transported into twilight with a system

chapter 2

Chapter 2: Meeting the Players

The cool air hit Ethan as soon as they stepped out of the apartment, crisp and clean, the kind of mountain air that belonged in postcard-perfect small towns. He glanced around at the mist-shrouded streets, lined with pine trees that seemed to stretch on forever, their dark green branches framing the overcast sky. Forks, Washington—he recognized it instantly. It was like stepping into a set, too perfect to be real.

“Alright, Alice,” Ethan said, trying to keep the sarcasm at bay, “what's the deal? You seem pretty calm for someone who just found a random dude on her couch.”

Alice shot him a look, her amber eyes calculating. “You’re not exactly what I was expecting either. And for the record, I didn’t ‘find’ you. You showed up. We’ve been expecting someone, but you’re… different.”

“Different how? Not sparkly enough?” Ethan quipped, shoving his hands into his pockets. His fingers brushed against something—his phone. Reflexively, he pulled it out, only to see that it was dead. Of course it was.

Alice smirked but didn’t bite. “We’ll get to that. Right now, you need to meet the others. The Cullens don’t take too kindly to strangers, especially ones who drop out of nowhere.”

“Strangers? I feel like I know all of you already. It's kind of surreal, really.” He looked around, half-expecting to see a moody Edward Cullen lurking behind a tree.

As they walked, Ethan realized how eerily quiet everything was. There were no cars, no other people—just the sound of their footsteps crunching against the gravel. It was like Forks had been frozen in time, waiting for him to arrive. Alice kept glancing at him, as if trying to figure out what made him tick. Ethan wasn’t sure what her game was, but he had a sinking feeling it involved more than just awkward introductions.

After a few minutes, they reached a familiar sight—a sleek, modern-looking house nestled deep within the woods. The Cullen house. Ethan remembered it vividly from the movies: the glass walls, the minimalist design, like a perfect blend of nature and architecture.

“Home sweet home,” Alice announced, pausing just before they reached the front door. “Just… try not to say anything stupid. They’re on edge.”

“I’m always on my best behavior,” Ethan said, grinning. “Mostly.”

Alice rolled her eyes but pushed open the door, leading him inside.

The interior of the house was just as impressive as the outside—spacious, filled with soft light that filtered through the trees. Everything was so… clean, like a museum or a high-end showroom. Ethan’s steps faltered when he saw the gathering of people inside.

The Cullens.

Edward was standing by the window, his arms crossed, looking every bit the brooding vampire Ethan remembered. Next to him was Bella, her face pale but somehow softer, less awkward than she’d appeared in his mind. Rosalie leaned against a wall, arms crossed, glaring as if she were already annoyed by his presence. Emmett sat casually on the edge of a couch, a playful grin tugging at his lips, clearly enjoying the tension in the room. Carlisle and Esme stood together, looking calm and concerned, the perfect parental figures. Jasper hovered nearby, his face blank, but Ethan could feel the weight of his stare.

“So,” Edward started, his voice as smooth as velvet, “you’re the new arrival.”

Ethan opened his mouth to respond, but a flash of movement caught his eye. In an instant, Edward was in front of him, his amber eyes burning with intensity. “You’re not human, are you?”

Ethan blinked, caught off guard. “Uh, last time I checked, I definitely was.”

Edward frowned, his gaze boring into him like he was searching for something deeper. “There’s something off about you. I can’t read your thoughts.”

“That’s probably because they’re so shallow,” Ethan joked, trying to deflect the growing tension. “Or maybe I’m just bad WiFi.”

Emmett let out a loud laugh, breaking the silence. “I like this guy already.”

Rosalie, however, looked less amused. “This isn’t funny, Emmett. We don’t know who—or what—he is.”

Alice stepped forward, her tone sharp. “I told you, I saw him coming. He’s part of this, whether we like it or not.”

Carlisle raised a hand, silencing the rising tension. “Let’s not jump to conclusions. Ethan, is it?”

Ethan nodded, still feeling the weight of their stares. “Look, I don’t know why I’m here either. One minute I’m minding my own business, and the next, I’m waking up in some kind of Twilight-themed alternate reality. Trust me, this wasn’t on my bucket list.”

Carlisle’s expression softened slightly, though there was still a hint of wariness in his eyes. “You said there was a system—something guiding you?”

“Yeah,” Ethan admitted, “some kind of interface, like a game HUD. It’s in my head. Keeps throwing quests at me, like I’m supposed to… I don’t know, adjust to this place?”

At this, Edward exchanged a glance with Alice. “That’s what’s different. He’s not a normal human,” Edward said, his voice low. “There’s something else at play.”

“You think I don’t know that?” Ethan shot back. “I didn’t ask for this. Hell, I didn’t even want to be here.”

Jasper, who had been silent until now, finally spoke. “Whether you wanted to be here or not doesn’t matter. You’re in this now. And if there’s one thing we’ve learned, it’s that nothing happens by accident.”

Ethan felt a chill run down his spine. This was no game. There was something bigger happening, something he couldn’t yet understand. The system buzzed in the back of his mind, another alert flashing across his vision.

New Quest Unlocked: Survive the Cullens.

“Well,” Ethan said, forcing a grin, “looks like I’ve got my work cut out for me.”

“You have no idea,” Edward muttered darkly, his gaze never leaving Ethan’s face.