Risebelle caught up to Runebelle with a said, “You know, Runebelle, you're standing the tallest among us. Physically, yes, but more importantly, mentally. It takes a lot to gather a group of people like this, especially with taking down an organization like Shadowcroft on our shoulders."

  Runebelle glanced at Risebelle with her eyes slightly widened. “You think so? It’s not often I hear that.”

  Risebelle tilted her head slightly with a thoughtful gaze. “Yeah, I actually do. You’ve handled a lot, especially with this whole shadow identity thing. It’s pretty cool.”

  Runebelle’s cheeks flushed a deep red. She looked away from them. “I... I’m not used to receiving compliments. Thank you, though. It means a lot coming from you.”

  "Well, well, the Sleuth of Shadows blushing? Who would've thought?" Risebelle chuckled. “Maybe we should call you the Blushing Sleuth from now on."

  Runebelle shot Risebelle a glare but trembled in her speech. “W-We have alot more important things to focus on than my reaction to compliments."

  Juliana clapped her hands. "Enough banter, ladies. We have a mission to accomplish. The final confrontation with Shadowcroft awaits, and time is of the essence. Let's move forward and put an end to this once and for all."

  The group followed Juliana and Runebelle. The duo led them to the beach, where Juliana’s lab was behind. Juliana and declared, "I know my technology. The day I discovered there was a traitor within our ranks, I also uncovered their identity. That's how prepared I am for this day."

  In a swift motion, Juliana tossed a small cube onto the sand. The cube emitted a soft glow as intricate holographic projections materialized in the air. The images coalesced to reveal the hidden base of Shadowcroft, previously obscured by powerful cloaking devices.

  When the holographic representation stabilized, the group could see the imposing structure of Shadowcroft's base, nestled clandestinely behind the lab.

  Runebelle, Roselle, Risebelle, Jess, and the other two stared onwards with brief awe. Then, they nodded their heads and proceeded into the base. They found themselves in a hallway with a blue light. The ambient hum of machinery filled the air. After travelling for awhile down a straight path, they reached a vast chamber lined with tanks. Inside the tanks lay unconscious individuals, their faces frozen in peaceful slumber.

  Runebelle remarked, “These people are victims that are unaware of what Shadowcroft is planning with them."

  Risebelle clenched her fists,. "We need to stop this. No one else should suffer because of Shadowcroft." Runebelle nodded in agreement.

  The group continued to advance through the vast chamber. They came across row upon row of tanks that each contained one individual. Juliana’s face turned grave. “The number of individuals in this room could be about seven thousand,” she said. “And this is only the first room.”

  Roselle’s eyes widened in horror while looking around. “There are so many…How could they do this?”

  Risebelle’s eyes narrowed with growing anger. Her fists clenched tightly. “This is disgusting,” she muttered. “These people...they’re just pawns to Shadowcroft. How could these people be so damn heartless?”

  Runebelle gave Risebelle a grim look. Risebelle muttered through gritted teeth. “How can they just trap people like this, using them as pawns for their own sick plans?”

  Runebelle placed a hand on Risebelle’s other shoulder. “We’ll stop this. We have to. For them and everyone else who might be at risk.”

  Risebelle took a deep breath. “Yeah. We will…”

  Rosebelle observed the group's reactions with curiosity. Her own upbringing as a Doppelganger had steeped her in a different perspective, one shaped by Shadowcroft's twisted ideology. Seeing the raw reactions of those around her sparked a flicker of understanding within her.

  Risebelle's gaze shifted sharply to Rosebelle, who watched the group's reactions with a peculiar curiosity with a hint of regret.

  Seeing Rosebelle’s reaction, Risebelle muttered to herself, “So this is the company you come from. And you don’t have a problem with this...”

  Her fists clenched tighter as her anger.

  The group reached the entrance of the next room, where a pair of Shadowcroft grunts engaged in a conversation about their combat skills.

  You know, I've been honing my skills in Akido lately. It's all about using an opponent's energy against them."

  "Really? That's impressive. I've always wanted to learn some martial arts. Maybe you can teach me some moves later on."

  The group took advantage of the distracted grunts, slipping past them with silent precision. Juliana motioned for everyone to follow her lead, guiding them through the shadows and avoiding the attention of the chattering grunts.

  As they moved on, Risebelle couldn't help but smirk. "They're too busy discussing their fighting skills to notice us. Let's keep going."

  The group reached the entrance of the next room, where a pair of Shadowcroft grunts engaged in a conversation:

  Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

  “You know, I've been honing my skills in Akido lately. It's all about using an opponent's energy against them. Pretty effective against those people who started awakening unique abilities."

  "Really? That's impressive. I've always wanted to learn something new. Maybe you can teach me some new moves later on."

  Risebelle smirked and whispered. "They're too busy discussing their fighting skills to notice us. Let's keep going."

  Juliana motioned for everyone to follow her lead. She guided them through the shadows and avoided the attention of the chattering grunts.

  The group reached a junction with three pathways. Runebelle examined the surroundings with a furrowed brow, “It seems Shadowcroft used the money they amassed from their shady lending business to expand and fund their sinister experiments."

  Juliana assessed the situation. "We need to choose the right path. If we take the wrong one, we might run into heavy resistance."

  Roselle looked to Runebelle for guidance. "Which way, Runebelle? We're counting on you."

  Runebelle pondered for a moment before pointing to the middle path. "Let's go this way. It seems less guarded."

  The group followed Runebelle down the middle path. The further down they went, the more the lights in the Corridors began to dim.

  The corridor stretched ahead, revealing a group of Shadowcroft guards. Their backs were turned and they were in heavy conversation, but they were stationed in a way where they could see anything that tried to pass.

  Runebelle turned to Rosebelle. "This is your chance to prove your dedication to the team, Rosebelle. Can you take them out silently and swiftly?"

  A mischievous grin spread across Rosebelle's face. With a confident nod, she stealthily approached the guards. In a swift series of well-timed strikes, she incapacitated them without a sound before they could begin to make noise. She left them slumped on the floor.Runebelle nodded in approval.

  After Rosebelle finished her silent takedown of the guards, she surveyed the scene with a satisfied smirk, but then felt an unsettling sensation. She turned her head slightly and met Risebelle’s piercing gaze.

  “Got a problem, Risebelle?” Rosebelle snapped, her irritation clear as day. “I totally get ‘Mrs. Genius’ over there staring at me, but like, what’s your deal? What do you want?”

  Risebelle’s face hardened. “I can’t trust you. You’re a part of the doppelganger problem we’re trying to fix. You're just here because you messed up. Don’t act so damn smug.”

  Rosebelle smirked. "Messed up or not, I'm still here, and you can't do anything about it. So, like, deal with it."

  "You look exactly like Roselle, but that's where the resemblance ends. Your attitude is a disgrace to her innocence," Risebelle remarked with disdain.

  Rosebelle shot back. "Whatever, Miss Serious. At least I don't have a permanent scowl etched on my face. Lighten up, would ya?"

  Risebelle's eyes narrowed. "Oh, I'd rather have a scowl than a face full of bratty entitlement like yours. Grow up, Rosebelle."

  Rosebelle scoffed. "Oh, I'm sorry, Miss Perfect. I forgot you're the epitome of ‘maturity and grace’."

  Risebelle retorted, "You know, it's almost pathetic how much you try to look like Roselle. But no matter how hard you imitate her, you'll never have her innocence or purity. You're just a cheap imitation!"

  Rosebelle scoffed in response. "Oh, please. Your serious face is enough to scare small children. Like, who would want to be innocent like Roselle anyway? It's so boooring. At least I have a personality."

  Risebelle lowered her eyes and folded her arms. “Personality? More like a spoiled brat who thinks the world revolves around her. You're nothing but a selfish attention-seeker."

  Roselle, who had been silently observing the exchange felt a pang of sadness deep within her innocent blue eyes. Though the insults were not directly aimed at her, she couldn't ignore the indirect implications.

  Rosebelle smirked. "And you're the epitome of fun, right? Always so serious, like you've got a stick permanently lodged up your a--"

  Runebelle’s frustration boiled over. Her eyes narrowed sharply and she shouted, “Enough!”

  The sudden outburst caused everyone to freeze.

  “This petty bickering is getting us nowhere fast,” Runebelle continued. “We’re on a crucial mission here, and if you two don’t stop this nonsense, you’re going to blow the entire operation for all of us. Get it together!”

  Risebelle, taken aback, clenched her jaw but bit back her retort. She shifted her gaze away from Rosebelle. “Fine. Let’s focus. I’m done wasting time on this.”

  Rosebelle, with a huff, folded her arms and reluctantly nodded. “Yeah, yeah, whatever...”

  Runebelle took a deep breath to calm herself. “Good. Now let’s move before we attract unwanted attention. We have a mission to complete, and we can’t afford any more distractions.”

  Rosebelle rolled her eyes but begrudgingly nodded in agreement. Risebelle, though still harboring distrust, understood the importance of unity in the face of a common enemy.

  As Runebelle guided the group forward, the tension lingered, but the shared goal of confronting Shadowcroft overshadowed the personal conflicts.

  The group continued their journey through the Shadowcroft base. Jess noticed the lingering tension between Risebelle and Rosebelle. Concerned, she approached Risebelle."Hey, Risey, you doing okay?"

  Risebelle, deep in thought, sighed and replied, "Just leave me alone for now, Jess. I've got a lot on my mind."

  Jess frowned, but she nodded and stepped back.

  Meanwhile, Roselle noticed Jess's troubled look. Dhe hung back with Jess, offering a friendly smile; however,Jess had other plans. In a swift motion, she pulled Roselle off the ground into a warm hug. Her hands moved in a way that made Roselle blush.

  "Jess, seriously, you can't just—"

  Before Roselle could finish her sentence, Jess whispered something in her ear that made her blush even deeper. Rosebelle, observing the scene, grumbled.

  Juliana, observing the dynamics within the group, sighed. "Tensions are running high. We need to stay focused on the mission."

  Runebelle approached Juliana. “I agree. We should discuss the plan to shut down Shadowcroft. Things seem too easy already, though this is just the beginning. Shadowcroft probably knows were here already."

  Juliana nodded in agreement. "You're right, Runebelle. Shadowcroft has proven to be cunning and resourceful. We need to be prepared for any surprises they might throw at us."

  The group found themselves at another crossroads only moments later. Risebelle sighed deeply. "Not again….seriously?"

  Roselle chuckled nervously. "Well, we've got a 33.3% chance of getting it right, right?"

  Risebelle gave a deadpan look, and then delivered a karate chop on Roselle's head.

  "Ow! Risebelle that hurt!" Roselle pouted, rubbing the top of her head.

  Risebelle crossed her arms. "Maybe next time, think before making jokes about important decisions."

  Jess rubbed the top of Roselle’s head soothingly. “Aw, don’t worry, Roselle. It’s just mean old Risey being in angry pants mode.”

  Risebelle shot Jess a sharp look. “Shut up, Jess.”

  Jess raised her hands in mock surrender. “Woow. Rosebelle really got you worked up.”

  Risebelle turned to face the North path. “Whatever. Let’s just figure out which path to take before we waste more time.”

  Roselle continued to nurse her "injury.” The rest of the group looked to Runebelle, waiting for her guidance.

  Runebele examined each pathway with a furrowed brow. Rosebelle, on the other hand, diverted her gaze to the right with a look of curiousity.