A/N: Snow here with the new chapter of Distorted Reflections! This story had such a positive reception I had to work extra hard for this new chapter. Are you ready to visit a brand new world? Where you can no longer be sure of anything anymore. Enjoy, my readers!

Chapter 1: Not as it should be

January 10, 2028

Woods Residence

6:30 a.m.

No matter how thoroughly Juniper searched her room, she couldn't find her proof of friendship. It was an incredibly alarming way to start the morning, but Juniper tried to convince herself that there was some kind of logical explanation.

While having breakfast with her Grandma, Juniper decided to ask her where the red bracelet had gone. The frown on her Grandma's face was disconcerting- but even worse was what she answered.

"I don't remember you ever having such a bracelet. Are you sure you aren't thinking of something else?"

"Well, this bracelet is something me and my friends wear," Juniper said carefully. "Are you sure you haven't seen it, Grandma?"

Virginia Woods shook her head. "No, I haven't seen anything like that."

Juniper felt her heart pound painfully in her chest as her mind went to the pond she found yesterday. Could that have actually been the legendary Mirror Pond? Did that mean Juniper was currently in another world?

No. There just had to absolutely be another explanation at play. Juniper could think of no set of circumstances that would lead to the disappearance of the proof of friendship. More importantly, her Grandma confirmed that Hugh and Robin were still her friends.

If she didn't hurry up, Juniper would be late for school. Yet even as she put on her uniform, Juniper couldn't help but shake a feeling that had settled in her gut. A feeling that something had gone horrendously wrong.

January 10, 2028

Themis Legal Academy, front gates

7:50 a.m.

Waiting at the front gate, as always, was Hugh, reading from a textbook. Juniper smiled at her best friend, and Hugh smiled back as he always did. Standing by him, Juniper waited for what she knew would always come next.

Suddenly, a cardboard by lying Hugh stood up, causing Juniper to leap back in surprise. Arms came out of holes of the cardboard box, revealing that inside was none other than Myriam Scuttlebutt.

"Ahhh! I really wish you wouldn't keep doing that, Myriam," Juniper said, feeling like her heart was going to burst from her chest.

It was then Myriam did something she'd never done before- she took off her box in public. "I know that you keep telling me that, but I can't help but tease you sometimes, Juniper," Myriam said bashfully. "Sorry about that, sss sss sss."

In all the time that Juniper had known Myriam, she'd never apologized once. It was a habit Juniper hoped she could instill in the reclusive girl. Looking at the Myriam, Juniper could see her entire demeanor was different: Myriam's posture was relaxed, her smile looked natural, her entire expression was just softer. It was almost like Myriam was another person entirely.

"It's still good to see you Myriam," Juniper said, even as her voice started shaking. "Have either of you seen Robin?"

Myriam gave a more familiar derisive chuckle while Hugh shook his head. Just what was going on here? The longer this morning went on the stranger it seemed.

"Robin? Who knows? More importantly, who cares?" Hugh said, displeasure clear on his face. "The last thing I want to do is think of that smug smirk-"

"And so continues the most bitter rivalry in the history of Themis Legal Academy, kahk kahk!" Myriam cut in. "The underdog defense attorney against the top student of the Prosecutor Course!"

Before Juniper could ask what they were talking about, a bell rung to signify that the students had five minutes to get to class. So doing her best to act normal, Juniper followed her friends into the school.

Themis Legal Academy, room 231

8:00 a.m.

Since Hugh was studying in the Defense Attorney course, Juniper had to part ways with him. She and Myriam made their way to their homeroom for the Judge course inside the classroom, Juniper was met with the biggest surprise yet- Professor Courte, writing on the blackboard in the front of the room.

Juniper froze in place, staring at the impossible sight. As much as Juniper sometimes wished otherwise, there was no way Constance Courte could be here. After all, she was supposed to be dead- dead due to being murdered last October. It was a time Juniper would never forget, for various reasons. So what was her late mentor doing here, as if none of that ever happened?

Stunned, Juniper sank into her desk. She was finally convinced- what she had found yesterday was the legendary Mirror Pond. It had done… something, and now she was in a different world. One where everything seemed off, and Professor Courte was still alive.

What could have lead to a place like this? What kind of person was Robin in this world? Juniper had yet to see Robin, yet the earlier conversation with Hugh and Myriam seemed to indicate something wasn't right with the prosecutor student. The fact that Professor Courte was alive meant this world couldn't be all bad. So Juniper resolved to find Robin during break time.

Until then, Juniper paid close attention to Courte's lesson. Not simply because of the lesson itself, but to be able to see and hear her beloved mentor once again.

Themis Legal Academy, Justita's Cafe

1:00 p.m.

Hugh and Myriam were already waiting for her at the entrance to where everyone ate. Once inside they made a beeline to the table where Juniper always ate lunch with everyone. But instead of joining them right away, Juniper looked around the cafeteria, searching for Robin. The judge student finally found a familiar mop of brown hair in a group of other prosecutor students, so she headed towards there.

What she found was absolutely the last thing she expected.

At first Juniper thought she had the wrong person. The one in front of her had a flat chest, a muscular physique, and a sharp face. In other words, the person in front of Juniper was very clearly male.

At the same time, there was no mistaking the intense, brown eyes, or the wavy brown hair, or the cross-legged way the guy sat. This guy was very clearly Robin Newman. As Juniper just stood there in shock Robin got to her (his?) feet.

"If it isn't Miss Woods?" Robin said, her (his) voice deep and raspy. "What do you want?"

Juniper found she couldn't say a word when confronted with her friend being so hostile to her. Looking at Robin, Juniper noticed that the prosecutor student was wearing the male prosecutor student uniform, and didn't wear either a headband or an apron. It was all so wrong.

"Hey, if you don't have anything to say, don't bother the Student Council President!" Another male prosecutor student said sharply.

"Student…. Council… President?" Juniper finally said, her mind consumed with disbelief. "*cough cough* *cough cough cough*"

The utterly bizarre day had finally become too much for Juniper- her body became wracked with an intense coughing fit. While the other prosecutor students didn't seem to care, Robin's eyes widened in concern.

"Hey, back off everyone!" Robin said to his companions. "Miss Woods and I don't always see eye to eye, but if she's here it must be for a reason."

There were so many questions that Juniper wanted to ask. Was Robin truly a male? Why was he sitting here, instead of with Hugh and Myriam? Why was he looking at Juniper with such cold eyes?

Instead of saying any of that, Juniper asked, "This is going to sound strange…. But could I look at your left arm?"

Robin raised an eyebrow, but complied and rolled up the left sleeve of his uniform. Just as Juniper thought, the prosecutor student's left arm was completely bare. "There, are you satisfied?"

"That's all I needed to see. Th-thank you." With shaking legs, Juniper went towards where Hugh and Myriam were waiting with questioning looks on their faces.

"What did you want with Robin?" Hugh asked. Looking at Hugh's neck, Juniper saw that where there should have been a flash of red, there was nothing. So it was true. The possibility that Juniper had been denying to herself was in fact, a reality-

In this world, Robin Newman was not their friend.

A/N: Here is a good point to declare this: Distorted Reflections will have no romantic pairings. This story is one purely examining friendship. I realize this chapter only raised even further questions. But in another world you can never know what is different and what is the same. Next chapter, we begin to learn why this world is the way it is. See you next time! Please review.