'What is this? A fanficton?' Eden asked herself. There were very few things she could do while on her deathbed and reading was one of them. She used to partake in writing but after getting sick and depressed all drive to put word to document left her.

But this all seemed very real, so she played along with the stereotypical.

So, Eden died and was somehow transported into the world of a video game, specifically; Xenosaga. A game that, while her favorite, she hasn't played in years.

How?

Why?

And if she's in the game then where in the game is she? She looks around at the cluster of lights and particle waves and frowns.

This doesn't look like anywhere in the game. In fact the place reminds her about some science documentary about the brain and its neurons. It made no sense, if she was to be transported into a video game, then why was she someplace that wasn't even present in the game?

She sighs and looks to the computer display.

Okay. If she can't explain the where and how, then what about when? Because if she was going to figure all of this out as soon as she could it would be nice to know what her time window was.

The only way to accurately tell when in the story she was, was by any events that had occurred. The game never gives dates of occurrences besides the opening cutscene back on Earth, or 'Lost Jerusalem' as it was called.

Eden looked back at the console.

Well, she's obviously at the beginning point of the game. The Woglinde is in one piece and Shion is sleeping cozy in her bed. Eden searches through the security feeds again, scouring the ship for the golden Zohar but there's no sign of it. She felt a little relieved, now knowing that she had at least some time to figure things out. Like whether or not Kevin was alive. Has KOS-MOS already had her episode? How much before the game's start is she?

She searches for Kevin's name on the crew log and his status.

Deceased.

Well, what the hell does she do now?

What can she do, is a better question. Clearly, she has the whole entire world web at her metaphorical fingertips, and then some. Accessing files and information that she shouldn't be able to access. And able to control electronics. She could prevent things from happening? How? She had no idea where she was or how she could possibly get in contact with anyone.

Where is she?

Well, through the surveillance feed, she obviously connected to the Woglinde but where as a whole is she? She looked around at the multitude of pulsating lights and focused on the one most interesting. The one above her.

A brilliant golden ball that every light, even those in the distance, was connected too via golden strands. It appeared to be some kind of hub. She zipped over and investigated, pulling up its console.

A list of names appeared. Status. Connectivity. She couldn't make heads or tails of it until she discovered the name of the source. U.M.N. Right, because everything is connected to the U.M.N. That's the universal network. The sea of the collective unconscious. She hummed to herself. If she's in the network itself then maybe she's not in any one place in particular. In the future of Xenosaga she is quite literally everywhere.

'I'm a consciousness in the sea of the unconscious?' She recalls that Dimitri is able to take control of Gaignun because he successfully transferred his consciousness from the U.M.N into his body. If he can jack a body, then surely she could do it. Afterall, if she was going to insert herself into the plot then she needed a body to do it with. Can't do much as a ghost. But Gaignun was specifically created for that purpose, she couldn't do it to just anybody, could she?

Time for more exploring, and what better place to do that then where the plot is currently centered. She jacks back into the Woglinde. All she had to do was think of it and the thread appeared and she was back at it's server.

Eden doesn't try to pretend like she understands everything in Xenosaga, there's a lot of stuff and without a wiki article to pull up there's not a lot she can actually recall in detail about the game's nuances. Sure, she knows the script by heart but give her a break, it's been awhile since she's played it.

She also needs to know if this is the game universe or the anime universe. The game universe never explicitly states that there's a 100-Series Realian on board the Woglinde. It's only through the anime that people put two and two together that the Kirschwasser Albedo first appears within the game was a run away, hiding on board the ship.

And what does she find but a little blue haired girl typing away at a computer in the control pit. If she's right, that means this girl is actually a Kirschwasser in disguise. Information pulls up on a separate monitor the more she stares.

Eden has seen enough pictures of her own sickly brain to know what they look like and the images pulling up look like a brain. There's a heart rate. Statues. A conglomeration of words fleeing across the screen and she blinks as the feed suddenly changes to another monitor, being type away at.

Oh, she can see through the girls eyes.

And then audio comes through the monitor, echoing around her.

'Everything will be fine. Just keep doing what you're told and nobody will suspect a thing.'

'Oh, I can hear her thoughts too.' Eden watches as the girl stops typing and visibly shudders. Eden glances to her vitals to see everything flare suddenly. It's strange though the girl doesn't seem in pain.

Kirsch rubs at her arms, trying to force down the goosebumps and looks around.

'...that was weird. I got really warm and tingly all of a sudden. What was that?'

'So it was a pleasant feeling?' The girl jumps.

'Who..who said that?'

'What can you hear me too?' The girl jumps again. 'Oh, you can. Sorry about that. Didn't mean to scare you.'

'Who are you? Where are you?'

'My name is Eden. I have no real idea as to where I am but currently I guess I'm in your head.'

'H-How did you get in my head?'

'Really I just kinda stared at you through the camera's and somehow got in contact with your brain. Forgive me if I don't have a better answer but I'm still trying to figure things out myself.'

'You're telepathic?' She asked and Eden chuckled.

'No, actually I'm a ghost.' She states.

Her name is Kirsch if she remembers correctly.

'A ghost.'

'Yeah, I know it sounds unbelievable but that's the story. I'm not on board the ship though. Well, I am but not physically? This is all really weird.;

'Well...What do you want with me Eden?' Kirsch is certainly nice about this. Eden did just invade her mind without consent. She seems rather down to earth and with the flow which works in Eden's favor.

'I am sorta kinda hoping that I could figure out what all I could do with you. So far I've learned that I can talk to you and see through your eyes.'

'You're looking through my eyes?'

'Yup. I also got a lot of information about you too and that leads me to want to ask a question.'

'What?'

'Do you really think Albedo's not going to find you?' Kirsch doesn't hide her gasp and the man manning the computer beside her gives her an odd look.

"Are you okay?" Kirsch turns and gives him a silent nod, going back to looking at her computer but her fingers freeze over the keys, her hands shaking.

'W-what are you talking about?'

'I know you're a 99-Series and I know you're running from him. Figured I give you a little head's up and let you know that he's coming to get you.'

'B-But how do you know all that?!'

'I know a lot of things, Kirsch.'

'Kirsch?' The Kirschwasser in disguise shakes her head and clenches her hands into fists. 'N-No. I'll just...I'll…'

'You really didn't expect him to chase you? If there is one thing Albedo hates it's betrayal so don't sound shocked that he wants to teach you a lesson.' Eden states and looks away from Kirsch's eyes to look over her vitals. A definite elevated heart rate.

'Then again, his intention isn't really to get you but to get Zohar Emulator and that thing's only gonna put you in more trouble. He just happens to pick you up on the way.' Eden hums 'Really, you've kinda put yourself in a corner. You can't run away. And to make matters worse is the Gnosis that is going to show up when he finds you.'

'G-Gnosis?' Eden starts to feel sorry for the girl. Then again, she's the one putting her on edge. Maybe she could have done this with a bit more tact.

'Well, the Woglinde is going to find something soon that attracts them.'

'W-why are you telling me this? W-What am I supposed to do?!'

'Fight back?'

'I can't.' Eden scoffs.

'Yes, you can. It's easy. I can even tell you how.'

'W-why?'

'Because I'll feel bad if I don't at least attempt to warn you of what will be your tragic end if you don't do anything. You are fated for death if you don't plan things out, starting now.'

'Your a telepath and you know the future?'

'I'm not a telepath, I'm a ghost. And I know a potential future. Your potential future. And let me tell you, it's not a happy one.' Eden watches as the girl sets her hands in her lap and clenches the fabric of her shorts. She sighs at herself, again feeling bad that she's dropping all of this on her at once.

'Sorry I couldn't tell you this with a bit more tact but we don't have much time left to work with. If I'm right, you're going to find the emulator soon and that's what kickstarts all of the plot into place.' Eden feels something wash over her. A sense of dread and acceptance.

Oh, now she feels Kirsch's feelings.

Yeah, none of that.

Eden effectively stomps on them, like one would a bug, and then pushes her own confidence over the girl. Should maybe ask permission to do this but at the moment, Eden wants her to feel better.

Kirsch gives a little sniffle and clears her throat.

'What do I do?'

'First, let's make a deal.'

Kirsch hums.

'The deal is...I help keep you safe. Help you survive what's to come and in return you let me borrow your body once in a while.'

'You mean like...possession?'

Eden glances back to the console of Kirsch's vitals and then back through her eyes. She had meant 'take control' in the same way as telling her what to do and she does it but if Eden was already in her mind, could she take control over her like she could the cameras and computers? Now she's concerned whether or not she'd take control and never be able to give it back. Would it be permanent or not.

There was a chance that it was and if that was the case Eden would be in control and still do right by the girl She'd keep her safe...or at least as safe as the plot would allow her to be. She felt no joy in possibly wresting permanent control from her. She'd rather it not come to that.

Should she warn her of the possibility?

If she doesn't and Kirsch does permanently lose control from that, that would suck. Then she realizes that if she's already seeing through the girl's eyes and feeling what she feels then she's already semi-hijacked her, hasn't she? She could probably take control of the girl willing or not. But then that would make her no better than Dimitri Yuriev.

That's a sour taste in her metaphorical mouth.

'As I said. I haven't really figured all this stuff out. If you are willing to give me a shot at taking control you should know that there is a risk of losing control completely. But you should know there is a chance that we could simply sip swap back and forth. I've entered cameras and computers and exited cameras and computers with a matter of will. And I know of one example between two people who were kinda able to swap consciousness.'

Granted Dimitri and Gaignun were not a shining example of what could happen but at the same time they were.

Kirsch bites her lip.

'So, I could be dead either way?'

'It's a leap of faith. I'm not expecting you to trust me right away. But if you don't do something you will die.' Eden feels Kirsch's doubt.

"Captain. Unidentified object ahead." Says a voice from the room. Kirsch looks up from her lap to see in the distance of space, a golden monolith floating ahead.

'That's the Emulator.'

'That's what causes the Gnosis to attack?'

'Yes, which puts us on a time limit.' Eden projects. 'So, you need to make a choice and make it fast.'

Kirsch sits back with a breath.

'How long do we have?'

'I wish I could give you a precise answer but approximately 24 hours. Maybe less.'

Kirsch gives a nearly glance to the captain as he gives the orders for some astronauts and A.G.W.S. units to go out and secure the 'Emulator' as Eden called it.

'There's no way I can stop them? What if I was to tell them what it's going to do.'

'Who would believe you without proof. Also, to give you more proof of how finit my information is, one of those guys are gonna touch it and vanish.'

It takes a moment for the assembled retrievers to exit the ship and get close enough to the golden monolith before Kirsch can see for herself that one of the crew does touch the surface of the golden arch. Only for them to vanish in a flash of light.

Kirsch feels the wind taken out of her sails.

'You're telling the truth. Which means everything you just told me is going to happen.' The Kirschwasser in disguise feels forlorn without hope.

'Hey. Don't lose spirit. You got me and I can tell you exactly how to get out of all the alive.' Eden states.

She feels lackluster confidence between whatever link they had formed that allows Eden to sense her emotions. But the girl is resolute. Kirsch feels herself to be without a choice. Now that she knows what Eden says is true there is really nothing she can think of that would get her out of this safely. The Gnosis were impossible to kill.

'They're not impossible to kill. You happen to be riding the ship that's carrying the only weapon capable of destroying them in mass.'

'What?'

'KOSMOS. Vector Industries leading assault on the Gnosis. She is being worked on in this ship and is going to help some of you escape...not many though. Only four of you including her manage to make it out alive. Well, that I know of anyways. By the time they make it to the escape pods there's only one left and I don't really know what the state of the other's is. My knowledge kinda centers on the four. But If you do what I ask though, you may be able to change that and be an added addition.'

Kirsch weighs her options and feels the stone sink in her stomach.

'O-okay.' She responds. 'I'm electing to trust you, Eden. I don't have much of a choice. But you promise that you'll take care of me?'

'I don't lie.' Kirsch wiggled in her seat.

'Then...d-deal.'

Eden smiles to herself.

'Pleasure, partner. Now. As for what we need to , first you need a weapon. To hold off both the Gnosis and Albedo. You're also going to need a spacesuit because that's the only way you'll be able to safely make it out.' Eden hums, 'And also, you need to meet Shion.'

'Shion?

'Look behind you.'

Kirsch does just that looking behind her to make eye contact with a woman with long brown hair and circular glasses. Her sudden glance at her causes the woman to gasp then give a pleasant smile. She had been staring.

'Shion Uzuki. She leads the KOS-MOS project. And she's one of the few who escape. Her, her assistant Allen Ridgely, KOS-MOS herself and one other.

Kirsch looks away from the brunette to focus back on her screen.

'Who else?'

'Umm…' She knows Kirsch is here but the world could be a mix of both the anime and the game. 'It's up in the air whether or not it is commander Andrew cherenkov or Lieutenant Luis Vergil.'

'What do you mean it's up in the air. You don't know?'

'It's a split. I know what will happen no matter which of the two it is but I don't know for certain which one survives until after the attack is already over.'

Kirsch remains patient with her.

'So I need a gun and a space suit.' She confirms. 'And I need to meet Miss Uzuki. So, if I stay with her I should be safe?'

'No. That's the last thing we want to do.' Eden explains. 'If you stay with her during the attack then Albedo comes in and threatens Shions life. And we need her alive. This is gonna force you to go with him. We need to get either ahead or behind her to make it so that she can't be threatened and you can get away. There is an opportunity in which you need to follow her for a bit though. When are you excused from duty?

'I can't just leave without permission. I'm the junior petty officer.' Eden is stunned and amazed.

'You sneak aboard the ship with little to nothing to your name and they made you a junior petty officer?' Eden questions. She calls bullshit.

'They were desperate to fill their ranks.'

'So desperate that they don't even do a background check on you to be sure you are who you say you are?'

'The crew was thrown together rather quickly.' Eden hums and snickers.

'Quite the Frane Selak aren't you?'

'Who?'

'The luckiest unlucky man.' Eden explains. 'But nevermind that. When does the crew rotate?' Eden asks and Kirsch looks at the clock on the side bar of her computer.

'Actually in a couple of minutes.'

'So, as soon as you're loose, head towards the Realian Maintenance Room and meet Shion there. Bond with her a little because we're going to need her to like you if we're going to get anywhere after the attack.'

'Then...we need to get a gun.' Kirsch confirmed. 'Then we need a spacesuit.'

'One thing at a time, Kirsch. You...We got this.'