PRETTY GIRLS CAN NEVER DIE (EPISODE END)

"Jealous... of me?"

"Yeah, It's... It's really fuckin' dumb of me, but there's a part of me that wishes I was the one that got turned into an Anxi instead of you."

I look at her quizzically. That's... n-not what I thought she was going to say.

She sighs. "Yeah, it's fuckin' stupid of me. I shouldn't be sayin' this shit to ya', sorry."

"No, n-n-no! It's fine! Really. I just... I thought it was gonna be something else."

Mizuki looks at me, then looks away as she realizes what I was thinking she was going to say. "No, I... I don't want to talk about that, right now."

"That's... that's fine, of course. ...Why would you be jealous of me, though?" I look down at my own body. "I'm... kinda f-fucking disgusting, honestly."

She continues to avoid eye contact, coughing. "I uh... look. This doesn't leave the two of us, 'kay?"

"Okay."

"I... think you're kinda fuckin' hot like this."

!!

I blush deeply, covering my snout in my hands. "Y-y-y-y-you think that... I-I-I'm hot...?!"

Her expression turns more grim. (Sh-she's still blushing, though...) "D-don't tell anyone this! I'll fuckin' kill ya' myself if you do!"

I start giggling to myself, both flustered and amused. I probably sound so dumb like this...~

"W-well, I'm flattered, Mizuki... ...Mizu... Mizu-chan~"

"Hmmm? D-don't let me being flustered be the reason ya' start using nicknames!!" She playfully punches me in the arm.

"G-god, you're so cute, though... eheheh...."

"Fuckin' hell." She's cursing me out, but she's smiling as she's doing so. So, I take it I'm doing something right. "Well, i-in any case, it ain't the only reason I'm jealous."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, I uh. Well, it's not as weird, compared, but." She sighs, still embarrassed. "There's a part of me that finds kinship with, like, gators n' shit. More than just me thinking they're cool. There's always been like... a feeling deep down that maybe I'm actually a gator myself, in a human's body."

"Y-you're gatorkin, Mizu-chan?"

"I think so, yea. So, you can probably guess why I'd be jealous that you got to be a freaky, big-clawed monster and I'm still stuck being a shabby cyclops of a human."

"That's fair..." I've never seen someone who identified as otherkin before. ...I'd never judge them, though. "Well... maybe we c-can pool up some money to get you transformed?"

She grimaces, guilt washing over her face. "I... I'd prefer not to."

"Huh? W-why's that...?"

"Well... I just. I just feel bad asking for money all the time. Makes me feel like I'm a parasite leechin' off of my friends. It's fuckin' frustrating, y'know?"

"I... I get it. I mean, I'm living off of... Fue-chan's money, so I'm in a similar spot as you there."

"So you get it, then. You get how bad it feels not being able to sustain n' support yerself."

"Yeah." My head sinks into my chest slightly. "But... I mean, it's not a bad thing, is it?" I laugh nervously, gesturing to my body. "I-I mean, we're both differently abled here. It... sucks that we can't get o-our own jobs, but... well, w-we live in a world where you need money to survive-- and we have friends willing to help us with that."

Mizu-chan pauses, staring at me. "Y-yeah, but... I mean... I don't know. It feels bad, y'know?"

"No, I get it... I get it entirely. B-b-but... it's not something that can be helped, can it?"

"Huh?" She cocks an eyebrow. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"W-well... We're not invincible. Sometimes... s-sometimes we need help from others."

...

"E-even guardians need people to protect them... and all that."

"I'm sorry, are you quotin' Symbiotoria at me?"

I yelp, not expecting her to call me out like that. "M-maybe...?"

"Didn't realize you were into that--" she smirks, "--but I guess I shouldn't be surprised. It's very Y2K, isn't it?"

"Yeah, heheh... I love webcomics so much."

"Ah-- one sec." She stands up, scampering off to look for something. Then, after a bit of time, she returns-- carrying a t-shirt of Victoria, the main character, and a few physical copies of the first few arcs. "Perks of being a thrifter." She beams with pride, handing them to me to look over.

"H-holy shit... this is so cool...!!" I flip through the books in absolute awe. I'd never thought I would be able to see any of this, let alone hold it in my hands. A-all of this has been out of print for years. "Y-you gotta take me thrifting next time you and Asa-chan are, uh..." I trail off-- oops. R-right...

Mizu-chan laughs nervously, huffing. "Y-yeah... if we can get you back to normal, I'd love for us to go."

I nod, nervously smiling as I hand the books back to her. "Please-- I'd love that."

She sets them aside. "I should... probably apologize to her, I think."

"Yeah...?"

"I mean. Y'know, I think you're right. It... it pains me to say, but we can't always be heroes. Sometimes we need ta' take breaks and let others help us, too."

"That's... Snake & Dragon, isn't it?"

"God, how have we only now been friends?" She chuckles. "But... yeah. I think I was just being a real big jerk to Asahin because I was in a bad fuckin' mood. I... I just hope she can forgive me." Her hands practically magnetize to the glasses that Asa-chan had left here, holding them close as she sighs.

"Nothing that can't be solved with the clashing of fists... I think." Speak of the devil.

"A-Asahin...?"

"Asa-chan!"

She looks at me funny, before looking back to Mizu-chan. "Yeah... I couldn't help but sit in and listen. Hope you don't mind my eavesdropping."

"Nah, not at all. Means I don't gotta repeat myself." She stands up, nervously approaching Asa-chan. Then, she holds out the glasses.

W-wait, did we just let Asa-chan drive without her-

"I'm... sorry for bein' a selfish prick."

"That's my line." She takes the glasses, putting them on.

"Then we're both perfect for each other."

The two of them hold each other close...

...look lovingly into each other's eyes...

...and then move in for a-