Risebelle delved into the online forum and started expl the threads reted to the pyer "Sleuth of Shadows”.

  "I'll just take a quick look. Maybe there's somethihat will give me a clue about what's happening with Roselle."

  Risebelle found herself engrossed iriguing stories and cryptic messages shared by the forum's members. It was as if she entered a new world where many dark secrets were exged, especially on the ‘life’ subform ahirst for answers grew stronger with each post she read.

  ‘I 't believe how deep this rabbit hole goes,’ she thought, ‘There's so muformation here...’

  In an instant, Risebelle’s Studying took a back seat and the mysteries of the pyer "Sleuth of Shadows" took ter stage.

  "I'll just read one more post," she promised herself, clig on another intriguing thread. "And then I'll get back to studying. Just one more."

  But the night wore on, and Risebelle's journey into the online world of iigations showed no signs of ending.

  Risebelle tio browse through the threads of the "Sleuth of Shadows" forum. Her eyes locked onto a particur post that seemed somewhat simir to the situation she was currently fag. The thread's title read, "The Mysterious Doppelganger: A Case Unveiled," and it was authored by her than the Sleuth of Shadows.

  Ihe thread described a situation where a student had been pgued by a mysterious doppelganger who had caused her harm and jeopardized her friendships.

  "This is it," Risebelle thought, her excitement growing. "It's the same situation as Roselle and the doppelganger we've been dealing with. Sleuth of Shadows might have answers!"

  The post was filled with observations, theories, and even a few ideas on how to front a doppelganger.

  "This is exactly what we need," she mused, but as she tio read, she found herself w about the identity of the mysterious Sleuth of Shadows briefly. Who was this person with suowledge and expertise in solving supernatural mysteries?

  As Risebelle pondered how to tact the enigmatic "Sleuth of Shadows," her mind came up with an idea.

  "I 't just send a random message and expect them to respond," Risebelle thought, her fingers h over the keyboard. "Sleuth of Shadows is likely very cautious about who they i with. I o approach this carefully."

  After some sideration, Risebelle decided to craft a message that would pique the Sleuth's i while respeg their need for anonymity.

  "Dear Sleuth of Shadows," she began, typing slowly and thoughtfully. "I stumbled upon your posts on the forum, and I began to notice the remarkable simirities betweeuation you described and a real-life case involving a friend of mine named Roselle. We're fag a doppelganger situation that mirrors what’s ihread you started. I'm desperate for answers on how to deal with this threat. If you're willing to help, please respond. I uand the need for discretion and meet under your terms.

  Yours sincerely, Risebelle."

  Risebelle hesitated for a moment before hitting the "send" button. It was a leap of faith, but she hoped that the Sleuth of Shadows would offer their assistance.

  Risebelle diligently split her focus between studying and eagerly cheg her puter for a response from the mysterious "Sleuth of Shadows,”. A few hours into her studying, she received a notification sound that made her heart skip a beat. Her eyes darted to the puter s and she rao it.

  With trembling fingers, she moved the cursor over the notification and clicked to open the message. The s revealed a new message from an unfamiliar username, and her eyes sed the text quickly.

  "Risebelle, I've been following the situation closely, and I believe I offer some guidance. Meet me at the Silver Star Arcade tomorrow at 4 PM. Be discreet. Look for the person with multicolored hair by the cw mae. We'll talk then."

  Risebelle was excited as she read the message. It was a breakthrough, and she couldn't believe her lu seg a meeting with the enigmatic Sleuth of Shadows. She quickly posed a reply.

  "Thank you so much for yreeing to help a with me. I'll be there tomorrow. I’ll also e alone. Looking forward to meeting you."

  With the message sent, Risebelle couldn't tain her excitement. She had a meeting with the Sleuth of Shadows scheduled for the day, and it was a crucial step toward unraveling the mystery of the doppelganger.

  Risebelle entered her on that Friday m. Her mind was one filled with fear. It was the day of the pop quiz, and she khat she had only mao half-study the night before due to her iigative efforts aement about the upiing with the Sleuth of Shadows.

  She found her seat and tried to focus oerial she had reviewed, hoping that it would be enough to tackle the quiz. The miicked by, and her anticipation grew.

  Risebelle only had a few minutes before Mr. Sanders arrives. Did she study enough? Is she prepared for this quiz? Why did she spend so much time on that iigation st night?

  Risebelle gnervously at her cssmates, some of whom seemed calm and collected, while others shared her worried expression.

  Mr. Sanders arrived with a jump into the room and a big smile on his face. The energy he had seemed to fill the room with happiness, or at least it would have if he didn’t throw that test in his student’s faces. His usual boung didn't cease even as he stood at the front of the css, smiling widely at his students.

  "Good m, everyone! I hope you're all ready for a little pop quiz excitement!" Mr. Sanders excimed cheerfully.

  The students exged gnces, some smiling nervously at his exuberance while others tried to stifle their groans. Risebelle chuckled inwardly at Mr. Sanders' perpetual boung, which made it seem like he was on springs.

  "Now, I know tests aren’t always everyone's favorite, but think of it as a ce to show off what you've learhis week!" Mr. Sanders tinued, his boung increasing slightly with each word. "Remember, stay calm, trust yourselves, and do your best!"

  He began distributing the quiz papers, still boung on the balls of his feet. Risebelle took her paper, exging a gh Angie, who gave her a thumbs up. ‘Well, it looks like Audied…’ Risebelle thought, but then her eyes wide her own words. ‘Waitaminute… Ahat gaming nerd actually maoput down the troller to hit the books!?’

  "Alright, you have forty-five minutes," Mr. Sanders announced, finally standing still for a moment. "Begin!"

  Throughout the quiz, Risebelle answered each question to the best of her ability, drawing on the knowledge she had mao cram into her mind the previous night.

  Ohe quiz came to an end, Risebelle reviewed her answers o time before handing in her paper with a sigh of relief. At the very least, she was able to answer each question, but were the answers all right? Only time would tell.

  Risebelle ehe chess club after school. As she arrived, she could feel the excitement in the air as her fellow members prepared for their usual chess matches.

  As Risebelle made her way through the room, a couple of girls approached her with eaferness.

  "Hey, Risebelle! Are you going to py today?" One asked while bringing her arms up to her face.

  "Yeah, we've been dying to see you in a again," the irl chimed in nudging Risebelle on the shoulders.

  Risebelle moved until she stood infront of all of the members. “I’m sorry, but I have something important that I o do today. I won’t be staying for the club today, I just wao let you all know in person."

  The disappoi spread around the room as her friends expressed their feelings oter. They had growo Risebelle's skillful py and lively prese the chess club, and her absence was noticeable.

  Harty, in particur, looked serious and watched Risebelle as she made her way to the exit.

  Risebelle made her way toward the Silver Star Arcade, her mind filled with thoughts of her upiing with the Sleuth of Shadows. However, her focus shifted abruptly when she spotted someoting on a park benearby. The figure seemed familiar. She rubbed her eyes trying to get a better view of them.

  Someone who looked exactly like Rosebelle was sitting alone on a park bench. The girl had the same school uniform and familiar hair, but there was something different about her, something slightly off. She appeared to be a lot taller than Risebelle remembered. Risebelle’s jaw dropped down to the ground briefly.

  ‘Is that Roselle, or is that Rosebelle...who is it?'

  Risebelle halted iracks and cautiously approached the girl on the bench. She trembled with uainty as she asked,

  “Are you...Roselle?"

  As the girl turo face Risebelle, her tear-streaked face became visible, and her eyes widened in reition. Risebelle's vision faded into darkness but she could still hear their voice. She straio listen ily.

  "Yes, I'm Roselle," came the respoinged with fusion. "Do I know you?"

  Risebelle found herself ba her own mind, her surroundings fading ience more. She was left with a sense end frustration, feeling like she hadn't learned what she needed from the memory.

  “Project ZAB, it seems that this memory has reached its clusion. Remember, our mission is to help you uand ahize with humaer.” The system said

  Risebelle felt a sense of frustration as she ulled out of the memory, bato her own thoughts. She couldn't shake the feeling that she had more to discover, more questions to ask Roselle.

  “But it's not enough! I didn't find out what I wao, and I still don't uand why Roselle is involved with all of this. There's so much I don't know!”

  “I uand your curiosity, Project ZAB, but remember that oal is to guide you toward a greater uanding of humans and their emotions. Perhaps, in time, you will uhe answers you seek.”

  [System Message]

  Data Colle Progress: 40%

  Subject: Project ZAB (Risebelle)

  Status: tinuing memory exploration aional uanding

  "gratutions, Project ZAB! You are now 10% away from reag the 50% Data Colleilestone. Upon reag this milestone, you will gain access to Project ZAB transformation capabilities without the risk of Magical Rupture. Keep up the good work, and tinue your pursuit of uanding humaions. You will now be taken back to the present."

  Risebelle felt a growing sense of frustration as she tio grapple with the memories aions of her human friends.

  Risebelle waited to be taken from her mind and back to the present, but nothing happens. She grew increasingly anxious when nothing happened. She had grown aced to the system guidihrough her memory exploration, but now, it seemed like she was stu this space within her mind.

  Panic started to well up within her sciousness. She khat she had no trol when it came to this matter.

  "System? I know you hear me! Why am I not being taken back to the present?"

  There was no response from the system, and Risebelle felt a growing sense of isotion. She began to wonder if something had gone wrong with the memory exploration process, leavirapped within her own mind.

  "System! Stop hiding and answer me!”

  To her relief, the system finally responded, "I apologize for the fusion, Risebelle. It appears there was a misuanding. You are currently in offline mode due to the extended 48-hour rest period, which is twice the standard duration. This is to ensure your well-being and stability. I'm here to guide you, but you won't be able to return to the present until the rest period is plete."

  Risebelle let out a sigh of relief, "Thank you for crifying, System, but ime, respond faster."