The morning sun slanted through the half-open blinds, scattering golden stripes across Bella's bedroom floor. She blinked, not with the sluggish confusion of a five-year-old waking, but with the crisp awareness of someone who had lived a lifetime already. Memories of Rose Lane—her past self, her family, her soft cozy life filled with chaos and laughter—rushed back, fully intact.
A faint chime echoed in her mind, and then a translucent panel appeared, floating in the air before her eyes. Words glowed softly:
[Survival System Activated]
[Supported by multiple dimensions.]
Bella sat up, brushing tangled dark hair from her face. 'Of course. This makes sense.' She had expected something like this.
[Past life's memories have been restored.]
[World: Twilight (Timeline #2)]
The system pulsed and spoke in calm, neutral tones:
[Legacy Ability detected. Pre-selected at Truck-kun Catalyst: 'I'd like to be able to edit a person's occult, traits, and power level like when playing Sims 4 with cheats.']
Bella's eyes widened, and a shiver ran through her tiny body— sheer, deliberate excitement. This was exactly what she had always wanted: a way to control outcomes, quietly, carefully, humanely.
A small panel displayed her starting balance: 100,000 SC. Alongside it, the first tutorial missions appeared.
[Mission #1: "Test your Legacy Ability on inanimate objects or pets at home"
Reward: 500 SC]
[Mission #2: "Observe minor household anomalies" Reward: 1,000 SC]
Bella wriggled out of bed and padded across the room to her toys. A stuffed rabbit sat upright on the rug, floppy ears flopping just enough to look imperfect. She focused, whispering the first small commands that floated in her mind, and adjusted its "playfulness" trait. It wobbled for a second, then sat perfectly upright, ears symmetrical. A soft chime in her mind confirmed: [Mission #1 completed: +500 SC]
Next, she crouched beside a tiny potted fern on the windowsill. Its leaves were curling slightly from a lack of light. She concentrated and nudged its vitality and growth rate upward. The green deepened, leaves stretched luxuriously toward the light.
Her cat, a sleepy gray tabby named Watson, blinked up at her as if curious. Bella grinned. 'Time for a real test.' She adjusted a playful trait just slightly, enough to encourage him to paw at a toy rather than the curtains. Watson purred contentedly.
[Mission #2 completed: +1000]
Floating text reminded her:
[Inventory Upgrade Available]
[Observation Journal Available]
A quick thought later, her SC deducted, and her inventory expanded (Sims 4;-5000SC). She reached out mentally, and a small, leather-bound journal appeared (Infinity Nikki; -1000SC) shimmering softly on her desk.
Bella sat at her desk, scribbling in her journal with deliberate strokes. She recorded the toy rabbit, the fern, Watson and the tiny changes she had made. Observing and logging—this was to be her new method of doing things. Already she felt herself sharpening, growing, learning.
A soft breeze drifted in through the window. For a moment, the shadows in her room stretched unnaturally, then snapped back. Bella noticed but didn't startle but her eyes narrowed.
The system pulsed faintly, acknowledging her first successful manipulations:
[Legacy Ability unlocked permanently (Sims 4)]
[Observant Trait acquired due to your keen observations (Disney Dreamlight Valley)]
She ran to her bed jumping on it before starfishing on it. Watson jumped up and curled against her side.
Bella's reality had shifted but she was ready because she knew the world would need to change and with a small grin she thought 'I know just the girl to do it.'