A moment later I woke up from my delusions and promptly separated myself from the woman. How daring to suddenly rush at me and... And...

-Ah! My first kiss was taken...

Oops! I said that out loud, didn't I? I definitely did. Not good. Nobody should know about it!

Alex's (the MC) POV:

What was happening in front of me was mindblowing. I could see 'myself' - the original inhabitant of this world I'm currently in - in a different from mine, dark blue attire, who appeared with the special sound and bright light of a basic teleportation spell. The thing is - he came right when Anaga was trying to wound me again and was in the middle of her next move. Seeing 'me' in front of herself, she unhesitantly attacked - I could see her hugging him closely and making use of her blade to try and pierce 'my' back in several places, perhaps looking for a weak point in 'my' defences. Unfortunately for her, there were none - although I did sense that his mana kind of started wavering and weakening for some time... Why is that? And why are their faces so close?

Wait. This wet sound...Don't tell me...Did she perhaps... lick him? On his face?! Hoping that would make his resolve shake and his magic charms to weaken? Is she a dog?! That's terrible! This despicable woman... She wanted to do this to me instead! But alas... It must've been fate that made her to actually get her revenge on the right person after all and not me... {or thanks to the author *wink*}

Anaga kept on trying to push her weapon through 'my other self's' defenses but they never got weak enough for her to succeed. Not the back, nor the neck that she tried to stab repeatedly, bend under her fierce assault. Finally, 'Alex' decided that enough is enough and pushed her away but the next words he uttered made me freeze...

-Ah! My first kiss was taken...

...

...

...

No way. That means... She and him... were kissing? It wasn't simple licking? And it almost happened to me too... Noooooooo! Or rather: 'Yeeees! It wasn't me!'

...I'm so glad I killed the right person right now, and not the girl I am interested in. Otherwise...

I shudder, imagining the outcome of that. The outcome I saw with my own eyes right before me!! At least I couldn't see the details... Oh gods! This woman is more dangerous than I thought! Should I really take her with me? Is that even safe? For me, I mean? If Lucy saw it at this moment... I better not think about it.

'Second' Alexander's POV:

Ah! Me and my loud mouth! I seriously should try to control the things I say some more. Like really. Well, since I already said it, I have to act to repair this slip of tongue of mine. I quickly paralyze the offender who made me go through... 'that' so she cannot try anything else and finally turn around to see the one who made her do it...

...

All of the thoughts I had a moment ago disappeared and a silent shock took over my mind right now.

It was me. I mean someone who looks like me! Is it 'me'? Let's see...

-Say it with me in 3... 2... 1... :

-Chocolate!

-Chocolate!

The password was correct. It's the real deal! The circumstances at his world must've made him (...should I call him 'me' instead? He said the correct word so it's definitely 'me' from a similar timeline. One that's almost identical to me. This is all so confusing... Is it 'me' or is it him? I think I'll just use both ways...) charge into a different branch of reality - mine. I wonder...

-From 'when' are you?

When did our time continuum first change? Since when is it different?

-The time down there. - he answered calmly while pointing a finger at the ground. Oh, that means he's basically the same version of me. Nearly. -Someone else charged at my shield back then.

I immediately shot a look at Anaga and he nodded. I see! He didn't kill the toy but her guardian instead! He didn't make the same mistake as me! I really wonder if she really was as interesting as I thought... Right, for him to be here means...

-Then you're here...

-...for her. Yes. The toy cries without her.

Ugh. I fully understand why he came here in this case. That short sentence was like a whole story to me. During the years I, umm, we(?) were closed in the 2 towers, we never saw anybody cry. Actually, we barely ever got to see any human beings at that time. We didn't cry either, even in our youth. There was no reason to do that after all. And when we got out... And for the first time saw the flushed cheeks, red eyes with salty water in them and the weird liquid falling from the nose of somebody... The weird and terrible-looking facial expressions... The rough breathing...

We were shocked. Why would something like that happen? Who made it that way? What's the point of doing it? Removing salt and water from the body? Why did it have to look so disgusting?!!!

The point is, we hated seeing the sight ever since. Why make our mood sour? Nobody wants to see that! It makes the most beautiful of faces look like a pack of red, full of wrinkles potatoes! And it ruins the pleasant atmosphere! E-v-e-r-y time! So annoying!

Hate it!

-What about the 'rules'? What will you do about it?

-I was thinking of an equal exchange.

When taking someone from their own world, you disrupt the balance and therefore destabilize the planet's fate and future. The change creates a certain pressure that with time accumulates and causes countless problems - changes the fate of other humans, making things even worse and slowly the world starts heading into the only possible scenario - it's destruction. The same would happen when putting the 'kidnapped' person in another world - his/her unnatural appearance there also destroys the order and the same fate awaits a planet like that. But - if you were to take out one person each from the 2 worlds, two that would have a nearly the same influence on the world and switched their places - then there is a huge chance that everything will be the same as it was. As long as the 2 people are compatible - for example, rescue and kill a similar number of lives during their life and have a similar effect on the same amount of humans, it wouldn't be a problem. Basically, the more in common they have, the higher the chances of success.

-Hmm. That's fine by me. It ought to work. I can take care of the one that comes in her place. As long as it works, I won't bother you about it. We have our own lives, let's live it however we want to.

-I agree. Sorry to bother you. I would do the same for you in your position as well.

-Obviously. - I smiled lightly. -We ARE the same person after all.

-Indeed. No way to hide it.

We exchanged identically looking smiles. It's nice to talk to someone on the same level as you. I'm sure he just thought the same thing as well.

-I have to ask - do you mind if I take care of that little mistake earlier? Ekhem, you know which one...

-Of course. She wanted to do 'that' to me... but it was meant for you and you received it. Not my fault you chose that particular moment to appear. Go ahead.

After getting permission - even if just out of courtesy, since I know I myself would agree to it - I looked at the toy's aunt, that during the whole conversation was standing a short distance away while under a 'Paralyze' spell, unable to move.