Steam and Stars

Saturday night at Crayon Polar Fortress was always special. Steam rose from the rooftop hot tub as Crayon Polar Bear settled into the warm water with her six best friends. Three female humanoid pigs and three female humanoid sheep giggled and splashed around her.

"This water feels amazing," said Rosie, a pink-skinned pig with curly brown hair. She wore a bright yellow swimsuit that matched her cheerful personality.

"Much better than last week's cold snap," agreed Woolma, a fluffy white sheep with golden eyes. Her purple swimsuit sparkled under the fortress lights.

Crayon Polar Bear smiled, her bright blue eyes twinkling. The blue crayon emblem on her cape caught the moonlight as she leaned back. Art Gallery Utopia spread out below them, its colorful buildings twinkling like jewels.

"You seem different tonight," observed Luna, another sheep friend with silver wool and green eyes. "Quieter than usual."

Crayon Polar Bear shrugged. "Just thinking about tomorrow's patrol." But something felt strange, like a distant buzzing in her mind she couldn't quite place.

Through the Looking Glass

The buzzing in Crayon Polar Bear's mind grew stronger as she stepped out of the hot tub. Her friends were still chatting and splashing, but the sound seemed muffled now.

"I think I'll head downstairs," she said, wrapping a fluffy towel around herself.

"Already? But it's only nine o'clock!" called Rosie, the pink-skinned pig with curly brown hair.

Crayon Polar Bear nodded and walked toward the stairs. Each step felt strange, like moving through thick honey. The fortress walls looked different too—darker somehow, with sharp edges where there should have been smooth curves.

She reached her bedroom and looked in the mirror. Her reflection stared back, but something was wrong. The blue crayon emblem on her chest flickered for a moment, showing a jagged red lightning bolt instead.

"What's happening to me?" she whispered.

The mirror began to ripple like water. Before she could step back, cold hands grabbed her shoulders from behind the glass and pulled. The world spun wildly as she tumbled through the mirror's surface, landing hard on an identical bedroom floor.

But this room was backwards, and everything felt colder.