Loretta allowed Emma inside and closed the door behind her. She knew that whatever it was, she wasn't going to like it one jot.<br/><br/>When Emma admitted to lying about the line she'd told her at the canyon, Loretta's face turned to its standard grumpy look, and slowly darkened as the words continued to flow from Emma's mouth. "<span style="color: purple">Y'know, it's because of the Vipers that I am what I am today,</span>" she threw in when possible as Emma mentioned her times as a Raider.<br/><br/>Emma's long and tragic story of her and her lover and their misfortunes; it explained so much. Why her hate ran especially deep for Darion, her anger at the world as a whole, her lack of faith in anyone but herself, and why she seemed to have a connection with Loretta. The fondness stemmed from her previous relationship, her best friend and lover being ghoulified herself. It did soften Loretta significantly on the inside, though on the outside it wasn't evident. She sidled a bit herself and watched Emma's nervousness increase exponentially. For all she could tell from the way Emma acted, she probably assumed that Loretta was going to shoot her, but Loretta did what was very much the opposite.<br/><br/>"<span style="color: purple">I hate to feel pity. It's shallow, weak and proud in all the wrong ways,</span>" she said, her vocie sounding a bit more harsh than normal. "<span style="color: purple">I can't help it though. I can't really relate, I think. My story's pretty much the opposite of yours, except that we've both had it hard as Hell. Because of that, I can't sympathize, and I'm not trying it either.</span>"<br/><br/>One hand went on her hip, the other going to the back of her head. "<span style="color: purple">I've never had a lover, and once this-</span>" she motioned at her body and then returned to her former position- "<span style="color: purple">happened, it's kinda pointless to bother anymore. I still know what it's like to have everyone I know be deader than dead, and I can feel you on that one, but a lover? No.</span>"<br/><br/>She took a step forward and lowered her hands. "<span style="color: purple">Yeah, it does change shit between us. I'm thinking it'll be a change for the better, though. You weren't a Raider looking for a way to self-destruct, you were following your heart, and were willing to give your life for it. I respect that. The fact that you've gotten yourself outta that shithole of a lifestyle shows you've got some balls if you're keeping on keeping on through it all.</span>" Loretta then extended her hand and said, "<span style="color: purple">I think... that you're going to be the first friend I've had in over fifty years.</span>" Her face twisted into a wide, slightly cracked smile, her eyes glittering with a new, warm light as they met Emma's own.<div class="messageTextEndMarker"> </div>