Dynamic Patrol: Gel-Squad (Remastering!)

Chapter 21: Reunion

Tommy and Russell couldn't get enough of the 'elongated hug' but decided it was time to separate. They couldn't just leave D1 alone forever, despite wanting to maintain their bond. With a soft, squelching sound, Tommy and Russell separated from one another. Tommy gritted his teeth as their colors filtered from one another and split from each other. The tendrils connecting their combined goo were broken, and their tails separated; they were now their own persons. Tommy collapsed to the floor on his back, exhaling in pleasure; he looked up at Russell, who was standing in blinding light. "The first time is always rough, but you were nice." Russell smiled, "I've been with many others, but... you're like a teddy bear. Soft and hugable." Russell continued. He held out a hand that Tommy grabbed right away. Russell pulled him up with ease, and then he moved to put his clothes back on, first his bag and skirt. Then he tightened his belt buckle, "You okay?" He asked Tommy as the squirrel sat on the bed, "Yeah, I'm fine, it's just.." Russell cut him off, finishing the sentence, "Weird? Weird to be with someone-- in the way I was with you now?"

"I can understand how disorienting it could be to share your thoughts with other Omeocoon, but I could tell you liked it," Russell said with a satisfied smirk as he finished getting himself ready. He settled in next to Tommy. Tommy did not respond. He felt slightly embarrassed for giving into what felt like a primal urge-- he was worried that he would've shared Patrol secrets that Russell had no business knowing as a non-patrol member... technically, he wasn't in the Patrol either, so it didn't really matter. Still, Tommy liked to think that he was on extended leave... he hoped that he could return to the Patrol. If they would have him. The merge was difficult to imagine. To call it 'sharing information' was quite an understatement and indescribable. "It felt.. good, thank you for easing my pain, but that doesn't make it alright. It feels like someone in my family just died. I've worked most of my life to become a member, and here they are... gone in our time of need."

"I know, you showed me," Russell remembered the events that Tommy shared quite vividly, the emotions that fell in with that as well. "I didn't know you had brothers. I thought you were an only child." Tommy commented, changing the subject. He quickly became uncomfortable talking about the Patrol and the millions of dead people in the city. "And... that was something else I wanted to ask you about? Even though they weren't there...? I felt them too? If that makes sense. I saw others, like a teal raccoon and some other people." He questioned inquisitively. "That's because I've merged with all of those people before. You were seeing memories of what they've shared with me. Oscar and Kallum... they are the leaders of my tribe. They wanted me to stay, but I wanted to do more and see more. I haven't talked with them in, like... three years?" While merged, Tommy could tell that his fellow Omeocoon was worried about his tribe... particularly the individual in command of it. Kallum wasn't the most mentally sound person, in Russell's opinion. And after being with Russell, Tommy agreed.

Between the both of them, there was so much information to process, so for a while, they just sat there quietly until Russell decided to leave on his own. Tommy needed a second; he was still grieving. Russell exited, again adjusting his belt in the hallway as the door shut behind him. His foot bumped into something, "What the..?" He said to himself, and then he looked around to see he'd entered a swarm of disassembled wall panels, machinery, toolkits, various laptops in the middle of decompiling systems, and other things he couldn't name. Russell heard the unmistakable sound of motors whirring as D1 came down the corridor. She definitely caught the sound of the door sliding open, probably thinking it was Tommy coming out of the room. She carried her toolkit and motorized down the hall rapidly like a little puppy on its way to greet its owner after they'd returned from a long journey. She stopped before Russell and rotated her head to make eye contact; even though she didn't have a face, Russell could... for some reason... feel her disappointment, as he was not the person she was looking for. "It has been five days since I have seen either of you. What have you been doing?" She inquired in a tone that was stern and almost demanding.