Their Reflection

Amy raised both of her index fingers, signaling that she was about to speak.

“There's some good news…and some bad news.”

A brief silence followed, her words lingering in the air. Cloey shifted uncomfortably before glancing at me, searching for any reaction.

“How about the good news first?” she suggested with a sheepish smile.

Amy, too, seemed to wait for my response. I sighed, then nodded. "Good news first, please.”

“If you two say so." Amy grabbed a scrap of paper and began sketching, just as she had before. After a moment, she held up the first drawing.

(https://imgur.com/a/qI3FbOc <- Drawing 1 for reference)

“As you both know, the pond acts as the border between your universes. Now picture timespace as a rubber band stretched across this boundary. You two exist in different timelines, but things got…complicated when Anon arrived.”

She revealed a second piece of paper, her expression growing more serious.

(https://imgur.com/a/2SDxQDR <- Drawing 2 for reference)

“When Anon came through, timespace was pulled toward Cloey’s universe. Imagine pinching a rubber band and pulling it toward one side. The balance was disrupted.”

Amy set the drawing down and pointed at me, her usual smile returning.

“The good news? You can restore balance simply by going back through the pond. No risks, no complications, just a straightforward return.”

Cloey, surprisingly, was the one who cheered the loudest. Without hesitation, she grabbed me in a tight hug, nearly lifting me off the ground.

“You can go home! Back to your family and friends!” she exclaimed.

I chuckled, patting her arm. “Why are you more excited about this than I am?”

She held me even tighter. “Because I was mentally preparing myself for the bad news, but now everything will be fine!”

Amy cleared her throat, breaking the celebratory moment. “Yeah…about that.”

She pulled out the third and final drawing, her tone shifting slightly.

(https://imgur.com/a/egYUW2f <- Drawing 3 for reference)

“I say ‘bad news,’ but it’s more of a possible complication. Think back to the rubber band analogy. Right now, it's stretched toward Cloey’s universe. But if you go back, another force will pull it toward yours. Two competing forces, each trying to restore equilibrium. And when something stretched too far snaps back…well, unpredictable things happen.”

A cold chill ran down my spine. “Wait…are you saying that if two four-dimensional spacetimes collapse on each other–”

“Oh, no, no, no! We’re not getting that dark.” Amy waved off my concern. “The problem isn’t destruction…it’s disconnection. If the universe ‘snaps’ back into place, the pond might revert to being just that, a simple pond. No portal. No way back.”

The weight of her words settled over us like a thick fog.

“So,” Cloey muttered, her voice quieter now, “this might be goodbye. Forever.”

“...”

“...”

Amy nodded solemnly. “It’s a possibility. Not a certainty, but…I wouldn’t have the power to predict or prevent it.”

“So…we might never see each other again?” Cloey asked, her voice quieter now.

“Correct.” Amy's expression turned somber. She paused before adding, “But think about it, it's only been a day for you two.”

Silence stretched between us.

It had only been a day since I arrived here, but somehow, it felt longer. Every interaction, every moment…Cloey, Kira, Oberon. It had all felt so real, so important.

Being surrounded by friends, even just a few, was something new to me. It was an experience I almost wished I could relive all over again.

I could always make new friends. Emi and Nova were still around, but they were their own people, not replacements for Kira or Oberon. But was that really the issue? Was it because, deep down, I knew I would truly miss them if the worst happened?

I glanced at Cloey. She looked just as conflicted, her eyes searching mine. Then, slowly, she smiled.

“I want you to go home, Anon.”

I don't believe her words were meant with any malice or a lack of friendship between us.

Every moment we shared felt meaningful, leaving an unforgettable impact on my life.

And it’s because of her.

“I want to go back too,” I admitted. But even as I said the words, my body and mind felt like they were on opposing sides.

Amy clapped her hands together softly. “Shall we head to the pond?”

We walked in silence, each step heavier than the last. The pond soon came into view, its surface eerily still. A hush had settled over the area, as if the world itself knew what was about to happen.

“You might want to say your goodbyes…just in case.” Amy said, almost whispering it.

It was around the same time when I fell into the pond, but now it felt eerily quiet.

Cloey and I stood at the water’s edge.

She was someone I had met only yesterday, yet she had made such an impact on me in such a short time.

I turned to her, smiling. “I almost doubt there’s anyone like you in the world.”

She blinked, seemingly caught off guard by my words. The wind picked up, rustling the leaves around us. Strands of her hair fluttered across her face, but she didn’t move to fix them. She was too focused on me.

“I don’t want to call it fate,” I continued, “but meeting you changed the way I see things. And for that, I want to thank you.”

“...”

Cloey opened her mouth, then shut it again. She fidgeted, clutching the hem of her shirt.

I smirked. “Let’s not end this on a sad note. Your words, remember?”

That earned a laugh from her. “Gosh, you always know what to say. Meanwhile, I’m struggling to even find the right words.”

“Then don’t say anything,” I told her. “Let your actions speak for you.”

She's always been so expressive whenever something happens, and the last thing I want to see now is her holding back.

Her face flushed, and she hesitated for just a second. She seemed to fidget before clutching the ends of her shirt before taking a step forward.

“You asked for it.”

She pulled me into a tight embrace, her warmth surrounding me. I could hear her heartbeat clearly.

It’s fast…

“This is just ‘see you later.’” Cloey whispered. “Those were your words earlier.”

My face grew just as warm. “Cheater,” I muttered, my voice barely audible.

We stayed like that for a moment that stretched beyond time. Eventually, she pulled away, looking more flustered than before.

“Sorry about that,” she murmured, fidgeting even more. “I just…I wanted you to understand how much you meant to me.”

“Agreed,” I replied softly. “I’m glad I got to say what I felt, too.”

Our emotions had been laid bare, but one final moment remained. I turned to Amy.

“Amy,” I greeted.

“Anon,” she responded.

“Thank you.”

For once, she was the one caught off guard. She looked away, crossing her arms. “You mortals never change.”

I faced the pond again.

I know there was no real danger in jumping in, but what came after? Would I really never see them again?

I clenched my fists. "I’ll find a way back. No matter what it takes. I’ll surpass even the gods in the worst of situations.”

I turned back with an even greater grin on my face.

Cloey grinned as well. “And we’ll be waiting for you.”

There's no doubt that today has shaped who I am, even if it's in the smallest way. I don’t want to look back on today as just a memory; I want it to become the new normal.

“Yeah. This is just ‘see you later.’”

We both had a smile on our faces. A wide and goofy smile that only the two of us can see.

“See you later, Anon!”

With that, I stepped forward. Cloey’s voice rang out one last time.

It must have lasted only a second, but its icy grasp pulling me down.. My eyes were the only part of me that remained calm through the rippling surface. Sinking deeper, my eyes met hers; both of us facing one another, ignoring the water between us. The pond seemed endless, growing colder with every passing moment.

It wasn’t long before my vision faded to darkness.