The room was quiet. Reiko was asleep in bed. It had been a boring summer day.

Reiko was exhausted all the time because of the intense workout she was in for college credit everyday.

Suddenly her eyes opened. She was awake. She heard the gentle sound of wind chimes.

Is that what woke me up? Reiko wondered. She rubbed her eyes, sitting up. The ringing of the windchimes means that a spirit is near. Not like I believe that nonsense. Ha Ha…but maybe I should stop staring at the creepy mirror…

Reiko flinched as the mirror shook. Suddenly the room lit up with green light, and the mirror seemed to turn into a liquid.

Reiko walked forward. She touched the surface. It rippled. Suddenly, a hand grabbed hers. She pulled back, trying to get free.

"Ow! LET GO OF MEEEE!" Reiko yelled. But there was no one to hear her. Mom and Dad were out on a date night.

She landed hard on the ground. It was dark again.

"Where am I?" said a male voice. She knew that voice. But it was impossible

Reiko turned on the light. "Uh…Chrome?"

Chrome, who was supposed to be an anime character, was sitting in front of her now normal mirror. He looked unscathed, just a little tired.

He looked at the girl whose room he had just landed in. She was pale with long, blonde hair and dark eyes. She was also very young, maybe barely an adult.

He blinked. Could it possibly be…? He stood up and walked around her, trying to figure out if what he was seeing was real.

"Is your name Ruri?" he asked her.

She laughed a little. "Nope, can't say that it is. You're close tho, My name is Reiko."

It's weird, she thought. I didn't bring him to life. I'm not magic. I can't just make somebody come hang out with me. And if I could…I would have brought…

Never mind. Why does Chrome think I'm Ruri? That's…weird.

Reiko looked at Chrome for another moment.

"Chrome," she said. "Why is it that you look so familiar…?"

"I don't know," Chrome said. "You look like someone I know. Or used to know."

Reiko looked up, finishing making up the guest bed. "Who?"

"A girl I knew, Ruri," he said. "She died when she was ten."

Reiko gazed at him in astonishment—what happened to the timeline?!

Xxx

Kuri was staring at her mirror, poking it several times for good measure. "You have got to be kidding me."

Senku finally managed to stand up, in the semi-darkness, as the mirror went back to its normal state.

"You didn't seriously use science or time travel to get to my room did you?" Kuri asked sarcastically.

"Ugh…I think I hit my head…" Senku said, sounding equally annoyed. "Where am—wait…what the hell?"

Kuri's long brown hair was loose and bedhead style. She was cranky, and she didn't like even anime characters disturbing her sleep.

"Your voice…you sounds just like…" Senku muttered, staring her down.

"Did you even notice that you are somewhere else?" Kuri asked.

Senku laughed a little. "Well at least that part of it worked." He looked around. "It's not like I'm in hell."

"Hey!" Kuri cried. She had been trying to get his attention for several moments now. "You're probably in a parallel universe. Cuz I feel like I met you actually…a long time ago."

Better not tell him he's an anime character, she thought. He might FLIP out.

"Kuri? What's going on in there? Who are you talking to?" her mom's voice sounded at her bedroom door.

The door swung open.

Kuri last thought was. Oh shit. Where's the ever so creative Reiko when you need her?