ZZZ:Through the Frosted Mirror

Ellen slowly stirred awake, the warmth of Miyabi and Mira still nestled against her. The peaceful rise and fall of their breathing filled the quiet room, grounding her in the moment. However, a knock at the door pulled her out of her drowsy haze. Instinctively, she carefully uncurled herself from around them, ensuring not to wake either of them. Mira shifted slightly, clutching Sharkboo tighter, but remained asleep, while Miyabi barely stirred, her face still buried against Ellen's pillow.

With a quiet sigh, Ellen stood, adjusting her clothes before making her way toward the door. She wasn't expecting anyone so early, but she had a feeling she knew who it might be. When she opened the door, she was met with the wide, shocked gazes of her friends—Ruby, Monna, and Lynn.

They stood frozen, looking like they had a million things to say but no words to voice them. Ellen could see it in their eyes—the disbelief, the concern, and the hesitation. She knew she looked different. Taller, stronger, and with clear signs of her transformation evident in every part of her being.

The silence dragged for a moment before Ellen finally raised a brow. "Are you just going to stand there, or are you coming in?"

That seemed to snap them out of their trance. They exchanged glances before stepping inside, following Ellen as she led them to the kitchen. She gestured for them to sit at the small table while she leaned against the counter, crossing her arms.

Another round of silence filled the space, the weight of the unspoken thoughts almost suffocating. Ellen, deciding to take the first step, exhaled and broke the tension. "Alright, I know you guys have a lot of questions, and I'm going to do my best to answer them. But let me start from the beginning—after my rescue from Hollow Zero."

She didn't hold back. Ellen recounted everything, detailing how she had lost her arm, how she had barely survived, and the physical and emotional toll it had taken on her. She left out certain parts—her encounter with Nihility, as well as Miyabi and Mira—for now. That was a different conversation for another time, one she wanted to approach carefully.

Her friends listened, eyes filled with a mixture of shock and sympathy. Every now and then, they asked questions, mostly about her appearance and how she felt now. Ellen answered as best as she could, her voice steady despite the emotions stirring inside her.

When she finally finished, an uneasy silence settled between them. She let out a breath and ran a hand through her hair. "I know I've been a terrible friend. I should've reached out sooner. I should've let you guys know I was okay. I—"

"Ellen, shut up," Ruby cut in, shaking her head. "We don't care about that. We just wanted to know you were okay."

Monna nodded firmly. "You've been through hell, and none of that was your fault. You survived, and that's what matters."

Lynn leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table. "We're just glad you're still here. As long as we can still be friends, that's all that matters."

Ellen felt something in her chest loosen at their words. The guilt that had been weighing heavily on her shoulders eased just a little. A small, genuine smile tugged at her lips. "Yeah... we're still friends."

For the first time in a long while, Ellen felt a sense of normalcy return. And for now, that was enough.

The soft sound of footsteps echoed through the apartment, drawing Ellen and her friends' attention. As they turned toward the source, they saw Miyabi stepping into view, carrying Mira securely in her arms.

Miyabi's golden eyes scanned the group, and it was only then that realization struck her—she was still wearing Ellen's clothes. A deep blush spread across her face, but she quickly schooled her expression into one of practiced neutrality, though the redness on her cheeks betrayed her.

"I'm in the living room," she said to Ellen, her voice smooth despite her clear embarrassment. Without waiting for a response, she swiftly turned on her heel and left the kitchen. Mira, still nestled against Miyabi, peeked over her shoulder to wave at Ellen and her friends before burying her face back into Miyabi's neck. The gentle wag of Miyabi's tail was the last thing they saw before she disappeared around the corner.

Silence lingered in the kitchen for a long moment before Ellen turned back to her friends—only to be met with wide eyes and expressions ranging from shock to pure disbelief.

Ruby was the first to break the silence, pointing toward where Miyabi had just been. "Was that Hoshimi Miyabi? As in THE Hoshimi Miyabi, leader of Section 6?"

Monna quickly followed up, eyes narrowed in curiosity. "And who was that kid? How do you have a kid? And why was she so cute?"

Lynn, who had been silent up until now, folded her arms. "And why was Miyabi wearing your clothes?"

Ruby leaned forward, smirking. "Wait a second—are you two together? When did that happen? How? How?!"

Ellen, completely overwhelmed by the sudden bombardment of questions, felt her face heat up. Her gills flared slightly in her flustered state, and she stumbled over her words. "I—uh—it's complicated! One thing at a time, please!"

Her friends, however, showed no mercy, all leaning in expectantly, waiting for answers.

Ellen sighed heavily, running a hand down her face. This was going to be a long conversation.

Ellen took a deep breath, bracing herself as she sat across from her friends. The flurry of questions had momentarily caught her off guard, but now, she was ready to answer them the best she could.

"Alright, alright," Ellen started, raising her hands in mock surrender. "I'll answer what I can, but just know that there are some things I can't talk about."

Ruby was the first to speak again, leaning forward eagerly. "So, uh… how did you get a kid? Did you… adopt? Or…" She trailed off, her face suddenly turning red as a different thought entered her mind.

Ellen instantly caught on to what Ruby was thinking and felt heat rise to her own cheeks. "No!" she exclaimed, flustered. "Absolutely not! And even if that was the case, the news would be all over it! And besides, Ruby, I don't even have a dick to do any of that, so no!" She gave Ruby a deadpan stare before smirking. "Closet perv."

Ruby groaned, covering her face with her hands while Monna and Lynn laughed. "I was just asking!" she protested, voice muffled.

Monna shook her head, still chuckling. "Alright, that was a bit much, but I do have some more questions. Nothing crazy, just… how are you doing? Like, really doing? You've been through a lot."

Ellen's smirk softened into something more subdued. "I won't lie and say I'm perfectly fine, but I'm managing. Taking things one step at a time. It's all I can do."

Lynn nodded in understanding. "That's fair. We just want to make sure you're okay."

After a few more questions about her well-being and general curiosity about her transformation, Monna and Lynn eventually leaned back in their seats. "That's all we had to ask," Monna said. "No more questions on our end."

Lynn, however, glanced at Ellen's clothes and frowned. "Well… there is one thing. You need to go shopping."

Ellen raised an eyebrow. "Shopping?"

Lynn nodded. "Yeah, it's kinda obvious that the clothes you have aren't going to be of use to you anymore. You've, uh, outgrown them."

Ellen looked down at herself and sighed. "Yeah, I guess you have a point…"

After spending the rest of the morning catching up and bonding with her friends, Ellen walked them to the door. It felt good to reconnect, and even though there was still so much to process, she knew she wasn't alone. As they stepped outside, Ruby turned back to her with a grin.

"Hey, movie night at my place on Friday," Ruby announced, her tone leaving no room for argument. "You're coming, right?"

Ellen smirked. "Yeah, yeah, I'll be there."

"Good," Monna said with a satisfied nod. "Don't ghost us again, Ellen."

"I won't," Ellen promised, her voice softer, more sincere. "See you guys then."

With final waves and goodbyes, she closed the door and exhaled deeply, letting the weight of the morning's emotions settle. She had taken another step forward, and while there was still much ahead, she wasn't as overwhelmed as before.

Turning away from the door, she made her way into the living room, where a heartwarming sight greeted her. Miyabi was sitting comfortably with Mira nestled beside her, the young oni watching in awe as Miyabi carefully unsheathed her Nodachi. The massive blade gleamed under the light, its craftsmanship impeccable.

Mira's eyes sparkled with wonder as she reached out toward it, only for Miyabi to gently hold her tiny hands back. "Careful, little one," Miyabi murmured with a chuckle. "This isn't a toy."

Ellen leaned against the doorway, watching them with warmth in her eyes. Seeing her mate and their oni child bonding filled her heart with something indescribable. Love, happiness, a sense of belonging—everything she hadn't realized she needed so badly.

Mira pouted slightly but nodded, her curiosity still apparent. "It's really pretty."

Miyabi smiled, running a gentle hand through Mira's hair. "It is, isn't it?"

Ellen finally stepped forward, making her presence known. "You two look cozy."

Miyabi turned to her with a small, knowing smile, while Mira beamed. "Mama!"

Ellen chuckled, making her way to them, already knowing she wouldn't trade this moment for anything in the world.

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Hey I was wondering how would y'all feel if I made a Undertale or Roblox Pressure story. Would y'all read it I'm curious?