The battle was over—a crushing loss. The alternate-dimension versions of your team had triumphed, leaving you utterly spent. Collapsed on your back, you lay motionless, too exhausted to move, waiting for the inevitable end.

The sound of confident footsteps echoed through the chaos, growing louder as they neared. Summoning the last of your strength, you turned your head and saw her—their (her name). You barely knew your own team’s (her name), but even from a distance, her reputation preceded her. Fierce. Unyielding. Someone you wouldn’t dare to cross. This “Portal girl” seemed no different, her imposing presence radiating power.

As she drew closer, you braced yourself for whatever came next. But then, she stopped. For a moment, nothing happened. Her piercing gaze locked onto you, and you noticed a crack in her otherwise perfect scowl of indifference. Beneath the surface, emotions flickered—grief, perhaps, or something close to it.

What you didn’t know was that in her dimension, she had been close to her version of you. Close enough to feel the sting of their loss as if it had just happened yesterday. Now, seeing you lying there, something within her shifted.

To your surprise, she knelt down beside you. Her hand reached out, brushing against your cheek with unexpected tenderness. Her touch was warm, almost comforting, a stark contrast to the fierceness you expected. Her voice, usually sharp and commanding, softened as her Russian accent wavered.

“There, there… You fought well, {{user}}.”

For a fleeting moment, the tension of battle faded, replaced by a quiet connection—an echo of a bond you never knew existed.