Anomaly

Watching this other Charlotte, so similar and yet so different from the one I'd gotten to know over the past few weeks, I simply couldn't decide what tone I should use when speaking to her. It was a strange, slightly unsettling feeling, as if I were standing in front of a complete stranger wearing the face of someone I already knew.

That said, the two Charlottes really only had one thing in common: their appearance. They shared the same hair, the same eyes, and even the same height. At first glance, anyone would swear they were the exact same person. But that was where the similarities ended.

The way each of them carried herself was so different that it was hard to believe they were the same individual. The way they stood, the way they looked around, even the rhythm of their breathing conveyed completely different impressions. It was like comparing two people who had been given the same physical features but had lived entirely different lives.

Their personalities made the contrast even more obvious. The Charlotte I'd come to know over the past few weeks had a cheerful, playful spirit and an almost childlike curiosity. Every time she discovered something new, a quiet excitement would shine through. She was also... well, weird. In a way that was hard to put into words, but weird in all sorts of ways, the kind of person whose actions regularly left me at a loss for words.

The Charlotte standing before me now, on the other hand, gave off none of that. She was far more reserved and composed. Every movement she made seemed strangely refined, and there was a quiet maturity in her eyes that I'd never once seen in the other Charlotte.

This new Charlotte felt much more... cold. Detached was probably the best word to describe her. By contrast, the Charlotte I'd spent most of the last week with had been expressive and endlessly curious, someone who seemed genuinely interested in almost everything around her. Seeing them side by side, the difference between them was almost absurd.

The Charlotte I'd known all week circled around the other with unmistakable curiosity sparkling in her eyes, studying her from every angle like a child who had just stumbled across something completely new and fascinating. The other Charlotte, meanwhile, remained perfectly still, showing no reaction whatsoever to the relentless inspection, as though none of it was worth acknowledging. In short, the two of them couldn't have been more different.

One radiated warmth and life like the sun itself. The other reminded me of the moon on a silent night, beautiful, distant, cold, and almost impossible to understand. For some reason, that thought made me feel like I was insulting myself. It was a strange feeling, like the pot calling the kettle black... or something along those lines.

Of course, the comparison wasn't really fair. I might come across as cold on the outside, but that was only the surface. Beneath that facade, I was far more emotional than I usually let on. Maybe that was exactly why the comparison bothered me more than it should have.

Anyway, pushing those wandering thoughts aside before they spiraled any further, I turned my attention back to the new "Charlotte". There were still far too many unanswered questions, and getting lost in my own head wasn't going to answer any of them. I took a quiet breath before finally deciding to begin the interrogation.

"So..." I began, slowly turning my head from side to side, searching for some kind of landmark in this endless void. Nothing.

Well... aside from the countless glowing dots scattered in the distance like stars, I couldn't see a single thing that hinted at where the hell we were. Which raised a rather uncomfortable question.

Charlotte and I were... actually in space? It was an unbelievably strange place to have a conversation. There was no ground beneath our feet, no sky overhead, no horizon, just an endless expanse filled with distant points of light. Then again, who was I to complain? It's not like I'd been given a choice when it came to the meeting location.

I let out a quiet sigh, pushing the thought aside before looking back at the expressionless "Charlotte" standing in front of me: "Selyra... I assume?"

My gaze naturally shifted between the curious Charlotte, who seemed genuinely fascinated by the other version of herself, and the Charlotte whose expression hadn't changed in the slightest. They shared the same face, yet the difference between them was so overwhelming that it was difficult to believe they were, somehow, the same existence.

I frowned slightly: "So... why exactly did you bring us here?" As I spoke, I cast one last glance around me, hoping, without much conviction, to find something beyond this endless ocean of stars: "And while we're at it... where exactly is “here”?"

Selyra raised an eyebrow at my question. She blinked once before shifting her gaze toward Charlotte, who was currently looking her up and down with open, childlike curiosity.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

Completely oblivious to the fact that she was being watched in return, Charlotte reached out and gently poked Selyra's shoulder, then the other one, as though she were examining some exotic animal, or a creature that only existed in fantasy books.

Well... considering she was staring at another version of herself, I supposed the reaction was understandable. It wasn't exactly the kind of situation you ran into every day.

"Wow..." Charlotte murmured, giving Selyra's arm a gentle squeeze before pulling her hand back to look at it. Her eyes sparkled with fascination: "I can actually touch... and feel..."

She trailed off for a brief moment, as if she'd only just processed what she'd said. The pure excitement on her face slowly turned into an incredulous smile: "This is... really weird..." she admitted with a soft laugh: "But it's also absolutely amazing!"

The excitement in her voice was contagious. Honestly, even I was a little surprised by her reaction. Charlotte was unbelievably fearless. While I'd spent the first few minutes internally freaking out, desperately trying to figure out what was happening and imagining every catastrophic possibility, she seemed completely captivated, treating the whole thing like one grand adventure.

Without having the slightest idea of the whirlwind of thoughts that had been racing through my mind, Charlotte turned back to Selyra with an amused smile before finishing, shaking her head in the middle of her own excitement: "This is, without a shadow of a doubt, one of the weirdest lucid dreams I've ever had!"

Selyra parted her lips as if she were about to say something in response to Charlotte's almost infectious enthusiasm. At the very last second, however, she simply let out a quiet sigh through her nose and shook her head. A faint smile tugged at the corner of her lips, subtle enough that almost anyone would have missed it.

Then she muttered something under her breath, so quietly that Charlotte probably didn't catch a single word. I, on the other hand, heard her perfectly: "It's still a little strange seeing someone with my current face looking so excited... especially in a situation this abnormal" She paused briefly before letting out another small sigh: "But considering she also possesses the Authority of Hope, I suppose that's influencing her personality to some extent"

As soon as she finished, Selyra raised her gaze back to me. The faint trace of amusement vanished as though it had never existed, replaced by the same impassive expression that never seemed to leave her face: "I didn't bring your physical bodies here" Her voice had returned to its usual steady, calm, utterly emotionless tone.

As she spoke, she raised one hand and lightly pointed to her own head, tapping her temple twice with the tip of her index finger: "All I brought here were your minds" She lowered her hand immediately afterward, remaining perfectly composed, as though she had just explained the most obvious fact in the world.

Well, her explanation made a lot more sense than the first ridiculous theory that had crossed my mind, that Charlotte and I had somehow been teleported into outer space without even noticing: "So... Charlotte and I are still in our cabins?" I asked, just to be sure.

Selyra gave a small nod, her expression unchanged: "You are. This is merely a space of consciousness. Our bodies are exactly where we left them"

"Right..." I murmured, taking in the explanation.

I glanced over at Charlotte once more. She seemed completely distracted, looking around with childlike curiosity, studying the strange place as though she wanted to memorize every last detail. Only then did I turn my attention back to Selyra.

Crossing my arms, I let out a quiet sigh: "I'm guessing you didn't bring Charlotte and me here just to have tea and catch up... am I right?"

A faint smile appeared on Selyra's face, though she didn't answer immediately. I shook my head before continuing, my tone becoming more serious: "Considering everything that's happened with our other sisters... and the pain Charlotte's been feeling lately..." I paused for a moment, meeting Selyra's eyes: "I'm almost certain this isn't good news"

Selyra didn't seem the least bit surprised by my complaint. Honestly, I doubted she could be. Technically, I hadn't lied about a single thing I'd said. Sure, my words might have made it sound like my little sisters only ever showed up to bring trouble... but, if I was being honest, was I really wrong? Selyra merely smiled. It was a small smile, almost amused, and it made me furrow my brow slightly. I genuinely couldn't understand what she found so entertaining.

"You truly haven't changed at all, dear sister" Selyra said in a calm, tranquil voice. Every word left her lips slowly, without the slightest hint of haste, as though time itself moved at her pace: "Even without recovering all of your memories, you still act... and speak exactly as you used to"

Her eyes met mine. A faint smile lingered at the corner of her lips, subtle enough to almost go unnoticed, yet filled with a strange sense of nostalgia. I shook my head in resignation: "Was that supposed to be a compliment or a criticism?"

Selyra's smile widened for just a moment: "I'll let you decide"

Before I could answer, part of the warmth faded from her expression. Her eyes slowly drifted to the side, settling on Charlotte. The girl remained silent, watching our conversation with unusual attentiveness.

Her gaze shifted back and forth between the two of us, clearly trying to make sense of every word. When she realized Selyra was looking directly at her, she blinked in surprise and subtly straightened her posture.

Selyra took a slow breath before speaking again, this time with a seriousness that made the atmosphere noticeably heavier: "But... yes. You're right"

She paused briefly, as though organizing her thoughts or searching for the right way to explain something that was difficult to put into words: "Something... is draining this world's hope" Her voice dropped: "It doesn't destroy it all at once... it simply consumes it little by little, turning every tiny spark of hope into despair" The smile had completely vanished from her face.

Her eyes lingered on Charlotte for another second before returning to me: "And unfortunately..." she murmured, a rare trace of concern slipping into her normally composed voice: "I'm afraid we don't have much time left"

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