Sleep wasn't brought by my collapse. I was plagued by a lingering restlessness, a prickling bit of caution that blocked my eyes from fully closing. Instead, I used my granted time to keep watch of the door whilst against a desk, an arm slung over my knee.135Please respect copyright.PENANAnT0x5lknmU
135Please respect copyright.PENANAPmjmdSqKL4
“Ya look like a sorry sort. More like a midget than a kid.”135Please respect copyright.PENANAUKHTOlUs7g
135Please respect copyright.PENANAn63EffKRSZ
Juke joined me in my resting. The both of us eyed the door, keeping careful watch for any sudden enemies. It probably wasn’t the best course of action, I realized, as that dean was likely to get in trouble. But he was out of sight, and thus, for the time being, out of mind.135Please respect copyright.PENANAEWD033ai7H
135Please respect copyright.PENANAiM65ezTjAO
Besides, I had a verbal jab I needed to address.135Please respect copyright.PENANApj28gQVEA9
135Please respect copyright.PENANAp8ig7muRoq
“There are thousands of better ways to say I have a sullen or exhausted face. Take your helmet off; I’m certain you aren’t faring any better.”135Please respect copyright.PENANAQsy6alMzqg
135Please respect copyright.PENANAjKB4PriQCU
“Y’know, that ain’t a bad idea.”135Please respect copyright.PENANApqBarp0Hmq
135Please respect copyright.PENANAf7fSGgDibd
He did just as I suggested, laboriously lifting his laden helmet and setting it aside. 135Please respect copyright.PENANAecCp76VDnz
135Please respect copyright.PENANAbmHZLrTC2l
“Well?”135Please respect copyright.PENANAOZo7UnKuff
135Please respect copyright.PENANAKUi30LbDQr
“...It’s about what I expected. At least your facial hair looks clean.”135Please respect copyright.PENANAErOQmwW6OX
135Please respect copyright.PENANA5URp7xYiVz
“Really? That thing’s messy all the time.”135Please respect copyright.PENANALjn1SYvqk1
135Please respect copyright.PENANAKneWKLVMQb
“Maybe exertion has a reverse effect. I’ve heard of things like that happening.”135Please respect copyright.PENANAjfEvTMyW9Z
135Please respect copyright.PENANAVrkHlblWis
He stroked his lengthy stubble in contemplation. I let him do that and continued glaring at the entrance, waiting but hoping not for something to pop out.135Please respect copyright.PENANAGHHtcO6rLy
135Please respect copyright.PENANAWupUIjjvL0
“I’m surprised either of us are still standing here. I didn’t even bleed from that fight.”135Please respect copyright.PENANACR5SKdMu6p
135Please respect copyright.PENANAARjBEniOs0
“I ain't bleedin’ either. But that bastard scratched my helmet. ‘Least he didn’t dent it.”135Please respect copyright.PENANAcEuKAqnF16
135Please respect copyright.PENANAsOoKN6Ji4K
He grabbed it and rotated it to spot the marks left by the Bringer’s blade. They were very obvious once he pointed them out, making me feel dumb for not noticing them.135Please respect copyright.PENANAhb9o9YMlZO
135Please respect copyright.PENANAVXxbxydAvO
“I’m glad, cuz it means I ain’t gotta get a new one. And if I had ta, I can’t, since I’m stuck in this crazy place. And ta think I still got another tower to fight…”135Please respect copyright.PENANAVZf0Z0Pfal
135Please respect copyright.PENANAdjoZ5lOjzv
I tried to empathize with him, but my state inclined me to be backhanded.135Please respect copyright.PENANAlqKUgQwxV5
135Please respect copyright.PENANAierSg0iX2j
“You only have yourself to blame. You and I could’ve left if we stopped caring about the letter.”135Please respect copyright.PENANAW5Pv3izJ7j
135Please respect copyright.PENANAERFNWutYmx
He sighed and shrugged. That gesture indicated that he heard my point, but he still had a retort.135Please respect copyright.PENANAwgm8OJSb4I
135Please respect copyright.PENANAYqkxxsyXed
“C’mon, kid. We agreed on somethin’ back in that alleyway. ‘Specially in times like these, ya gotta keep yer word.”135Please respect copyright.PENANAnxSkBojHFr
135Please respect copyright.PENANAelSJvznbsK
“...Yeah.”135Please respect copyright.PENANA8Qd2WUR4tP
135Please respect copyright.PENANAsN8q8cmJUQ
Though I had my frustrations, he was right. I was convinced, not just by Juke, but by my own distorted feelings to go back and fight. I was as to blame as he was. Still–135Please respect copyright.PENANA95KGYzGNVb
135Please respect copyright.PENANAVoWp2gwP7a
“It’s so stupid. I don’t like any of it”135Please respect copyright.PENANAF2T2hv2jBk
135Please respect copyright.PENANAwphyeArSbx
“I ain’t liking any of this either.”135Please respect copyright.PENANAsrdpmtwHgN
135Please respect copyright.PENANAioTcDKd5jc
“I know! I know you aren’t; you’d be a maniac if you did. But still”135Please respect copyright.PENANA3bLsj1RTfb
135Please respect copyright.PENANAwhzQYQGdFO
Juke chuckled a little. I rolled my eyes and clicked my tongue. Little gestures like that dulled my festering feelings. He returned to his resting face. But when I looked at it closer, it was more rigid and fierce than the face of a resting man.135Please respect copyright.PENANARZYom3LwQp
135Please respect copyright.PENANALZgboce2Xl
“I’ll tell ya what, though. I wanted no part of fighting for this damn Pillar.”135Please respect copyright.PENANAttc4eiuabA
135Please respect copyright.PENANAhLjSh1W4gP
“Y-Yeah. That I agree with.”135Please respect copyright.PENANA5LI0rUcsCp
135Please respect copyright.PENANA6088zyDaj9
“It ain’t amountin’ to anything either, is it?”135Please respect copyright.PENANA65IblIE2mu
135Please respect copyright.PENANAMOo2Mm7udF
“...?”135Please respect copyright.PENANARu2vn0myuP
135Please respect copyright.PENANAJ1YvCmSEod
At that, I had to tilt my head.135Please respect copyright.PENANA8uR6dBC4d8
135Please respect copyright.PENANA5Pusz3BBMN
“It’s a detour, certainly, but this furthers our goals, doesn’t it? The Retaliation Crowd are going to help us with our goal after this.”135Please respect copyright.PENANAAFmjSBpr9o
135Please respect copyright.PENANAr1DAymelkH
“...I guess yer right. But it doesn’t feel like it.”135Please respect copyright.PENANAVm886YdZN9
135Please respect copyright.PENANAd4qDMNJg3b
He adjusted his posture a little, rolling his shoulders and releasing a lengthy sigh.135Please respect copyright.PENANApZa0zivBRA
135Please respect copyright.PENANAyimRkMTvTT
“Dennis still ain’t here.”135Please respect copyright.PENANAIWIuJwSB43
135Please respect copyright.PENANAl3xY3P7CtK
“...”135Please respect copyright.PENANAuQYbPeCftb
135Please respect copyright.PENANAXGiuz2XVh1
The bubbling fumes within me died down immediately. It was difficult to stay mad when I saw Juke’s forlorn face. But at the same time, I struggled to see it justified.135Please respect copyright.PENANAu3Yf7DxsCh
135Please respect copyright.PENANAPozWKm7HoW
“I don’t really get it. I mean, I understand wanting to help an acquaintance, but you make it out as if he’s a lifelong friend–”135Please respect copyright.PENANAbN2lUHlpU5
135Please respect copyright.PENANAmAgw4Itqcd
“I get what yer sayin’ kid. Ya ain’t entirely wrong, but it’s more complicated than that. I know ya well enough to make it click. Gimme a second.”135Please respect copyright.PENANAHbrq7JEToU
135Please respect copyright.PENANAMiHdmcAxAb
He scooched across the floor and sat with his front facing me, holding both his hands out to help himself explain.135Please respect copyright.PENANAc9s6zn9A5m
135Please respect copyright.PENANA3vStlhUEkE
“Think of it this way, kid: let’s say I got an apple, and that I need to eat it within twenny minutes, and if I don’t eat the apple in twenny minutes then I should jump off a buildin’.”135Please respect copyright.PENANACCPYuefT4o
135Please respect copyright.PENANA48kKojeYez
“--!? W-What!?”135Please respect copyright.PENANAMTQfF1iMME
135Please respect copyright.PENANAIyYkNmrAOQ
Such an analogy was one thing, but that extreme turn made it seem like a joke.135Please respect copyright.PENANAcQzZHORomD
135Please respect copyright.PENANA84i5FBB55o
“Hold on, Kenny. Ya gotta think about it more. Why would any sound man kill themselves cuz they didn’t eat an apple?”135Please respect copyright.PENANAA8NznrNDW1
135Please respect copyright.PENANAOyzrJyb5Al
“...You aren’t pulling my leg, are you?”135Please respect copyright.PENANAyg14fwxveD
135Please respect copyright.PENANAAZQI9ejHei
“Do ya see my hands on ya? Nah, I’m serious, kid.”135Please respect copyright.PENANATFDkxgYsbf
135Please respect copyright.PENANAHVqCQtYk6S
Though I still had my eyebrows raised, I did what was told of me. I pinched my chin and stared at the ceiling, wracking my brain and hoping an answer would fall for me to grab. It didn’t come to me very easily, and I looked at Juke with a slight plea in my eyes. He read it immediately and urged me to keep thinking. 135Please respect copyright.PENANAcpTwnKNEgM
135Please respect copyright.PENANAHdfGx2bUe4
I sighed. At the same time though, I figured it was a good use of time, and I knew that playing by his rules would make me understand him better. So I ruminated away. I thought of it from Juke’s perspective at first and realized that wouldn’t lead me anywhere. Then I thought about it regarding recent events– aside from the fighting, that argument we had came up, and a shudder from my shoulders urged me to stop that train of thought. Then, taking how he said it would click for me into account, I thought about it as if I was the Kenneth Juke knew.135Please respect copyright.PENANAtPtzodpoB0
135Please respect copyright.PENANAdSu6WhP0Pf
That didn’t really work either, but the idea of a different Kenneth gave me what I was looking for.135Please respect copyright.PENANAZiXJVjaGOT
135Please respect copyright.PENANAeN63BH5k0v
“If you’d kill yourself over an apple… that must mean it has a lot of sentimental value. But it isn’t just a sentiment that makes it that way.”135Please respect copyright.PENANA8B090N0rs6
135Please respect copyright.PENANAMwQ7DOiHRq
Juke nodded along, and I took it as an okay to continue.135Please respect copyright.PENANAWY8iKzFGji
135Please respect copyright.PENANAfvOfdl8Hvy
“It’s like the shape of a grant. Because you said that the apple meant something, that apple became a symbol. Because you made the terms that this apple’s consumption is correlated with your life, you’re putting stock into it. You’re giving it something greater than sentimental value; you’re making it a wager. Either I’m good enough to eat this apple, or I’m not good enough to live.135Please respect copyright.PENANAbT6mz32Y83
135Please respect copyright.PENANAzWJKxGkgkq
“...”135Please respect copyright.PENANAqbpe3DxdZF
135Please respect copyright.PENANAGSREb1fXcm
I looked at Juke for a response, but what I thought would be a satisfied face just looked a little lost. My face must’ve looked really surprised.135Please respect copyright.PENANACXJeZqCyC2
135Please respect copyright.PENANAeLgTg5dTpz
“Ya ain’t wrong, but I wouldn’t call it a wager. It’s more like a checklist. One that ya just have to fill.”135Please respect copyright.PENANAaolfRz3eZk
135Please respect copyright.PENANAVNVQIeOae4
“I-I see…”135Please respect copyright.PENANA1R1Le1iZjE
135Please respect copyright.PENANAJNvPCLdCtb
My analogy must have gone too off the rails. Or maybe I wasn’t thinking like Juke enough. Either way, the side effect of going on such a thought train made itself prominent. The sparks of my earlier declaration rekindled, and I grew proud– but only slightly –for making it to this top floor.135Please respect copyright.PENANApQhhZQrDMt
135Please respect copyright.PENANAOfwRcHoNTz
“Seein’ Dennis safe n’ sound is one of those checks. I got a few other ones, but they’re too private to tell ya. And others, I don’t really get.”135Please respect copyright.PENANA5pVpnRbP8M
135Please respect copyright.PENANAu8NivvhemT
“You don’t, ‘get?’”135Please respect copyright.PENANAcMDFoOs7cx
135Please respect copyright.PENANASt7oYfKRsD
“Y’know, when–”135Please respect copyright.PENANAfiB4ieu6LZ
135Please respect copyright.PENANAqjh85vQ5gl
“No no no, I understand you. I do.”135Please respect copyright.PENANAwnGcX5kEBN
135Please respect copyright.PENANAr1VUWoETPo
My muscles loosened a little. I felt awfully warm about the words I would spit.135Please respect copyright.PENANA84N6dyxxnF
135Please respect copyright.PENANAVDhF3OiVIJ
“I just know that feeling a little too well sometimes–”135Please respect copyright.PENANAC8qHsFtPvo
135Please respect copyright.PENANAtMsA7eruUz
**SLAM**135Please respect copyright.PENANApABf9XkQVR
135Please respect copyright.PENANAnrDBzqBgRE
A loud, thundering sound rang through the dusty room, startling Juke and me and putting our senses on high alert. Juke put one hand on his handle, and I already called the tendril forth and aimed it at the sound. It came from the door; now it was opened all the way, but the figure responsible wasn’t behind the other side.135Please respect copyright.PENANAmEIj4aR4QI
135Please respect copyright.PENANAkfx445zNZb
That is until I saw a head peer from the frame.135Please respect copyright.PENANAsfnoivStba
135Please respect copyright.PENANAMPX13DyYl9
“Oh, thank goodness. You two are safe.”135Please respect copyright.PENANAyZTy3ITNIs
135Please respect copyright.PENANA27DVSNMQMe
The head belonged to the dean of the Pillar. He waltzed in haphazardly taking little steps and checking every inch of the room. When his eyes landed on the Bringer, he squeled for a moment, but quieted down once he noticed all the blood.135Please respect copyright.PENANAAutbbRfMm2
135Please respect copyright.PENANA1ebxWrM91u
“Phew. For a moment I thought I came at a bad time.”135Please respect copyright.PENANAQqG15V1HYr
135Please respect copyright.PENANAaIWo1WoQlV
“M-Mister Dean.”135Please respect copyright.PENANAEGJPvT41dR
135Please respect copyright.PENANA9nFi5oySxv
I decided to speak up, as the present situation was too absurd for silence.135Please respect copyright.PENANAgkV04mHRyN
135Please respect copyright.PENANAhWLXJTYUWq
“Yes, child?”135Please respect copyright.PENANAuVHOthyux8
135Please respect copyright.PENANAe0WwWwmyOf
“Uh– well, first of all, are you alright?”135Please respect copyright.PENANAnq0v6jD4WF
135Please respect copyright.PENANAyYMrSgaAaA
“Yes, quite alright. My shoulder is still in pain, but the bleeding stopped long ago. And again, I must thank you for releasing me.”135Please respect copyright.PENANAgeu3DGYyi3
135Please respect copyright.PENANAXzLAQ4Mfew
“R-Right.”135Please respect copyright.PENANArGuHgRWi5k
135Please respect copyright.PENANAc6fNEGw4cH
I couldn’t think of anything else to say, and looking at Juke revealed he was in a similar boat.135Please respect copyright.PENANAZeG4MRIrgX
135Please respect copyright.PENANAaYw9T9sL6P
“But, enough about me. I came here bringing good news, and a friendly face.”135Please respect copyright.PENANAjqEhvlQWnw
135Please respect copyright.PENANAsnuy71NIDT
“--Please worry not about explaining it, Sir Dean. I wouldn’t want my duty as a leader stolen as such.”135Please respect copyright.PENANAZxAntZnTe1
135Please respect copyright.PENANAG1qXj50fv7
From behind the Dean came a soft voice. A voice of confidence and care, a voice I’ve grown fond of over the past day. And seeing the holder of that voice cross the threshold made me retract my tendril, and put a hand on my chest in relief.135Please respect copyright.PENANAGdsafsIvuS
135Please respect copyright.PENANAZB356azw6F
“Hello, you two,” said Lola, “by the looks of things, your side was a complete success.”135Please respect copyright.PENANAJX2QsDi3Xo
135Please respect copyright.PENANAutx1JmJ7P4
–
135Please respect copyright.PENANAY4nS9g51cA
–
135Please respect copyright.PENANAH2smksQknL
–
135Please respect copyright.PENANA6U1wcfidSX
With the arrival of Lola came the confirmation I was desperately needing. We had won.135Please respect copyright.PENANARNTsSTQ8OE
135Please respect copyright.PENANA7XysKyZwg2
Though it wasn’t without casualties, the foreign pillar was rid of pesky Bringers. Its control was seized by the Retaliation crowd, and the Dean still being alive was a great relief.135Please respect copyright.PENANAmcJDFj8qpA
135Please respect copyright.PENANA6omISXLSaX
“I was afraid of something like this,” the Dean explained, “but I couldn’t halt the mechanisms of this city because of premonition…”135Please respect copyright.PENANAzFWyhmiXlv
135Please respect copyright.PENANAvrQeTKqWaz
Either way, we had what I was assured was an invaluable asset. I didn’t see how in the moment, but as I was taken to the answer, Lola elucidated me about the status.135Please respect copyright.PENANAvwvVrHxxBS
135Please respect copyright.PENANATYChCDbXSg
A majority of the crowd hunkered town at the top. One floor with wide windows served as an excellent watch tower, and ranged specialists were tasked with observing the parameters. The floors above were converted into restrooms or hospital rooms. A few crowd members ventured to the lower floors to gather all the food and water available, of which there was a grand amount. It made sense, as all of those supplies belonged to the Bringers beforehand. Half a dozen of the healthiest and uninjured watched the first floor and the surrounding city, both defending from infiltrators and–135Please respect copyright.PENANAu4YTSjA24b
135Please respect copyright.PENANA0Y7aTnAjeY
“They’re looking for recruits. If fighters see that we have the most important building under control, they’re more likely to join the effort.”135Please respect copyright.PENANAGx3kOWI8OX
135Please respect copyright.PENANAsFHtJDmerC
“Haven’t you explained that already?”135Please respect copyright.PENANA3hqNU4TLAp
135Please respect copyright.PENANA022nbBvyJJ
“Yes, but… there is a slight problem we’ve run into.”135Please respect copyright.PENANAk1WcgvpHGW
135Please respect copyright.PENANAIKgVdzLMQw
“What’s that?”135Please respect copyright.PENANAB9ngeQDuM8
135Please respect copyright.PENANAjJrLhMaH5p
Lola turned around and crossed her arms. She nudged her head to Dave who was beside her, and with a sigh, he stepped forth and spoke.135Please respect copyright.PENANAXYDpTKqf6a
135Please respect copyright.PENANA8EXP3nbAXL
“Everything is done in two ways here. Either letters or signals. Old man Jackson was always responsible for the latter. We do not have Jackson anymore, so unless we make a lot of noise, we can only commune with letters.”135Please respect copyright.PENANATsW6cL3YPg
135Please respect copyright.PENANANr9AChXoGv
I realized the implications immediately. Even if fighters were available, everyone was in hiding. Nobody knew the state of the central Pillar, and I doubted that the crowd’s existence was well-known either. But then I remembered the prowling Pars and Dave from yesterday and asked:135Please respect copyright.PENANAzBofuFifEV
135Please respect copyright.PENANATNJAAg0Chb
“I know I wasn’t asked, but I think making a signal would be effective.”135Please respect copyright.PENANAkjWqYg95kP
135Please respect copyright.PENANAUcHU0JhRrp
“We thought so too. But we don’t want mages to waste their mana on mere fireworks, so we thought of something better. Since Hard-Bringer miraculously hasn’t set the city ablaze, it’s very quiet out.”135Please respect copyright.PENANAmjMNNy0HIV
135Please respect copyright.PENANARi1f6unzDu
“...Ah, so that’s where you’re heading. But how will it be done?”135Please respect copyright.PENANAMIT6oeReux
135Please respect copyright.PENANA4jkWGHtavU
A smirk found itself on his face. He turned around and continued leading me.135Please respect copyright.PENANA67PYjEVRhV
135Please respect copyright.PENANAxKwpDIDqRL
“We have our methods. This place has been around too long for it not to.”135Please respect copyright.PENANA1NRiMqw6nw
135Please respect copyright.PENANAgjAS080vHL
I followed them further, in a location past the Dean’s office. Hidden by a camouflaging door, the room I entered was lit and energetic but smelled foul.135Please respect copyright.PENANAXG1lhykSVE
135Please respect copyright.PENANAbPcAI1tEl7
“Oh, goodness. And I was wondering why the office was so small.”135Please respect copyright.PENANAbiiBK7l8qn
135Please respect copyright.PENANAfQIklGvIEw
The room itself was decently spacious, but that detail didn’t attract me. Rather, it was the presence of wooden walls and fences, the hallmark infrastructure of a city stable. Only, it was far tidier and metallic than most.135Please respect copyright.PENANAfo9RUbAcLb
135Please respect copyright.PENANAZKR1k7LAhL
“Here is your answer, Kenny,” Lola said, standing beside a stall. I peeped inside and–135Please respect copyright.PENANAum6VzWGChm
135Please respect copyright.PENANA6IF13ANuxl
“GAH! W-Why is this here?”135Please respect copyright.PENANADteffJHqyf
135Please respect copyright.PENANAhwBYpOXEFX
A creature resided within the stall. One with reins around its beak, and one with a stature I’ve seen deceased more often than alive. The Communication City’s signature raptor.135Please respect copyright.PENANAtPewFCeHUY
135Please respect copyright.PENANA3JvVIeV5iM
“It’s the Dean’s private delivery bird. It’s specially trained to traverse the city walls, as its tight curves and winding streets are difficult for the average one.”135Please respect copyright.PENANAMKT5Iic2yN
135Please respect copyright.PENANAlY2SX1diTT
“I wouldn’t call any curves ‘tight,’ but I guess when you’re as fast as these things, then they can be.” 135Please respect copyright.PENANA7II5lkxZYc
135Please respect copyright.PENANAQq3lGYjHn7
The raptor leaned its head over the gated fence, staring at me with wide, occasionally blinking eyes. I didn’t know what to do. I was never in close proximity to one, and I never had one look at me like I was some kind of puzzle.135Please respect copyright.PENANADZpQxJjjLG
135Please respect copyright.PENANAtrSlkXh0fe
“I think it likes you, child.”135Please respect copyright.PENANAOZztRQwGqT
135Please respect copyright.PENANAGO2fIpX2dG
“Please, call me Kenneth or Kenny, Mister Dean. And, uh, are you sure– certain?”135Please respect copyright.PENANAvyIHS9LrHV
135Please respect copyright.PENANAx4LW3yD6Go
The Raptor’s gaze grew more intense. It appeared that he was trying to see into my soul, and I felt like an ant under its wide eyes.135Please respect copyright.PENANAB1k2tRE4Be
135Please respect copyright.PENANAELCVp3CbVG
And then, it leaned its head down even further and… sniffed my hair.135Please respect copyright.PENANABpUlbZmob8
135Please respect copyright.PENANAEPAA8NdM88
“Hah?”135Please respect copyright.PENANAZXhnOvz97l
135Please respect copyright.PENANAxxNi1QBGpj
“I hear these animals love ta smell flowers. Ya do have that kind of aroma, so thats why it likes ya.”135Please respect copyright.PENANAARUQEdTMBW
135Please respect copyright.PENANAsnEZ3GDzx5
“I… smell like flowers?”135Please respect copyright.PENANAMbKm06DBmM
135Please respect copyright.PENANAU6XcEu1BeI
I looked around the room for an answer, and everybody present nodded simultaneously. I was completely taken aback, more because of the shock than anything else.135Please respect copyright.PENANAhwGhHiM2sc
135Please respect copyright.PENANAzAM73N8t5R
“Why am I just figuring this out !? I don’t smell– well, I don’t think I smell like flowers?”135Please respect copyright.PENANApeqElP67kU
135Please respect copyright.PENANAB8mAtvUkXG
I even sniffed my hands and arms to make sure, and nothing of the scent reminded me of flowers.135Please respect copyright.PENANAz8DagLBQ5T
135Please respect copyright.PENANARTlEACArb3
“Well, ya get used to the way ya smell to the point ya can’t tell. That’s just how yer nose works.”135Please respect copyright.PENANAYifQX4LIQd
135Please respect copyright.PENANAZqZ76xNUM4
“Really? I didn’t know that…”135Please respect copyright.PENANAXJlpHIXNHV
135Please respect copyright.PENANAg2cvGZTkh5
“Ahem, moving on–”135Please respect copyright.PENANA34RPWMct3L
135Please respect copyright.PENANAb7XFYEVKxL
Dave interjected with a cough. I turned my attention back to him, anticipating his oncoming words.135Please respect copyright.PENANA3g68PHG1gy
135Please respect copyright.PENANAxE3NxpOgJg
“The plan of action is quite simple. We’ll have someone riding this beast, sprinting around the town, and yelling about our victory. The Raptor’s speed can be easily modulated, so escape from any roaming bringers is easy.”135Please respect copyright.PENANAfzHnWcORtk
135Please respect copyright.PENANAmJeiCyUgTg
I understood what he was saying. I even agreed with it. Though shaky, it was a great and efficient plan with the resources we had. What clogged my throat, however, wasn’t the plan itself, but the subtle insinuation of telling me this plan. So, I had to ask:135Please respect copyright.PENANArnNVYLJAoh
135Please respect copyright.PENANAz35cidcWBx
“May I know why I’m being told this?”135Please respect copyright.PENANA6qkudkSk2H
135Please respect copyright.PENANA1iviXGq9ep
“If you think it’s because we’ll make you do that, don’t you even worry. We’re not so cruel to put a child in such danger, are we, Dave?”135Please respect copyright.PENANADL4enJviLZ
135Please respect copyright.PENANAWpXOydDZgR
Lola seized all my worries immediately, causing me to let out a happy sigh. I wasn’t even bothered by her mentioning of me being a child, as I welcomed this discrimination just this once.135Please respect copyright.PENANANPJGQjUZmO
135Please respect copyright.PENANAZRAbhUxNlF
“But if you need to know why,” she continued, “it’s because we need your help in facilitating it.”135Please respect copyright.PENANAF5DJooKiLC
135Please respect copyright.PENANA7MazpESbzo
“My help, you say…”135Please respect copyright.PENANAzwH4uJ34kI
135Please respect copyright.PENANABApBF6jzxq
It wasn’t such a terrible request, though I had no idea how I could. I waited for elaboration, since they looked eager to hand it.135Please respect copyright.PENANA0Z5HTTi0DB
135Please respect copyright.PENANAgaCToOdNHI
“I’ve heard that you’re a prolific, experienced alchemist. At such a young age too no less–”135Please respect copyright.PENANA418waMvMqQ
135Please respect copyright.PENANAIy1RPKd97C
“Please, don’t mention it. I don’t want my achievements embellished, especially because of something like age.”135Please respect copyright.PENANAReME2idvxI
135Please respect copyright.PENANAJ2J4fs8XKZ
“--Anyhow, your skills are most needed. A single raptor can’t traverse every corner of this city without some help, so I was wondering: do you happen to know how to make energizing potions?”135Please respect copyright.PENANA5s2fHCqIKg
135Please respect copyright.PENANAt3YZkeLBRu
“...Energizing potions?”135Please respect copyright.PENANAFSERe4jR81
135Please respect copyright.PENANA9nrEltkxHn
I knew how to do that, naturally, but Lola was off the mark somewhat.135Please respect copyright.PENANAD0ehIGR6Ec
135Please respect copyright.PENANAO9V0aEHCWt
“Wouldn’t endurance be more useful? When you’re running both a marathon and a race, just finishing it is most important.”135Please respect copyright.PENANAmgJK9sy7n9
135Please respect copyright.PENANARokkFN089c
Lola had her eyes wide and her head slowly nodding.135Please respect copyright.PENANAp65e8J4fxR
135Please respect copyright.PENANA6RgelnLOT5
“You’re correct. Do you think you can do it?”135Please respect copyright.PENANACQTGcysQrC
135Please respect copyright.PENANAlsooWdTxcb
“I definitely can. I can use some of the empty flasks in my bag. That is, if they aren’t broken.”135Please respect copyright.PENANAbHKtKAlLjW
135Please respect copyright.PENANA2UylpZkFgk
I turned my head at Juke and stoutly narrowed my eyes. He didn’t notice until a few seconds passed, and he jolted when he saw me.135Please respect copyright.PENANA8DYAeaB21u
135Please respect copyright.PENANAQi56I0UG1t
“T-There’re few good ones. One’s unopen, so ya can juts pour it out if ya hafta.”135Please respect copyright.PENANAkjiHneuwBr
135Please respect copyright.PENANAzLN7a6N60N
“Phew. That’s good. The potency wouldn’t be right if I was just using random cups.”135Please respect copyright.PENANAM187f6IruC
135Please respect copyright.PENANAJDCL59ORjk
I turned around and marched to the exit of the room. I stopped myself before leaving, because I noticed only my footsteps were echoing.135Please respect copyright.PENANAcBpFOFLjEJ
135Please respect copyright.PENANAi3MDsKYyw6
“Is something wrong?”135Please respect copyright.PENANAOK9jnNVKaL
135Please respect copyright.PENANA0Lvnl6F8tg
Lola and Dave looked at eachother. For being such well-spoken people, it was strange for them to fail finding the words. 135Please respect copyright.PENANAIBcnwBX1rR
135Please respect copyright.PENANApQHVC7RuIF
“Well, kid–”135Please respect copyright.PENANAjq8mvsW1V8
135Please respect copyright.PENANAzw7Stxmf9i
Then Juke suddenly spoke out, and I diverted my attention to him.135Please respect copyright.PENANA1SCjUATGst
135Please respect copyright.PENANACKtBHF6Oog
“Ya just look a lot more comfortable than I’m used ta.”135Please respect copyright.PENANA3oix1FoGqK
135Please respect copyright.PENANAuXFdEPNP7A
After a moment of droning silence, Lola and Dave looked at me, nodding in agreement with Juke. I didn’t know what to say, but I had complete composure to react. Nothing within me flared up, only a single sentence popped into my mind.135Please respect copyright.PENANAQZon92ei2h
135Please respect copyright.PENANANWgqJMf2kx
“Comfortable? I haven’t heard that one before.”135Please respect copyright.PENANAbj1nWUrNcO
135Please respect copyright.PENANACf7fH6bpIP
Whether it was good or not, I didn’t care. I had a special duty to perform, and that duty took prescedence. Before leaving the room, I asked Lola where supplies were stored, and once I was told I began moseying through the Dean’s room.135Please respect copyright.PENANAP3p5caShUH
135Please respect copyright.PENANAElmbydxyxq
Their perplexed looks didn’t slip by me. I had never seen such a face before, but I knew what it was. I knew it because I’ve made it, albeit a much harsher version. It was the face of a witness to the breaking of boundaries, the erasure of an image of the person one knows. I wasn’t bothered by it– If anything, being looked at that in that way was oddly relieving. But I still couldn’t stand it.135Please respect copyright.PENANAAEmKM2iDiA
135Please respect copyright.PENANAWUbWlrcWVG
“...Comfortable.”135Please respect copyright.PENANASOXiWly19f
135Please respect copyright.PENANApvvJmrYQxZ
I mouthed that word a couple of times. Juke always had a fascinating way of phrasing things. Comfortable. I spoke it, I whispered it, I thought it and I chewed it. Comfortable.135Please respect copyright.PENANACO5RwWs8NR
135Please respect copyright.PENANAYyDs2FK5U9
Yeah. When it came to alchemy, comfortable was just right.135Please respect copyright.PENANAZ97L0blRK8
135Please respect copyright.PENANAw8Sc5oM8yO
–
135Please respect copyright.PENANAhatgq7Fc5w
–
135Please respect copyright.PENANAM7OV68A1OL
–
135Please respect copyright.PENANAejl3Igx36z
This process… wasn’t quite nostalgic. I didn’t know what nostalgia even felt like, but I knew that if I was just five years older, I would be sorely missing performing this.135Please respect copyright.PENANAEsDIyiv1EY
135Please respect copyright.PENANAoXQr9k9rnX
Scratch that, I missed it even as I did it. 135Please respect copyright.PENANA8MaziZa4Mh
135Please respect copyright.PENANAsaeJ0dwzwY
Even with all my experience, I wasn’t afforded time to let my thoughts stray and frolic into useless concepts. All my focus was directedto the task at hand, the busy method of making an endurance potion. Oh, how I missed it.135Please respect copyright.PENANAIrHwOeujbA
135Please respect copyright.PENANASRt8tjmw5A
“...A little bit here.”135Please respect copyright.PENANAd7RWPYcHBo
135Please respect copyright.PENANAnY21r06XDJ
It took a moment for me to shake of my rust, but as it was only a little over a week since I last did this, I felt good as new afterward. I was performing mana suspension with utmost precision. I’ve made this particular potion so many times, I could just let my hands take it away. Still, as I was going through the process and remembering the materials, there was a nagging feeling in the back of my throat that told me something was off. 135Please respect copyright.PENANAfxFwsX3Un1
135Please respect copyright.PENANAvBaGWeiCAs
And it wasn’t until near completion that I realized what it was.135Please respect copyright.PENANAMufojcV7Qq
135Please respect copyright.PENANAWd8e1SyCfW
“Of course. Goodness, how could I forget the most important part?”135Please respect copyright.PENANAGEufjdZQFZ
135Please respect copyright.PENANA51DF0SWzcy
As I stood in a little booth, there was one natural ingredient from the heap of materials that I was missing: fat. There wasn’t an ounce of raw fat anywhere.135Please respect copyright.PENANArQzPMDm1UX
135Please respect copyright.PENANA1GGdMU2qvn
I sighed and rubbed my head. I knew that I didn’t look hard enough, but having to descend to another floor to pick up something I already should have was a complete hassle.135Please respect copyright.PENANAcOLOthwHTz
135Please respect copyright.PENANAlCcHGy89hT
“No time to waste, though.”135Please respect copyright.PENANA1OJULC9obH
135Please respect copyright.PENANAC4fIIXk4rR
So I stood up and exited. The booth was one of several in a particular room. Every booth was an office space repurposed into whatever the circumstances demanded, and I was lucky enough to get one for myself. There were a couple of crowd members up here chatting, and I made sure to wave and grant small greetings as I passed by.135Please respect copyright.PENANA3m6rmVlsFV
135Please respect copyright.PENANAUHuMNnUr8i
I reached the stairs shortly after, and while descending them, I thought of how exactly I was going to acquire any fat. I’m sure there was meat as part of the rations, but from the few sparing glances I took, they all seemed dry. The only wild animal in here had a mission to complete, and I didn’t fancy the idea of killing an animal just for a potion. I reached the floor amidst my thinking and figured that I would figure it all out once I got there.135Please respect copyright.PENANAdLmNpNK5cj
135Please respect copyright.PENANAd204hiJMAh
I walked through, waved at those who waved at me, waltzed to the mock-up kitchen organized by a couple of members, and inspected. Indeed, I found out that I did not figure it out once I got there.135Please respect copyright.PENANAXR3Y08MwFf
135Please respect copyright.PENANAlsVtw1elXw
“...Crap.”135Please respect copyright.PENANAbEss4lpDSY
135Please respect copyright.PENANA4qm2qPA9Fq
My index and thumb were on my chin, and the arm that held them rested on my other. But looking like a philosopher didn’t manifest what I needed, and I eventually dropped the pose and sighed.135Please respect copyright.PENANAd2wMEETGF7
135Please respect copyright.PENANAM267KSDwnx
“Is there something you’re lookin’ for?”135Please respect copyright.PENANAq4YkqLWChV
135Please respect copyright.PENANAbnyBbuilaE
Who was essentially the lunch lady noticed my plight.135Please respect copyright.PENANATb88eT8T6v
135Please respect copyright.PENANABhAIX1gglb
“Yes. Um, do you happen to have anything with fat on it? And I mean raw fat.”135Please respect copyright.PENANApyEh3frT3T
135Please respect copyright.PENANAemttGa50FS
“Fat? Fat, hmm… well, there might be some in the trash.”135Please respect copyright.PENANA1T3NU9Xhi3
135Please respect copyright.PENANAYnOLdw57x6
“Excuse me? Oh, sorry. Can I ask where the trash is?”135Please respect copyright.PENANAVKoGKf8l3C
135Please respect copyright.PENANALkeUXSvBc3
“You sure can. It’s in one of those buckets right there.”135Please respect copyright.PENANAkCdeFrv0rA
135Please respect copyright.PENANAJMbJywAw4n
She pointed with a spoon to the corner of the floor. In that corner, small, lidded buckets were clustered together. They looked to be made of wood. But, those details aside, what I noticed was how nobody was within ten meters of them.135Please respect copyright.PENANAx2gFRQMmTZ
135Please respect copyright.PENANAyvcKnCoAQu
“M-May I ask, what kind of fat is in those?”135Please respect copyright.PENANAnKToDCEHEV
135Please respect copyright.PENANAuVpyhfV4PD
And she responded with confirmation of my immediate fears.135Please respect copyright.PENANAteTUw93qAY
135Please respect copyright.PENANAw3RWawTZns
“It’s from spoiled meat. We didn’t have salt or ice or nothing to keep it preserved, so it’s already home to the bugs. Crazy how it turns to junk so quick, isn’t it?”135Please respect copyright.PENANAotSfPzfaw4
135Please respect copyright.PENANAbRCrsNq5Gi
“Crazy indeed, ma’am.”135Please respect copyright.PENANA7LcxAbg0hb
135Please respect copyright.PENANAiJfBcXPFXl
With my back slumped over, I hobbled to the corner with a profound frown. I thought of maybe taking my tendril and producing some kind of flower, but none of their aromas were strong enough to suppress that stench.135Please respect copyright.PENANAlkBkpnTNvA
135Please respect copyright.PENANAvuGeTLcFF2
“Mind if I ask what you need fat for?”135Please respect copyright.PENANA5kiWe0csHZ
135Please respect copyright.PENANAZ5l0iDTyBA
“Oh, yes. It’s for a potion I’m making, you see–”135Please respect copyright.PENANAQRamymfjrc
135Please respect copyright.PENANAxvkZNV0hlc
I cut my sentence short because, unlike the feminine voice of the lunch lady, the one I heard had the sound of a gentleman. What’s more, I recognized its timbre.135Please respect copyright.PENANAt7iGw5kfA7
135Please respect copyright.PENANAzXvZ3qItsW
“N-Nigel!?”135Please respect copyright.PENANAratt7HPLrd
135Please respect copyright.PENANAiIgZqZ6kzs
“Correct! I’m honored that you remember me. It’s swell to see you in good health, Kenny.”135Please respect copyright.PENANAs8qjxUK6dm
135Please respect copyright.PENANAdKvqSTfNWx
“Y-You as well. Also, please, don’t sneak up on me like that.”135Please respect copyright.PENANA0obPOw4kOJ
135Please respect copyright.PENANAQz6CkXSdEz
He lightly shrugged in response. I clicked my tongue at his insouciant attitude but dropped my grudge quickly.135Please respect copyright.PENANAG6ltP7efbS
135Please respect copyright.PENANA6M9cDlKb8z
“It’s good to see you healthy as well, Nigel. How was your time at the battle?”135Please respect copyright.PENANAX84hMj90Ir
135Please respect copyright.PENANArz8WB8LSsG
“Ah… well, first, let me offer you a hand.”135Please respect copyright.PENANA0hwSFLMLSX
135Please respect copyright.PENANAKZZUPJwsUn
“A hand,” I asked, confused as to what he insinuated.135Please respect copyright.PENANAT0ePHIdj1q
135Please respect copyright.PENANAqJzhe8lRLG
“You said you need fat for your potion, and I just so happen to have a knife.”135Please respect copyright.PENANAl7iV5BSDWW
135Please respect copyright.PENANAhFu9f2dQAu
He pulled the knife in question out of its sheath and headed towards the buckets, but not before tossing me something.135Please respect copyright.PENANAGbMEFBmFIv
135Please respect copyright.PENANAJlQM6bfclj
“Is this… a clamper?”135Please respect copyright.PENANA8cznpCgQk9
135Please respect copyright.PENANAuJiVjxQKuJ
“It is. I’m sure you know to put it over your nose, right? Anyway, let’s chat while we work.”135Please respect copyright.PENANAeIW6sDyzoq
135Please respect copyright.PENANABKrkphEtfh
–
135Please respect copyright.PENANA0tIYKws1UB
–
135Please respect copyright.PENANAg1H777QNh6
–
135Please respect copyright.PENANA3sqfXCjd6m
Nigel’s presence was a lucky blessing. Another pair of hands was one thing, the knife was another, and the clamper was nice, but what I was truly thankful for, was having someone to talk to while I groped and tore stale, smelly, stonymeat.
135Please respect copyright.PENANAqBpJZ2mJgO
“So,” Nigel started as he made his cuts, “what is it that you asked me?”135Please respect copyright.PENANAtGUdi6ohEN
135Please respect copyright.PENANAWQIXe71cHF
“That I asked you?”135Please respect copyright.PENANA7X3A4FSVoF
135Please respect copyright.PENANAzJnjCTcrzM
I thought about it, and it seemed to have slipped even my mind, but I remembered my earlier inquiry quickly.135Please respect copyright.PENANAyD2phYYNrJ
135Please respect copyright.PENANATB2l5mlzyQ
“Right. It was about the battle. How was it? I mean, I know it was rough for everyone, but…”135Please respect copyright.PENANA3kf3YmVK3n
135Please respect copyright.PENANAnY99mliD7n
“Yeah, I know what you mean. I might as well tell you.”135Please respect copyright.PENANA2IfegAB0Rc
135Please respect copyright.PENANAkKYft3oQsv
He stopped rotating the meat on his knife and looked down at it.135Please respect copyright.PENANAT9tuZWOM2e
135Please respect copyright.PENANAlYo3YmArxU
“...Was it, did you lose your friend?”135Please respect copyright.PENANAI1KyXpnKIN
135Please respect copyright.PENANA9xYdedyTJq
He jolted when I asked, raising his head with widened eyes.135Please respect copyright.PENANAJduZmRbOXe
135Please respect copyright.PENANA5Q74dstdeG
“How did you–”135Please respect copyright.PENANAgl7vxk1S7b
135Please respect copyright.PENANADPo2i2x9oS
“I was behind the crowd the whole time. I had everyone’s backs in front of me, so I started keeping track of the members, seeing who was there and who left by the kind of hair or weapons you all had. And, well… at some point, I noticed the head you were with changed at some point.”135Please respect copyright.PENANA3YeAzCgHGo
135Please respect copyright.PENANAEU54eC2r8C
“...Hah. You’re a sharp boy with a keen eye.” 135Please respect copyright.PENANAWJHmBCrghn
135Please respect copyright.PENANALm4B55Jpg7
He continued cutting as he spoke.135Please respect copyright.PENANAev53RsizSl
135Please respect copyright.PENANAPpgo6EcoQ1
“Yeah. Damon died during the big ambush. One of the six casualties we suffered. I was left without a partner for the rest of the raid.”135Please respect copyright.PENANAzBbl8waHqY
135Please respect copyright.PENANAUnYyLqDcAV
He looked at his hand. I stopped my own cutting, and my limbs twitched, urging me to reach out and do something. But the only thing I could muster was a few consoling words.135Please respect copyright.PENANABlcXt0uif8
135Please respect copyright.PENANAXKCXu77jFM
“I’m, so sorry to hear that. He must’ve been a good friend.”135Please respect copyright.PENANAR3QMCQZbP9
135Please respect copyright.PENANAZSlxqrm17O
“...Do you think so? He and I fought a lot, I wouldn’t call him a good friend. Just a colleague. Besides, things like these happen in the field.”135Please respect copyright.PENANAFn5e8R9Wyc
135Please respect copyright.PENANA0SHzhyYmFo
He said those words. He said those words coolly, without wavering hands or trembling lips. His cutting paused, and his eyes seemed to stare off into nowhere, but I couldn’t read anything from his profile. A part of it relieved me, and another made me want to scamper away.135Please respect copyright.PENANAUUlQoMQt5G
135Please respect copyright.PENANAvf6vj6Wwtv
“You saw me at a bad time, truly. Sorry, I’ll continue helping.”135Please respect copyright.PENANAsCH6s7qL4b
135Please respect copyright.PENANAynqzGldboR
“Don’t… don’t you worry about it.”135Please respect copyright.PENANAt9aJltSHop
135Please respect copyright.PENANAOyIytIX5Y7
“Enough about me. Tell me, how was it on your end?”135Please respect copyright.PENANA2jBFUob2o7
135Please respect copyright.PENANAHdQrshG0px
His switching of the topic was decisive, so I decided to halt my scary thinking. I sighed and paused my motions, reaching for stored memories I preferred to forget. However, the deeper I dug, I had to wonder:135Please respect copyright.PENANAwQNH6CIqAA
135Please respect copyright.PENANAOV7kj7ZKKZ
“Is that really something you want to hear? Are all crowd members like this, just talking about unpleasant fights?”135Please respect copyright.PENANA4wAsarl4bK
135Please respect copyright.PENANARNTKeM6eaM
“That’s not fair of you. You asked first, right?”135Please respect copyright.PENANAX8NqIIQuD5
135Please respect copyright.PENANAn4Ge4XXusV
“I… darn it, you got me there.”135Please respect copyright.PENANAj706jVYCUB
135Please respect copyright.PENANAdSZO64ahza
I continued peeling and let my mouth run.135Please respect copyright.PENANAbJP52lig9n
135Please respect copyright.PENANAaLaG5bnxmc
“It was me and Juke. He and I were partnered, and for the most part, we just whizzed by the rooms. The one we had to tackle was that of the Dean’s, and for what it’s worth, our fight went smoothly. No major injuries, we weren’t too tired, nothing.”135Please respect copyright.PENANAJlkbjcbqSa
135Please respect copyright.PENANAV9mzWtZUtS
Though my right hand would be painfully sore in the morning.135Please respect copyright.PENANAwAHnyNxMTm
135Please respect copyright.PENANABI77ylC5Uv
“Excellent to hear. You must be a proficient fighter for it to have gone so well.”135Please respect copyright.PENANA4fFxhQJHfI
135Please respect copyright.PENANAhFrVk4Y0Xm
“Not really. I’m just somewhat competent with magic, and my partner had an incredibly useful endowment. We got lucky, that’s all.”135Please respect copyright.PENANAWyeTSpi7vH
135Please respect copyright.PENANA93wwNjBH76
“I don’t know about that, Kenny.”135Please respect copyright.PENANAldhq2BAdgr
135Please respect copyright.PENANAvgYt4jDqbq
I looked at him with pursed lips.135Please respect copyright.PENANA3usG4r7NgD
135Please respect copyright.PENANAxSYl9xtrwg
“Why not?”135Please respect copyright.PENANAULs49kwNly
135Please respect copyright.PENANAgLw8L65h4a
“Lady fortunate dictates only half the battle, and it's never the half that’ll be the coup de grace. She is the roof of the house, and man is the foundation; without you, she would simply collapse.”135Please respect copyright.PENANAysYYBZE4Kp
135Please respect copyright.PENANAnC8Q4cO49L
“That’s… an interesting way of looking at it. But I’m not convinced. I mean, we even ran into an opponent we already beat.”135Please respect copyright.PENANA96MOjLoZ2i
135Please respect copyright.PENANAHjcsElSirq
He raised and wagged his finger, going “tsk tsk” with his lips.135Please respect copyright.PENANAv2CKC1jN70
135Please respect copyright.PENANAVhjklkGsVZ
“And who is it that managed to beat that enemy in the first place?”135Please respect copyright.PENANAvBvIRLmBCF
135Please respect copyright.PENANA5jnveRsqjq
“--!”135Please respect copyright.PENANADWo9FAd57V
135Please respect copyright.PENANAJRic0tXo2F
Though my gut still told me something was awry, my mind was convinced by his words. I took it with a grain of salt, and taking it with such a sully still loosened my facial muscles. 135Please respect copyright.PENANAYBgLMYvUjg
135Please respect copyright.PENANAEwM3zcICJX
“Did anything else happen?”135Please respect copyright.PENANAONApzpYhQW
135Please respect copyright.PENANAlMwsq4oyVU
“Anything else? Well… Oh!”135Please respect copyright.PENANA32rL8Dqb0D
I perked up and yelled all a sudden, startling Nigel and making him ask “What?”135Please respect copyright.PENANAEqW5y6R4uW
135Please respect copyright.PENANA2GZUsnlcb6
“I forgot to tell Lola and Dave about some information we learned. Juke might’ve already said it, but I still want to make sure.”135Please respect copyright.PENANAJJxhFGfn35
135Please respect copyright.PENANAVcnOQACjfI
“Some information? Would you like me to relay it while you make the potion?”135Please respect copyright.PENANAJQfyKZimzv
135Please respect copyright.PENANAXSJz6Qhmqg
“Uh…”135Please respect copyright.PENANASCj7t31YvG
135Please respect copyright.PENANATYuBBSE3jA
I hesitated, but when I realized how silly that was, I spoke.135Please respect copyright.PENANABUwy9DQUE5
135Please respect copyright.PENANAImIUCmyNbl
“I don’t see why not. The gist of it is that Hard-Bringer has a grade-zero mana spinner, so it’s prodigalto let enemies slip away.”135Please respect copyright.PENANAkVW1CnaFoc
135Please respect copyright.PENANANTxC5NyA96
“...That is quite a concern. It means we need to confirm all our kills as well.”135Please respect copyright.PENANAACcMmjyMdW
135Please respect copyright.PENANAMkZMDExpUW
My face retracted and my eyes widened, shocked by our utter differences in derivatives from the information.135Please respect copyright.PENANAXJpYvy90B9
135Please respect copyright.PENANAaGpMUnnJJ1
“Being together with just Juke must’ve been irritating.”135Please respect copyright.PENANAPDJvulsFbn
135Please respect copyright.PENANAXDPgi8v1ys
“Hm? Why’s that? We were split into pairs, weren’t we?”135Please respect copyright.PENANAlruLoKApr2
135Please respect copyright.PENANAVD57lcqQlr
He tilted his head and raised his brow, which made me inclined to do the same.135Please respect copyright.PENANAtc7kN38tOF
135Please respect copyright.PENANAc3FfxmXPU7
“That’s precisely it. It was just you and Juke, meaning that you couldn’t work with your other partner, Rover, right?”135Please respect copyright.PENANAkUSsNQzHUN
135Please respect copyright.PENANAdSPESXNdmu
“...O-Oh.”135Please respect copyright.PENANAarI61m562E
135Please respect copyright.PENANArFXYtp217w
I realized then that there was a great misunderstanding. I didn’t quite know how to address it, but I decided to take a swing anyway.135Please respect copyright.PENANA3A24rOCOeE
135Please respect copyright.PENANARu4Us0Wk69
“See, Rover and I– and Juke, I suppose –we had a falling out. She’s been evasivefor the most part, and we’re likewise.”135Please respect copyright.PENANAcfKAA2CMKi
135Please respect copyright.PENANAlRk6z0ocms
“I see… she’s been avoiding you? That makes a lot of sense.”135Please respect copyright.PENANAUe3ZRcRWk5
135Please respect copyright.PENANA5vaobcKB4P
I tilted my head at his assessment, as I couldn’t imagine how such a conclusion could be drawn.135Please respect copyright.PENANAcwEaDegspS
135Please respect copyright.PENANAZh8hBPzlgN
“Make sense? How?”135Please respect copyright.PENANA255TC5mD3i
135Please respect copyright.PENANAN0vQRGHeGf
He adjusted his sitting posture by slacking his muscles and raising his legs, holding his arms over his knees.135Please respect copyright.PENANAkgBogeS6wA
135Please respect copyright.PENANA27mJ4zvP14
“When Damon died, I had to make a quick adjustment. My intuition told me to stick to our agreed formation, and I was advised by a buddy there to group up with her. I did, and we spoke for a minute, but when–”135Please respect copyright.PENANA3Dr5lUo1cZ
135Please respect copyright.PENANAbamAjDZg1R
“Ah, so you were her partner? I figured.”135Please respect copyright.PENANAw3Rfp7pOMS
135Please respect copyright.PENANAyL4UJB6dAB
Nigel looked surprised as I finished his retelling for him. I could tell he needed elaboration, so I handed it.135Please respect copyright.PENANAmayzwObFJt
135Please respect copyright.PENANAw1HxKk7JA6
“I was the last to leave the room. You left right before me. I gave her a look, and I think she understood it. I’m very particular with my messaging faces.”135Please respect copyright.PENANAE4IsqjwVsA
135Please respect copyright.PENANA1lfR4RRFzE
“So she still fought alone, eh?”135Please respect copyright.PENANAjoN6XpHHpi
135Please respect copyright.PENANAevaZGx86tD
“...Yeah. She did. I heard she’s alive, though. I’m relieved.”135Please respect copyright.PENANAI8UAAu1dXT
135Please respect copyright.PENANABmvep4oJQM
“Relieved? How come?”135Please respect copyright.PENANAUycPMC8YuG
135Please respect copyright.PENANAvJgt8SLGOf
I jumped at his stupid question, contorting my face as if it offended me.135Please respect copyright.PENANADtP5j64TUX
135Please respect copyright.PENANA67w5xqtmnr
“You just said you fought. Ah, who am I kidding, I know what it is.”135Please respect copyright.PENANAIgYDkUhQws
135Please respect copyright.PENANA2WOOyqunZk
He pulled his arms closer to his chest and continued peeling.135Please respect copyright.PENANALyA2UQHpMP
135Please respect copyright.PENANAVqrrqzMlkl
“You’re probably good friends with her.”135Please respect copyright.PENANAByHe6RHyWF
135Please respect copyright.PENANAQtjNVuntsP
“F-Friends? W-Well, I don’t know about–”135Please respect copyright.PENANAKoyiBJ4Z6f
135Please respect copyright.PENANAUJKxxrR4ds
“You’re friends, man. Don’t kid yourself. You wouldn’t have given her that check if you weren’t.”135Please respect copyright.PENANA4PG6ACQBhS
135Please respect copyright.PENANAT3Nq3nin6u
He continued his peeling without care while I sat still, shaking and stupified. An outrageous conclusion, an unbelievable string of words, worming its way into my ears and trapping the nerves that signaled my limbs, the engine that ran my thoughts.135Please respect copyright.PENANAR8UDiNK8Xo
135Please respect copyright.PENANAWw7xswys37
“I hear she’s hurt,” Nigel continued, snapping me out of my trance, “Hurt very badly.”135Please respect copyright.PENANAuG5eeWwbDS
135Please respect copyright.PENANA9M3BZRpzfL
“H-Hurt? What happened?”135Please respect copyright.PENANAKW3aj2hwNW
135Please respect copyright.PENANA1Wq691sPpA
“I don’t know the details, but she couldn’t walk when I saw her. She was making one hell of an uproar though, so it’s nothing permanent.”135Please respect copyright.PENANAreiFlUhvXQ
135Please respect copyright.PENANArSaVdoV24s
“That’s– that’s good to hear.”135Please respect copyright.PENANAnqeZjclVFu
135Please respect copyright.PENANAzISPlxOWpF
“I got a suggestion for you. I know your relationship is shaky with her, but believe me, what I’m about to advise is good for your health.”135Please respect copyright.PENANAYSUQsDWyfV
135Please respect copyright.PENANAJOvmKyrTJl
A moment later, he put down his knife and slapped a gelatinous mass of yellow onto the floor before me.135Please respect copyright.PENANABzRSx8CRNp
135Please respect copyright.PENANAXgxHdHcOgW
“Here’s all the fat I could get. Take this and make your potion, then give her a patch-up.”135Please respect copyright.PENANA0D6KZWefHL
135Please respect copyright.PENANAOPeuCdbZDB
“A patch-up… you mean, a healing potion?”135Please respect copyright.PENANA2xqErMlbNu
135Please respect copyright.PENANASeAYsoIidd
He shrugged.135Please respect copyright.PENANAjzoEaKoxDk
135Please respect copyright.PENANAdvFidNHN1E
“I’m not the alchemist, am I?”135Please respect copyright.PENANAAMS9OGpmXD
135Please respect copyright.PENANAjVewS6P8LH
“...Yeah. Yeah, you aren’t.”135Please respect copyright.PENANAU5tdLlaNAp
135Please respect copyright.PENANAVKnKYMJoX8
I stared at the blubbering mass. It was small enough to fit into my hand, and though it would feel gross, it would be light as a feather as I carried it back to my mock-up lab. But I couldn’t bring myself to pick it up. Because now that chunk was no longer an ingredient, a box to check for my task’s completion. It was a rope; a rigid line to drop me into the depths.135Please respect copyright.PENANAiNJl8tICUY
135Please respect copyright.PENANAIIk0N3RWqt
All those thoughts, all those tingles, all that premonition and ominous prospecting. I couldn’t bring myself to pick it up. So I had to.135Please respect copyright.PENANA5L95IPX4po
135Please respect copyright.PENANA3pYHyP5c6Z
“Thank you, Nigel. Your help was invaluable.”135Please respect copyright.PENANA8Xd0FkFROK
135Please respect copyright.PENANAKXUMPzKQy8
“I told you, didn’t I? It’s my pleasure to be a good role model.”135Please respect copyright.PENANAXTBpoYCbW3
135Please respect copyright.PENANAynPdptGQql
It was impossible to suppress my smile. His cocky optimism– somehow, it was exactly what I needed to fortify my duct-taped prospects. 135Please respect copyright.PENANAsnYRKt2uiD
135Please respect copyright.PENANArgv0lCuMyz
I picked up the fat, momentarily amazed at how he cut so much so quickly, and waved him goodbye, making my way to my lab and steeling every twitching fiber in me.135Please respect copyright.PENANArvoJJiJ6iI
135Please respect copyright.PENANAsCeqgaiezt
–
135Please respect copyright.PENANA6jTqdTG6BU
–
135Please respect copyright.PENANAqGXZ96ori0
–
135Please respect copyright.PENANA6GU98kOGt3
“...Role model.”135Please respect copyright.PENANAcEjgh9cZzE
135Please respect copyright.PENANAVmtQVZq6FW
Nigel’s hands were a complete mess, covered in gore that assaulted his nostrils. At least as a soldier, the flesh he bled wasn’t rotten. This was a new experience, and in some ways, he was glad about it. He was glad he didn’t run his mouth. He was glad the kid didn’t notice his hands.135Please respect copyright.PENANAsD3r2Q7Jzz
135Please respect copyright.PENANAVj8uSjk7dG
“Who am I kidding, of course he noticed.”135Please respect copyright.PENANAhooZEyKvwr
135Please respect copyright.PENANAcSsZVX9Zhl
He stood up and brushed his palms against one another, though all that grime would need more oomph to come off. He sighed and tucked his knives away since the kid let the other loiter on the ground.135Please respect copyright.PENANANtKvKt3tio
135Please respect copyright.PENANAfKGvtsCjJW
“I’m not cut out to be a role model. But I’m glad that kid’s doing good. I’m glad you’re not here either, man.”135Please respect copyright.PENANAGYjoLNCzSa
135Please respect copyright.PENANACIda0kOaSY
He put the remaining meat back in the bin and closed the lid, moving his legs to the closest washer he knew.135Please respect copyright.PENANAhAa0zhKITV
135Please respect copyright.PENANAMYB6inhas6
“You would’ve been too much, Damon. I can’t handle all that empty praise. All that talk of being a moral guy.”135Please respect copyright.PENANAN1mt2yfPI0
135Please respect copyright.PENANA2L2puTEdDo
His legs came to a sudden halt. They jerked to and fro, but they didn’t make one nudge of distance. Nigel scoffed and laughed, looking at his disobedient limbs with a hopeless smile.135Please respect copyright.PENANAxlJHNOq3mx
135Please respect copyright.PENANACTaYWadTjn
“...Not even my hands? Had to go straight for my legs?”135Please respect copyright.PENANA3EAff9ekDu
135Please respect copyright.PENANAfO9yJ7pBIg
He closed his eyes. It was all he could to stop the spill, the salty water that trickled for a mere colleague.