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From the moment they are little more than toddlers and meet each other properly for the first time, Zelda Fitzgerald Jr. and Elwyn Hawthorne are completely and totally inseparable. There's absolutely no denying the spark between the two little girls, not at that age, and certainly not as they get older. If anything, their bond only grows stronger with every ridiculous stunt they pull, with every mischief-making effort they make, with every childish scheme they carry out.
So it's no surprise that Zelda Jr. is calling Elwyn up at almost-midnight on a Saturday and telling her to come over. It's not like Elwyn was doing anything at the time - even if she was, dropping everything to answer her best friend's call is nothing out of the ordinary for her, even if doing so might have unwanted and unpleasant consequences later - and it's also not as if anyone is going to stop her from going over. The Fitzgeralds don't live too far, and the neighborhood is safe. On top of that, Elwyn can use her ability, Charlotte's Web, to disable almost anyone who would try to harm her, and has before.
Tonight, however, is slightly worrying for other reasons. That's because when Elwyn arrives, Zelda Jr. takes her up to her room, and then sits the two of them down on her bed, and then just… says nothing, for about ten minutes. Which is abnormal in and of itself, because Zelda Jr. never has nothing to say about anything.
Before Elwyn can ask what's going on, Zelda Jr. finally speaks:
"What would happen if we couldn't be together? What would you do?"
Elwyn squints at her. "That's a ridiculous hypothetical to start with, 'cause there's no way that could ever happen. Are you not feeling good, or something?"
Zelda Jr. shakes her head. "No- I mean it, Elwyn. What would happen if you- if I was somewhere you couldn't get to, somewhere you could never find me or reach me?"
"Why? Are you planning on running away or something?" Elwyn frowns. "Did somebody do something to you? Is someone trying to hurt you, or hurting you?"
"No!" Zelda Jr. shakes her head again, this time with more force, though her voice trembles with obvious distress. "I'm not talking about running away! I'm talking about being dead!"
They both freeze for a moment.
"Why would you- you're not thinking about hurting yourself, are you?" Elwyn asks carefully.
"No, no, it's not like that." Zelda Jr. sighs, turns her head away. "... I found out from Mama and Daddy that I had an older sister. Emphasis here on "had". She died a couple years before I was born 'cause somebody with a grudge against Daddy killed her. They wanted him, but they got her on accident, basically."
Drawing her knees up to her chest, Zelda Jr. rests her chin on them, wrapping her arms around her legs. "... I know it's probably silly to get all worked up over this. But…" Her grip around her legs tightens. "I don't want anyone in my family to get hurt again. And… I don't wanna die, either."
"You won't."
Zelda Jr.'s head snaps towards her as Elwyn speaks, immediately after her friend finishes, barely pausing to take a breath.
"There's nowhere I can't reach you, first of all. If you tried to die, I'd go to the afterlife and bring your soul back myself. And second, as your friend - your best friend, even - I'm here to protect you. Nobody who wants to hurt you could ever make it past me."
Elwyn offers her friend a small, but genuine, smile. "Even if you're afraid, you can still believe in me, right? Just like I believe in you."
Zelda Jr. leaps over and tackles Elwyn back onto the bed in a hug, and doesn't let go for the rest of the night.