"Glimmer Ranger… action figure 2011–26–1999," I whispered, my voice breaking. "Is that you?"
Tears blurred my vision, but I could still see him clearly.
He stood exactly as I remembered—unchanged by time. The polished armor gleamed softly, colors brighter than reality ever allowed. His cape drifted as if moved by a wind that didn't exist. No cracks. No dust. No wear. Just like the day I lost him.
"Yes, Paschar," he said gently, his voice warm and familiar, echoing inside my chest rather than my ears.
"It is me. Your beloved toy."
My knees buckled, but the ground—if it even was ground—held me.
"I missed you," I sobbed, the words tumbling out uncontrollably. "I looked for you everywhere. Let's go—let's spend time in heaven together. Please. Just a little."
For a moment, his expression softened. Something like sadness flickered behind his painted eyes.
"Paschar…" he said quietly.
"It is not your time yet."
The warmth around us wavered.
"What do you mean?" I asked, confusion tearing through the relief. "I'm here. I can feel it. This is real, right?"
He stepped closer, placing a hand over my chest. It didn't feel solid—but it felt true. Like memory given shape.
"You must go back," he said. "To the real world."
The word back echoed wrong.
"No," I shook my head violently. "I don't want to. I'm tired. I finally found you again."
The light around him dimmed.
Then—
The ground vanished.
A massive void opened beneath my feet, swallowing everything in an instant. The warmth tore away. The sky shattered into nothingness.
I screamed as I fell.
Wind roared past my ears, but there was no air—just endless descent. I looked down, heart hammering—
There was no bottom.
No end.
Just darkness stretching forever, swallowing sound, light, and thought itself.
"Ranger—!" I cried, reaching upward.
Far above me, I saw him one last time.
Standing at the edge of the void.
Watching.
Not smiling.
Not waving.
Just waiting.
And then—
The darkness rushed up.
And everything broke.
I jolted upright.
"RANGER—!"
My vision swam. The world snapped back into place in uneven pieces—cold marble against my cheek, my clothes clinging damply to my skin, my hair plastered to my forehead with sweat. My chest heaved as I sucked in air like I'd been drowning.
I was on the floor.
Right where I'd collapsed.
"…Hah—" I groaned, pressing a shaky hand to my face. "So I didn't die."
I blinked and looked around.
The circle was gone. No glowing lines. No light. Just faint scorch-like marks etched into the marble, already fading like they'd never existed.
And then I saw him.
The idiot.
Amaia was sprawled on the couch like nothing monumental had just happened, one leg hooked over the armrest. A bowl rested lazily in his lap as he shoveled food into his mouth, eyes glued to the massive screen across the room. Some loud, ridiculous show blared in the background.
Crunch.
Slurp.
I stared at him in disbelief.
"…You passed out for a while," he said casually, not even looking at me. "I was starting to think you'd croaked."
I pushed myself up on my elbows, glaring.
"You— you—" My voice cracked, half rage, half lingering terror. "I thought I was dead."
He finally glanced over, chewing slowly. Then his lips curled into that infuriating grin.
"Ranger," he said, amused. "What's that—your boyfriend's name?"
My head snapped up.
"No!" I shouted instantly, heat flooding my face. "It was a 2011 limited-edition space action figure with fully movable body parts for advanced posing and interchangeable clothes and weapons—"
I shot fully upright now, energy exploding through me like I'd forgotten how exhausted I was.
"—its first appearance was in the Star Gazers manga, which was a massive hit at the time, and then it got adapted into an anime where he was also incredibly popular and honestly it's still one of the best sci-fi adaptations ever, isn't that COOL?!"
I was practically glowing by the time I finished, hands gesturing wildly.
Amaia paused mid-bite.
Slowly, he lowered the spoon.
"…I regret asking already."
I ignored him completely.
"What's the character's name?" he asked, tone neutral but eyes sharp—watching me like this outburst was more interesting than the show.
"Well—" I puffed up proudly, "he doesn't actually have a name. He goes by the title Glimmer Ranger."
Amaia raised a brow.
"A title," he repeated. "Dramatic."
"And iconic," I shot back. "He's called that because his first robotic suit was made with experimental glitter alloy—yes, glitter—and it was so sparkly it literally blinded the enemy."
I leaned forward, lowering my voice like I was sharing sacred lore.
"And his teammate."
"Wow. Interesting and stupid," he said, slurping loudly.
My jaw tightened, but before I could respond, my phone rang. The sound cut through the room, sharp and sudden.
"Oh well… I have to go now," I said, standing up and dusting myself off. My body still felt heavy, like I hadn't fully woken up yet. I turned back to him.
"Wanna come?"
"I'm not going anywhere," he replied without looking away from the TV. "Like I said—who would go outside during a war? Plus, having to read hundreds of people's minds at once makes me sick." He scratched his head and took another lazy sip. "So no."
"But it would be nice to meet the rest of our team," I said quietly. "You know."
"There's nothing you can say that'll convince me," he said, slurping his drink again.
I sighed, then turned and left.