Atlantis. An underwater labyrinth of mysteries and forgotten wonders. River advanced cautiously into the vast chamber, its walls covered in ancient inscriptions, lit by the phosphorescent glow of bioluminescent corals. The Chronos Stone lay nearby, radiating a familiar energy, but that wasn't what had caught her attention.

No, it was that pearl.

Bright orange, placed on a pedestal like a sacred relic, it seemed to pulse gently, as if breathing. River took out her scanner, but barely had time to activate it before a shiver ran down her spine. The pearl was reacting to her presence.

"Oh, you're something interesting," she murmured with a wry smile.

One step closer. A familiar warm feeling in the pit of her chest. She reached out her hand, hesitated for a moment, then placed it on the smooth, warm surface.

An explosion of light.

The energy ripped through her like a shockwave, and she felt, for a moment, the unique sensation of regeneration—but incomplete, different. The pearl absorbed her luminous essence and radiated new power.

Then, with a blinding flash, it burst into a myriad of golden-orange sparks that scattered across the water like a shower of stars.

River took a step back, her eyes wide. There, floating amidst the shimmering reflections, a figure slowly appeared.

A young girl in that golden-orange bubble where the orange pearl had been.

Her red hair rippled in the water like a flaming waterfall, and her piercing green eyes reflected a curious innocence. Her mermaid tail glowed with an orange sheen.

River took a deep breath, examining it as if she were facing the greatest paradox in the universe.

"Spoilers… I didn't see that one coming."