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Chapter 29: Chis Borgar Chaos
On a rare day off, Mira couldn’t contain her excitement as she unveiled her newest invention. She stood before the group, dramatically presenting a contraption that looked more like a cluttered pile of junk than a machine.
“Introducing my masterpiece: Chis Borgar!” Mira announced proudly, throwing her arms wide.
“Chis... what?” Vapor tilted his head, unimpressed.
“Chis Borgar,” Mira repeated, ignoring the skepticism. “It’s a Universe Travelling Machine!”
“I feel like you made up half of those words,” Rosie muttered.
Before anyone could ask further questions, Mira flipped a lever. The machine roared to life with a chaotic buzz, sparking wildly.
“Wait! Shouldn’t we—” Vapor began, but a blinding light engulfed them.
The next thing they knew, they were standing in a bustling Japanese street filled with cherry blossoms and bright neon signs.
“Where are we?” Vapor asked, blinking as he took in the unfamiliar surroundings.
“Kumamoto,” Mira said nonchalantly, brushing some soot off her shirt. “Another universe, obviously.”
“Obviously?!” Rosie exclaimed. “What part of this is obvious?!”
Before their argument could escalate, Vapor froze. “Uh, guys? You might want to look over there.”
A short distance away stood three figures who looked eerily familiar.
---
Meeting the Alternates
The first figure was a petite boy with long orange hair and fox ears poking out from his head. He wore a simple yukata, and his bright, curious eyes lit up when he spotted them. Beside him was a taller girl with short, sporty hair and a confident stance, and next to her stood a rugged woman wearing utility overalls, exuding a mix of authority and wit.
Joki, the fox-eared boy, tilted his head. “Whoa... do I have a twin or something?”
“Nope!” Mira said with a grin. “You’re looking at alternate universe versions of yourselves!”
“Wait, alternate universes are real?!” Joki exclaimed, his ears twitching in excitement.
“That’s what I said,” Mira replied, crossing her arms. “Now, which one of you is me?”
The taller girl, Miyako, furrowed her brow. “Uh... Mira? What’s a Mira?”
Mira looked genuinely offended. “You’re kidding me, right? I’m Mira. Well, technically, you’re me in this universe.”
Miyako squinted at her. “I don’t see it. You don’t look anything like me.”
Rosie let out a snort. “Oh, this is going to be fun.”
Meanwhile, Joki ran up to Vapor, circling him curiously. “Wait a minute, you look kinda like me! Are you supposed to be me?”
“Technically, yes,” Mira chimed in.
Joki’s eyes sparkled. “That’s awesome! Rosie calls me ‘Vapor’ all the time, but I guess you’re the real Vapor, huh?”
Vapor groaned. “Oh, great. Now I’m a nickname in another universe.”
“Wait,” AU Rosie interjected, stepping forward. “You’re telling me this kid isn’t my Vapor?” She gestured to Joki.
“Nope,” Star Island Rosie replied. “That’s our Vapor over there. And don’t even get me started on how different they are.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment,” Vapor said smugly, but his confidence wavered when Joki leaned in way too close.
“Gah! Personal space!” Vapor exclaimed, stepping back.
“Sorry!” Joki giggled, adjusting his sleeves nervously. “I’m just really curious. You’re like, so cool!”
“Cool?” Vapor blinked. “Did you just call me cool? You’re not so bad yourself, kid.”
Joki’s ears twitched again, and he turned bright red. “R-Really?!”
“Oh boy,” Rosie said, stifling a laugh.
---
The Chaos Continues
As the groups tried to sort out their identities, Miyako squinted at Mira again. “You’re saying you’re some kind of genius inventor? I don’t buy it.”
“Excuse me?!” Mira exclaimed. “I literally built the machine that brought us here!”
“Yeah, and it looks like a pile of junk,” Miyako said bluntly.
“Hey, at least my counterpart has a sense of humor,” Rosie said, earning a glare from Mira.
Meanwhile, AU Rosie was watching the whole interaction with a smirk. “I think I like my Vapor better,” she said, ruffling Joki’s hair.
Joki let out a soft yelp and pouted. “Rosie, stop embarrassing me!”
“Embarrassing you? I think it’s cute,” AU Rosie teased. “Besides, you’re always getting into trouble anyway.”
Star Island Rosie chuckled. “Looks like we’ve got something in common.”
As Joki tried to recover from his embarrassment, Vapor stared at him in disbelief. “Wait a second. Are you seriously telling me that you’re some kind of paranormal surgeon? And you cook?!”
Joki nodded enthusiastically. “Yup! I make the best crunchy cheese pizza. Want me to make some for you?”
“Crunchy... cheese... pizza?” Vapor repeated slowly, his face a mix of confusion and horror. “I think I’ll pass.”
“Oh, you’re missing out,” Joki said, waving his hands animatedly.
---
The Farewell
After a bit more chaos, the time finally came for the Star Island trio to leave.
Joki looked genuinely sad. “You’re really going already?”
“Don’t worry, kid,” Vapor said, giving him a rare smile. “Maybe we’ll visit again someday.”
“Promise?” Joki asked, his ears drooping slightly.
Vapor hesitated, then nodded. “Yeah, sure. Promise.”
Miyako gave Mira a playful salute. “Next time, bring a cooler invention.”
“Cooler than this?” Mira huffed. “I’ll show you.”
As the Chis Borgar powered up, AU Rosie gave a final wave. “Good luck, weirdos. Try not to blow up your next destination.”
With a flash, the Star Island trio disappeared, leaving their alternate counterparts behind.
---
Back on Star Island
When they returned, Austin was waiting for them. “So, how was it?”
“Terrifying,” Vapor said immediately.
“Adorable,” Rosie countered.
“Chaotic,” Mira added.
“Sounds about right,” Nica said, sipping a juice box.
As Vapor recounted their bizarre adventure, he couldn’t help but think of Joki. For all the chaos, it had been... fun.
“Crunchy cheese pizza, though,” he muttered to himself. “What kind of madness was that?”
With a shrug, he joined the others, already bracing for whatever chaos Mira’s next invention would bring.
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Let me know if there are other details to refine!
