Sara was being dragged down the long hallway by the man who now claimed to be her father. Her mind was racing, trying to process everything that had happened in such a short span of time.

What the hell does he mean, daughter?!

This tall imposing figure who commanded absolute authority and fear from everyone around him, was calling her his daughter. The idea seemed absurd, yet there was something in his voice, something in the way he spoke to her, that made her question everything she thought she knew.

The man's deep, mechanical voice broke the silence. "Your mother has been waiting for you since your... hibernation."

Sara stood silent, her mind reeling from his words.

'Hibernation...? So I've been sleeping this whole time in that capsule...?'

She couldn't believe it. Everything felt surreal—waking up in a child's body, being dragged through this massive, futuristic city, and now hearing that she'd been in some kind of hibernation.

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He suddenly stopped, his gaze shifting downward to the floor. His voice, though still deep and mechanical, softened with a hint of emotion. "The feeling of dread I had when I thought you were about to die..."

Sara's eyes widened in surprise. 'So... the girl I was reborn into almost died...?'

The realization struck her hard. She hadn't just been reborn into a new world; she had taken the place of someone who had been on the brink of death. The thought unsettled her even more, leaving her with more questions than answers.

The man continued, his voice now tinged with an almost sad tone. “If something had happened to you... I would never recover...”

Sara looked up at the man, a wave of unexpected sadness washing over her. There was something in his voice that tugged at her heartstrings, something that made her feel for him in a way she couldn’t quite understand. She didn’t know why, but she suddenly wanted to comfort him, to ease whatever pain he was feeling.

She hesitated for a moment, then slowly reached out, placing her small hand on the nose of his mechanical mask. She gulped, her voice trembling as she spoke. “I-It... it’s okay, Dad...”

Her petite voice sounded strange in the heavy silence, but she meant it. Despite everything, she wanted to offer him some semblance of reassurance.

There was a heavy silence as both of them stood still, staring at each other. The air was thick with unspoken emotions, neither of them knowing what to say next.

Suddenly, a long, deep black, lizard-like tail popped out from the man’s back and began wagging rapidly.

'...Wha...'