Guilty Gear Transmigration: Light of Madness

(Arejay POV)

Gasping for breath and feeling life return to my body, my eyes shot open to unfamiliar and bright surroundings. Four figures stood before me, blurry but becoming more apparent as each second passed. 

'I'm alive, but how? I felt my throat rip open, yet an ambulance managed to make it to me in time. However, my body feels strange...'. The transmigrator thought. I was examining my body when I instantly noticed the sun was setting, and I was lying on a hospital bed wearing a blue gown, a vein punctured with a line hooked up to various machines and monitors. My heart rate quickened as I tried to understand what was happening. As I tried to sit up, I realized my limbs felt foreign, as if they didn't belong to me. 

With a growing sense of panic, I looked down and saw that I was in a completely new body. I felt taller and leaner, and when I reached up to touch my face, I felt angular cheekbones and an unknown chin instead of my usual features. Just as I was about to call out for help, I clutched my head in pain, experiencing an overwhelming amount of information my brain was processing, similar to watching Fight Club for the first time.

What drew my attention back to reality was one of the figures approaching me, a woman with red hair that seemed vaguely familiar, but before I could study her face more, she lightly hugged me, tears falling down her face and onto my shoulder. I decided to hug her back, being on the verge of my tears forming. During this embrace, I couldn't help but feel warmth spreading throughout myself. The hug made me truly happy, and when I thought more, I realized this was my sister or this body's sister. When was the last time someone who cherished me or a family member hugged me, years that felt like an eternity? 

My tears soon stopped being replaced by laughing jubilantly at this unorthodox situation I found myself in. My sister stopped crying, stepped back with puffy eyes, and smiled at me. That's when something clicked inside my head: that smile, face, and snappy red hair reminded me of one person, Aria Hale. That's impossible; she's a fictional character and isn't real. Then again, I just transferred into a new body, so it is easy to assume, but on the other hand, this could be a dream. However, why am I dreaming about Aria as a sibling if this is a dream? I played Happy Chaos and fought May, that little shit.

"Is that you, Aria, or is this just a dream?" I croaked out, speaking my first words in my new life. 

She looked surprised by my question but answered with trepidation, "Yes, it's me, and you're not in a dream, Daubeny." Appearing to let go of the seriousness of the situation, she continued with a wide smile. "But if it was a dream, shouldn't you be happy, your dear sister."

Arejay couldn't think for a moment as his new name registered inside his head, and that was this body's name, Daubeny Hale. Surprisingly, at nineteen years old, he finished college and lived alone in an apartment in Alaska. Finally, it dawned on me that I hadn't replied, so with a slight chuckle, I said, "Okay, okay. I believe you, sis, but why am I in the hospital?"

The man in doctor's clothing smiled, "I can explain that, and based on how you are acting, you are well, correct?" Arejay nodded, and the doctor continued with his smile faltering, looking towards the two men, silent this entire conversation. "At Aria's request, she and I would like to be alone explaining what happened with Daubeny, as it's a family matter."

The man with dark brown hair, 6'0 feet, and a muscular figure looked slightly irritated but nodded, "Fine, if it's that important to keep private, I won't budge, but later, you'll have to tell us if he's at least going to be well." He walked out of the room swiftly, leaving the other 5'5 feet tall man with ashen blond hair partially covering his eyes and a slim figure. He watched Daubeny with a relieved smile, nodding and leaving the room.

When both of them had left, the doctor continued. "You were found in your apartment yesterday by your sister and friends when you weren't seen or responded to their messages when they arrived at work. After an hour, they were worried and went to your apartment to discover you unconscious with no physical injuries, and rushed to the hospital. Where we diagnosed that your infection had progressed sooner than we expected and made you as conformal as we could, and just a few minutes ago, your heart stopped beating until you awakened."

Thinking cheerfully, I couldn't wait to see what powers I would receive because all the stories I've read and heard about obtained supernatural powers. Until reality slapped me as I noted the doctor's words, 'Wait, what? Infection, no, no, don't tell me the ability I got was a fatal disease! Being an incurable form of tuberculosis affecting my lungs, I do wonder if this body's previous owner went into Aruther Morgan's body.'

Aria decided to speak up with a strained, reassuring smile, "It's not sure yet if you still have it or if there's a chance you've overcome it. We'll need to wait a few days to see what's happening, but until then, Frederick, Asuka, and I will visit you whenever we can. You're probably exhausted after rising from the dead, so I'll let you rest." She hugged me again and walked out of the room, waving at me.

In response, the doctor smiled while walking out of the room, "You'll be inside here for the next week if everything seems to be going alright." After he left, I was alone as the last remaining light of the sun vanished. I had to go through a lot of information, starting with accepting my new name as Daubeny and that those two men were Sol and Asuka, meaning this was all real and I was in the world of Guilty Gear. 

Next sort through Daubeny's—my new memories of this life. Looking back at my first memory, I remember being with Aria at three in a New York orphanage. From what I can tell, we are consanguineous relatives, even though she's three years older than I. The caretakers of that orphanage told us years later that our parents didn't want us because we were mistakes. Not because of our traits but because they never intended to have children; as for why this mother decided not to have an abortion with me, I have no idea. The only present they ever gave either of us was each other.

Thankfully, when I arrived there, Aria was informed she had a brother and was delightfully surprised at my appearance. When the caretakers weren't caring for me, she would constantly talk and play with me. I was the only one she ever spoke to or interacted with there. Everything continued as normal as one can expect until 1999, when the universal will, an AI designed initially to assist in helping humanity reach its full potential, went berserk and tried to kill all of humanity through technology. During this period, every nation was in chaos due to this event, and all technology was shut off, according to the advice of history's first magic user, Happy Chaos.

Gazing at the various machines supporting me, I couldn't tell that magic was powering them if I didn't know already. I had to comprehend so much more information, such as magic. But that would have to wait until tomorrow and the days following. All I wanted now was to sleep and try not to think of my parents and friends I'll never see again. And with that, I fell asleep.

Over the week, I began getting used to my new body. It was frustrating initially, but I was determined to make the most of my second chance at life. As I slowly adapted to my new body, I began appreciating the small things I had taken for granted. The feeling of the sun on my skin, eating food, the ability to walk. I also learned to embrace my new identity and all the quirks that came with it. Aria, Frederick, and Asuka visited me as often as possible. I had gotten to know more of them, as they were my only real friends, and before my hospitalization, I had joined their line of work as a scientist who was part of the ecosystem evolution project.

Everything was going well, and I happily chatted with my sister when the doctor entered the room. He destroyed my hopes of not having tuberculosis as he informed us that, by some miracle, the infection was being delayed but had not been cured. At most, he said I had one or two years to live at the most without staying in the hospital, delaying the induvial for five more extra years at most. 

Glancing at the doctor, giving him a grimacing smile, I said, "I appreciate the offer, but my answer is no." The doctor exchanged a few more pleasantries with me until he soon left. Afterward, in a comfortable jacket and jeans, Aria and I began making our out of the hospital, and along the way, she asked, "I'm glad you made that choice, but why did you?"

Shrugging my shoulders, I said, "You already know the answer; I would rather live with you and my friends than stay there and rot." Neither of us spoke the rest of the way out until we spoke of more pleasant topics once we left the hospital and to her car. But I think she and I were contemplating facing our mortality soon.

'Besides, this is my chance to be someone more than I ever could. Even if I couldn't become a gear, I've spent too much time alone and would rather have my precious, bleak existence.'