps inside and takes a seat, relaxing throughout the whole ride. For some time, everything was normal. She calmly sat in the vehicle and watched the surroundings fly past her, seeing various cars drive past or see different buildings.
Everything was fine,
until it wasn’t.
A really fast truck suddenly appeared out of the blue and crashed into the side of the bus when it was driving over a crossing. People stumbled from the impact and screamed in shock or panic, the bus stopping in the middle of the street. It was a disaster.
Unfortunately, Evelyn couldn’t fully acknowledge it all, because the truck drove directly into the side where she was seated at. The impact tossed her from her seat, hitting a few metal bars which people usually hold onto before she eventually fell to the floor. The throw had so much force that it knocked her out cold before she could realize even what happened. Tiny bits of memories flew by in front of her barely conscious mind, only fragments of sounds and images in her head, despite the loud ringing noise in her ears.
She could faintly hear screaming, something warm and wet dribbling down the side of her head, a dulled pained all over her body. It was so much, yet it all felt so distant. Unconsciousness eventually got the best of her.
When she woke up again, she was in the hospital. Her mind was befuddled and overwhelmed, a sharp pain in her head. But it was all so dulled, felt so far away. She tries to move, but her body was paralyzed. What the hell?… She could barely recall anything, the excruciating feeling in her whole body distracting her from everything else. Distantly, she could hear various, muffled noises. A loud ringing was still in her ear.
Was this it? Will she die? Wow, so it’s this easy to die?
A part of her hoped she’d pass to the afterlife. She… felt hopeless. Everything hurt, and the nearby beeping of a monitor didn’t help much. On the other hand, she hoped that she could stay. Continue her life with her friends, live until she was too old. But in the end, her mind would come back to the situation which she was stuck in now. She could hear the faint beeping of a monitor. The muffled and dulled sounds of people talking. She could swear she heard some familiar voices. Was there sobbing?
I’m so sorry, mom. I’m so sorry, dad. My friends. Everyone. I wish I could say goodbye. One last time...
Her mom… she would probably not make it. She wonders of her father would be any better after her death. Evelyn felt guilty for dying now, but a part of her mind found this ridiculous. The belated start, the truck, now the hospital. But that wasn’t something she wanted to think about in her last moments.
She could feel herself slipping from consciousness, darkness slowly enveloping her. Oh well. This was certainly not how I expected to end. she thought, deciding to rest in her last respite. It was… somewhat peaceful. Sure, they’re dying and are in a hospital bed, but it was a still better than she expected.
Heh.. I guess it’s the end. See you in the afterlife.
Ughh.. whuh? Wait, what- What the- I- ???
We see you’ve woken up.
A- What?- Wh-who- Wasn’t I just d-dead a minute ago? Wh-who are you??
Our identity is none of your concerns,
…but you can call us ZYX.
To answer your question, yes, you have died.
But we’ve decided to not let such a bijou, youthful soul like you vanish so quickly.
I see… and that meanss?..
You have died at a very young age, which is unfortunate. We’ll allow you to return to life, but with the condition of receiving a new body and wiping your old life out.
Oh- oh, wow.. anything else I need to know? Or something you want to tell me?
You can return to earth, or to somewhere else, if that’s what you desire. It’ll be your choice
…Wait- that gives me a lot of idea. Give me a moment…
Hmm… so that means I could also reincarnate myself to somewhere else, other than earth?
Correct.
There aren’t any strings attached? No conditions? Anything I have to do?
No. We’ll reincarnate you wherever you want to.
We’ll make sure that you’ll not be lethally harmed.
It may happen that unusual events occur while your permanent stay in your new life, but we’ll ensure you that in the end, you’ll be fine.
Ah.. sounds good to me (and a little OP), but I’m fine with it!… What about my old life though?
…it has found its end. Our condolences.
Oh. Well.. that’s fine! I was going to die some way or another anyways, haha…
…could… you maybe do a quick favor? I’d like to have at least something from home.
…As you wish. What shall it be?
Okay this is probably super awkward to request- buut can I have a- *my* phone when I revive? Just a little bit more of storage maybe and DEFINITELY better battery and wifi!… please?
You can also modify it so I can’t contact my parents or friends (they’d be hella confused anyways)!
(Humans and their technology these days..)
…it’s acceptable. Anything else?
Nnnope! That’s all.
Then it’s set. Where do you want to go?
Awesome! Hmm… oh, I know. The Inpherno?
Your decision shall become the path to your new life.
Nice- Wait, why does it feel like I’m fallieEAAAAAAAA-
[ Evelyn ]
They jolted up from their bed, groaning slightly as they felt a slight pain in their head, before it quickly dissipated. The previous darkness in their vision faded slowly, letting them see their surroundings a little bit. They were in a room that felt unusually familiar yet unfamiliar, sitting on a bed. Were they sleeping before?
It surely felt like they got crushed under many, heavy pillows and then woke up from some coma, or they got hit with something and got a concussion. Yeesh, their morbid creativity was still there though. They lifted a hand up to rub at their head, feeling a slight pain in their temples for a moment. They still felt out of it, not having fully come to their senses.
"Ugh… huh?" They noticed that their fingertips felt… odd. Like their nails became sturdier in some way. Moving their hand away from their head to get a good look at them, they were met with the sight of their hands being… a light grey and their 'nails' being claws now. "…whAT-" they yelped, looking at their hand in confusion.
And then it just hit them that they didn’t feel any hair on their head or on their shoulders. “I am BALD!?”
Still a bit baffled and out of it, they stumbled out of their bed and searched for a mirror. They barely took in their surroundings, even almost tripping over their own feet, but eventually, they found a mirror conveniently hung by a wall. Hastily walking over to it, they took a good look at themselves.
They’re skin was a soft grey, a few darker speckles on their middle part of their face and partially on their forehead- since when did I have *freckles*!?
A nice pair of black, round glasses was also there, settled neatly on her nose? face. At least it wasn’t one of those overly decorated 'aesthetic glasses' they always saw on Catalog Avatar Creator. (They aren’t ugly or anything, but they don’t look that comfortable to wear in real life.)
Nothing else on their face could be noted besides all that. The most evident change in their appearance were the new forms on her head though. They had a set of horns now, which were pleasantly mauve colored. Two higher, bigger ones, and two lower ones.
They reminded her a bit of Subspace’s horns, but more curvy and rounded. Plus, her left, lower horn seemed to be a bit different than the one on the right, though she didn’t mind. She gingerly touched them, tracing the curves and reaching up to see how tall they were. They felt sturdy and smooth, probably made out of something akin to bone. The color of her horns weren’t very vibrant, but Evelyn still liked them.
She opened her mouth and saw the little fangs inside, a slight gap between the two, big front teeth. It was a change from the usually blocky looking human-teeth she saw back on earth, but she wasn’t complaining. She touched her teeth, tracing their outline. Ooh, they seem less sharp than I expected. And of course that gap between my two teeth had to follow me to here too-
Averting their attention from their face, they decided to look at their current wear. They were wearing a cozy, black pullover with pattterns at the rims, navy blue baggy pants and rose socks with white, intricate flower patterns. Seems cozy enough.
A thought comes into her mind. She isn’t possessing anyone or something, right? The imagination makes her shudder a bit and frown lightly. Their horns remind them of an old Phighting Sona they drew one time though, so probably not. That… void-like being seemed to have just gave them a body and somehow an apartment.
Eve (is that even her name anymore?) doesn’t even know if she should be glad or not, but she shakes her head and tries to gather her thoughts. I can’t have a mental crisis right now- I just transmigrated into my favorite game. Damn, that’s a lot to take in now- Oh god. Or oh gods now? Oh SFOTH?? Oh Swords??? Do I say phuck instead of fuck now????- AGHH, I need to stop thinking!! She sighs, taking a deep breath in.
Okay, so she died, talked to some void-higher-being in presumably some void-abyss-darkness-something dimension (it felt like it at least). Now she is in the Inpherno. Right, Phighting… oh. A realization hit her like a slap to her face. "Why did I pick Phighting!? It’s cool and stuff- but it’s way more violent and dangerous here too! Like- Ughhhh, I’m so stupid!" she groans, facepalming herself.
She liked Phighting and its lore, - it’s awesome! - and the void-god did tell her that they’d protect her from any lethal dangers, though she couldn’t help but still feel wary of the dangers within this world. The potential violence. The Phights and Phighters. Especially the True Eye Church. She shudders, remembering what she read about it.
"I really hope I won’t meet Scythe or Broker. At least not on my own. Like hell I want to an eye to a bunch of freaks just to follow some guy… Overseer, right." Eve mumbles quietly, getting slightly anxious of Broker maybe overhearing or seeing her. That demon knows shit that others don’t want him to know. He’s a criminal anyways. So that makes it worse. Unease and dread bubbles up in her chest, but she pushes it aside for now.
She sighs again, dragging a hand down her face in a slightly exasperated manner. She collects herself, takes a deep breath and starts thinking about everything she knows. "Alright, I know most of the lore. I don’t know much about the new Crossroads, but never mind that. It wasn’t fully released yet when I died. Hmm…"
That darkness-lord said they’d protect me. But to what extent? And what did they mean with protect? Just fend off the danger or something else?..
The shock of everything was still slowly processing in her mind, slowing her train of thoughts a bit.
The void beings, the transmigration, her new body, her new home. Oh yeah, her new home! She looked around from where she’s standing, properly taking a look at her new, little home.
The room she was in at the moment - seemingly her bedroom - had pastel purple walls, the ceiling a plain yet pleasant white and the floor brown with wooden patterns. There was a window opposite the door with light yellow curtains, on the right of it a bed with a few colorful plushies and pillows, a white closet by the left of the door, the mirror hanging right next to closet on the wall and a desk on the right of the room.
It seemed cozy and tidy, ignoring the slight (but also organized?) mess on the desk and lazily stored clothes in the closet. Some of those glow-in-the-dark star stickers were glued to the ceiling, decorating it a bit, besides the plain lamp hanging from the ceiling. Looking around her room, Eve started to wonder about a lot of things again.
How did I get this apartment? How am I supposed to live without my parents? Am I independent enough? Oh god- do I have to pay a rent now for this apartment? Do I even have money?? Don’t tell me I’m actually broke right now-
She sighs heavily, taking a shaky breath in and out. "Alright Eve, focus. I need to get things organized- I’m pretty sure that- void-god didn’t make me stay here, just to lose my home right off the bat" she muttered to herself, looking a little around. A little sticky note, stuck on the mirror in front of her, suddenly catches her attention. "Oh?" She took the sticky note and read the written message on it.
"Do not fret, you won’t have to pay for your stay here. We already took care of that. Feel free to do as you please in your new home."
"Huh. That’s… nice." Evelyn said, wondering what those… higher beings have planned out for her. They seem neutral, but also somewhat friendly. Caring, even.
Are they really trying to take care of her (even if just temporarily), or is this just some dumb game/show that she’s oblivious to?
She sighed, already getting tired from all of the questions, feeling weariness tug at her sleeves.
Looking out of her window, she’s greeted with a warm sunset, the sun slowly dipping behind the horizon and painting the sky in beautiful, warm colors. Was it already so late when she arrived? Eve looked at the mesmerizing scenery, feeling melancholy and nostalgia tug at her. This is her new life now. No family, no friends, not even a single bit of humanity on this world except her or so she thinks.
She hums briefly in a desolate tune and moved away from the mirror, which she has been standing in front of for some good 15 minutes or so.
She hasn’t even figured her 'gear' yet (if she even has one), but she felt too tired from everything to mull over it. "It’s getting a little late. I should probably finish a few things and then head to bed…" she mumbled under her breath, a soft frown still on her lips.
Honestly, it’s not very late, but Eve just wanted to excuse herself so she could take a break. The human demon went to explore more of her new home, before she’ll eat and then sleep. The loneliness and silence accompanied her the entire time, making her feel more saddened. Each of her steps resonated against the walls of her home. She began to question her decisions again.
Was this a good idea? Did I choose the right path? Will I be lonely like this every day?
Deciding to not break her head over it, she soon went to the bathroom, brushed her teeth and switched into clothes which she deemed sleep-worthy. Stepping back into her room and sitting down onto the exact bed which she woke up on, she stays still for a moment and listens.
It’s empty and silent, besides the city ambience of Crossroads. The weight of realization presses down onto her shoulders, making her heart feel heavy. The continued silence makes it even more unbearable. With a sorrowful heart, she lays down in her bed and eventually drifts off to sleep, the empty comfort of sleep bringing her nothing.
She has never felt so lonely before. She hopes it’ll change soon.