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[lost_soldier_echidna]

TBA

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[lost_soldier_echidna]

Mei? Eva, are you...?

[Julie-Su blinked as she turned to look at Evangeline. Instead of looking at Evangeline, its another figure, familiar and yet unfamiliar until it dawns on her...]

...you're... dad?

[abnormalizes]

-oh. Of course it's still you. Silly me.

[For a moment, for a fraction of a second, she thought she might really see Mei again.]

Your dad... is gone, right?

[lost_soldier_echidna]

Y-Yeah... I never really knew him that much and what I do is a blur...

[Is she sure that was her father?]

[abnormalizes]

I'm sorry.

[She didn't lose her parents, but she knows plenty of people who did. It's not easy.]

Mei was... Someone I met when I first joined L Corp. She taught me the ropes, looked out for me, made sure I had someone to talk to. The sweetest person I ever met in the City.

[lost_soldier_echidna]

From what I was told, my father was the leader of the organization I was in. Despite their motives, he wanted to get our group home...

[A small sigh]

What... what happened to her?

[abnormalizes]

She died on the job. She didn't do anything wrong, she just got unlucky one day. I had to clean up her body - what was left of her body. And then I had to go back to work.

I liked her. I liked other humans then. But I can't - I can't do that over and over again.

[lost_soldier_echidna]

I... that's... WHY?! Why did they...?! I...!

[Julie-Su turned around, hugging herself]

I was told my father disappeared. No one knows what happened to him. I suspect my darling step-siblings did something to him... just like they did to my mom, I'm sure.

[abnormalizes]

[Evangeline hugs Julie-Su - she's still seeing Mei, who's a little taller, so she has to readjust her grip.]

That's awful.

[As bad as her own life had been, her family had never turned against each other.]

[lost_soldier_echidna]

[It's weird, hearing Evangeline and seeing a figure of an echidna man before her. She'll turn around and hug her (him?) back]

It's just one backstab and betrayal after another... and...

[abnormalizes]

I'm sorry. You deserve to be able to trust your family, not... that.

[lost_soldier_echidna]

I wish, yeah... and you... to have that happen and...

Now I see why you prefer creatures like me... why you don't like relationships...

[abnormalizes]

...At home, none of the nonhumans I know can die. I never have to worry about getting attached to one and then seeing their corpse the next day.

I know everyone here comes back, including the humans - but I still can't get close to them.

[lost_soldier_echidna]

Traumas like that, I don’t think you can ever get over…

I don’t think I could ever deal with mine. Not while the backstabbing and scheming continues…

So, I’m happy to be with you

[abnormalizes]

I promise I'll do everything I can to make you happy. I don't want to ever betray you, not for anything.

[lost_soldier_echidna]

And I’ll keep myself safe, even if this world brings us back if we do die.

[She’ll pull her arms back so she can take one of Evangeline’s hands.]

[abnormalizes]

[Squeezes tightly.]

Thank you. -I don't ever want to lose you.

[lost_soldier_echidna]

I’ll stay with you as long as I can.

[She returns the squeeze before moving to rest Eva’s hand on her chest.]

When we get home, you can play with my ears as much as you like.

[abnormalizes]

I'll definitely take you up on that. And you can - I don't know if I have anything that's as fun to play with.

[lost_soldier_echidna]

[Julie-Su ponders for a moment before blurting out the first thing out of her mouth.]

I have a lot to explore about you.

[Aaaaaand her cheeks turn red.]

[abnormalizes]

...I can't respond to that while I still look like your dad, let's get off this bridge.

[lost_soldier_echidna]

Yes, please! [And she just shuffles off of the other side, blushing furiously.]

[abnormalizes]

[Off the bridge they go, no awkwardness please.]

-You're back to normal now.

[lost_soldier_echidna]

[She lets out a small sigh and looks up at Evangeline.]

So are you. Thank goodness. I…

[She looks away bashfully]

…I never really talked about all that before. Thank you, Evangeline.

[abnormalizes]

Me neither. I think - it was probably good for us to let it out a little.

[lost_soldier_echidna]

I think so, too. Don’t worry, I won’t say anything - your past is safe with me.