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[pinkplumblossom]

[Taiwan spent most of the day out shopping for a good high quality camera for her latest plan of getting some real family portraits done, so she wasn't around for Netherlands' droning.  But when she returns home, there's no mistaking what had happened in her absence.  Even if she hadn't noticed the change in the name on the mailbox, there's

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[friendly_ghosts]

[Approaches very slowly. Then rest a single small hand on her back.]

Mommy.... don't cry. Daddy's just sick again. He'll get better.

[Poor thing just doesn't even know.]

[pinkplumblossom]

[Taiwan shakes her head, her voice squeaking out uncomfortably.]

"N-no, Mindy... not this time."

[friendly_ghosts]

.....

But... he always did before....

[pinkplumblossom]

"I know, Mindy..."

[She reaches up to place her hand on top of her adopted daughter's, squeezing lightly.]

"But daddy's windmill is gone... and he went home with it. That man inside looks like daddy, but... it isn't him."

[scentofbauhinia]

...Taiwan?

[pinkplumblossom]

[Doesn't even look up at him.]

"He's gone, Hong..."

[scentofbauhinia]

[kneels down next to her]

...Who is?

[pinkplumblossom]

...Netherlands.

[lotuslife]

[Just frozen, staring, wondering what has happened to make her sister so upset, before approaching cautiously.] Mei...

[pinkplumblossom]

[And suddenly she's springing up and into her sister's arms, wetting her shoulder with a new round of tears she didn't even know she still had in her.]

"N-Netherlands is gone..."

[lotuslife]

[Startled, she holds her sister, unsure of what to say. Her words twist in her mouth; she has no love for Europeans. She isn't sure how sincere she can be in consolation.] How... do you know? It may be temporary...

[pinkplumblossom]

He got a windmill back last time, and it's gone.

[wise_king]

[Merem decides to not get involved. Yeah, he understands loss a bit.

Instead, he sends his rat skittering over to Taiwan while he chills around the corner. So have a beautiful white rat with a crown making a beeline for you.]

[pinkplumblossom]

[And since she's still staring down at her lap, she actually notices the little guy. She blinks curiously at the crown for a few moments before holding her hand out and making little ticking noises with her mouth.]

[wise_king]

[yep he jumps up in her hand]

You can speak to me, you know.

[pinkplumblossom]

"...Oh, you can talk?"

[She seems a little surprised, but this is hardly the strangest thing she's seen in this town.]

"What's your name?"

[dynamic_may_lee]

-It wasn't the jogging route this time. She wanted to visit Mei for the hell of it. Possibly to discuss the recent hubble over that strange man...

... And then she saw her like that. And the subtle differences in the house...

She made no words. What good would they be? She simply moved to the girl and wrapped her arms around her. It was all she could think to do...-

[pinkplumblossom]

[Taiwan welcomes the comfort, wrapping her arms tightly around her friend in response and sobbing softly into her shoulder. She doesn't even explain it, since she's pretty sure May Lee already knows why she's so upset.]

[dynamic_may_lee]

-Sometimes, when things like that happened... all you needed was someone to be there. A silent guardian against the possibility of being alone...-

[pinkplumblossom]

I... I don't want to see him like that...