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.241Please respect copyright.PENANAhwMkEvJtK9
241Please respect copyright.PENANANaWs9YYR2G
“Ya look like a sorry sort. More like a midget than a kid.”241Please respect copyright.PENANAJg1tPxlMT1
241Please respect copyright.PENANA9lzOGJcFl5
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.241Please respect copyright.PENANAWLBXjovKH9
241Please respect copyright.PENANAytm1I0HHo4
Besides, I had a verbal jab I needed to address.241Please respect copyright.PENANA0sBhA2Y5hU
241Please respect copyright.PENANAEW5PC0zRx7
“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.”241Please respect copyright.PENANAvf4Is4RImg
241Please respect copyright.PENANAm1dLr1KmVz
“Y’know, that ain’t a bad idea.”241Please respect copyright.PENANAB4KewTl7SH
241Please respect copyright.PENANAavjFX5J4Qn
He did just as I suggested, laboriously lifting his laden helmet and setting it aside. 241Please respect copyright.PENANABsxdmCCrWO
241Please respect copyright.PENANAQmxuRz86sb
“Well?”241Please respect copyright.PENANAmayLdsydIU
241Please respect copyright.PENANAIwxOmFyISg
“...It’s about what I expected. At least your facial hair looks clean.”241Please respect copyright.PENANALRsuPZyN0C
241Please respect copyright.PENANAXK83qdT1tH
“Really? That thing’s messy all the time.”241Please respect copyright.PENANAfvgHfVPbv8
241Please respect copyright.PENANApWp2z2NI1m
“Maybe exertion has a reverse effect. I’ve heard of things like that happening.”241Please respect copyright.PENANAT0loJwBQRi
241Please respect copyright.PENANAkKKICUAr76
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.241Please respect copyright.PENANAwIrrEKUpfz
241Please respect copyright.PENANA7aokZh72Qw
“I’m surprised either of us are still standing here. I didn’t even bleed from that fight.”241Please respect copyright.PENANAxuilhd1OVF
241Please respect copyright.PENANAc0VolR2YwK
“I ain't bleedin’ either. But that bastard scratched my helmet. ‘Least he didn’t dent it.”241Please respect copyright.PENANA5H0MFW8L3l
241Please respect copyright.PENANA8V4Q2ZNmea
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.241Please respect copyright.PENANAtwWQN83eEU
241Please respect copyright.PENANAJQ328M7AZT
“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…”241Please respect copyright.PENANAmwsyVPFmY5
241Please respect copyright.PENANALOi7dapLh1
I tried to empathize with him, but my state inclined me to be backhanded.241Please respect copyright.PENANA6o15dWZsVo
241Please respect copyright.PENANA9p3oxvOkce
“You only have yourself to blame. You and I could’ve left if we stopped caring about the letter.”241Please respect copyright.PENANAoTf827nXJs
241Please respect copyright.PENANAtTYku6IG6M
He sighed and shrugged. That gesture indicated that he heard my point, but he still had a retort.241Please respect copyright.PENANAAPSP9LEzfl
241Please respect copyright.PENANAjFbJlV6tnp
“C’mon, kid. We agreed on somethin’ back in that alleyway. ‘Specially in times like these, ya gotta keep yer word.”241Please respect copyright.PENANAhnCoBV0o1O
241Please respect copyright.PENANATBeA4HnP0f
“...Yeah.”241Please respect copyright.PENANANilYwiPPML
241Please respect copyright.PENANAx3At7Cx1DZ
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–241Please respect copyright.PENANAQ6euVKp9Mq
241Please respect copyright.PENANA4UIQRqq3Ix
“It’s so stupid. I don’t like any of it”241Please respect copyright.PENANAvxyhlXC2Ku
241Please respect copyright.PENANA4VPhZQjfYW
“I ain’t liking any of this either.”241Please respect copyright.PENANA64UMEJzdB6
241Please respect copyright.PENANAFrVTYPXdNm
“I know! I know you aren’t; you’d be a maniac if you did. But still”241Please respect copyright.PENANAtdXLhR6QuG
241Please respect copyright.PENANA8Bz6HKnmUG
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.241Please respect copyright.PENANA2YsbtLOv0t
241Please respect copyright.PENANA0hyuzWveNJ
“I’ll tell ya what, though. I wanted no part of fighting for this damn Pillar.”241Please respect copyright.PENANAXGi9sedUgg
241Please respect copyright.PENANAUPDAEZ8dyR
“Y-Yeah. That I agree with.”241Please respect copyright.PENANApWS0it2oFQ
241Please respect copyright.PENANAjWIORLRsnV
“It ain’t amountin’ to anything either, is it?”241Please respect copyright.PENANAd4TGeEQRjt
241Please respect copyright.PENANA5cDRSPyQQj
“...?”241Please respect copyright.PENANAcVwdQvmzPd
241Please respect copyright.PENANAIODg6evz0m
At that, I had to tilt my head.241Please respect copyright.PENANApoNT1xnrGB
241Please respect copyright.PENANA0JbvgeeLdw
“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.”241Please respect copyright.PENANAIyc2gdZXYd
241Please respect copyright.PENANAZw90D31wcX
“...I guess yer right. But it doesn’t feel like it.”241Please respect copyright.PENANAGL1HSI6JCC
241Please respect copyright.PENANAmYPOPDsJnc
He adjusted his posture a little, rolling his shoulders and releasing a lengthy sigh.241Please respect copyright.PENANACB5dP54rob
241Please respect copyright.PENANA8xSy3FVqwh
“Dennis still ain’t here.”241Please respect copyright.PENANAzxQSQSRTyX
241Please respect copyright.PENANAHQ64tj56X5
“...”241Please respect copyright.PENANAa6dW6KgKAL
241Please respect copyright.PENANAjp3I4rZCMQ
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.241Please respect copyright.PENANAGyxAmZiURO
241Please respect copyright.PENANAZ63vL0ZGWx
“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–”241Please respect copyright.PENANADTs0kKoYa6
241Please respect copyright.PENANADj8kml5pFL
“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.”241Please respect copyright.PENANAaCEI9yRCK1
241Please respect copyright.PENANA1kl7cl1exg
He scooched across the floor and sat with his front facing me, holding both his hands out to help himself explain.241Please respect copyright.PENANAOllneocbxY
241Please respect copyright.PENANASRQZriFkx2
“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’.”241Please respect copyright.PENANAp96hF3w1KU
241Please respect copyright.PENANAwOfRue4YuA
“--!? W-What!?”241Please respect copyright.PENANANp71ppnFU4
241Please respect copyright.PENANAK2SgexWSwX
Such an analogy was one thing, but that extreme turn made it seem like a joke.241Please respect copyright.PENANAYG7JsLhNU8
241Please respect copyright.PENANA217Fmme0vx
“Hold on, Kenny. Ya gotta think about it more. Why would any sound man kill themselves cuz they didn’t eat an apple?”241Please respect copyright.PENANAxKsjuFNosb
241Please respect copyright.PENANALG1oqIFGtT
“...You aren’t pulling my leg, are you?”241Please respect copyright.PENANA8g4RbhzSuC
241Please respect copyright.PENANAoyDqLBPg38
“Do ya see my hands on ya? Nah, I’m serious, kid.”241Please respect copyright.PENANA4j4f9CCIOd
241Please respect copyright.PENANAFA0lTJR36N
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. 241Please respect copyright.PENANAxJVkGdIkHm
241Please respect copyright.PENANAgb5fohjOB9
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.241Please respect copyright.PENANAXtJGu3ftFP
241Please respect copyright.PENANAT91UeYSdPQ
That didn’t really work either, but the idea of a different Kenneth gave me what I was looking for.241Please respect copyright.PENANAqYWWVzo751
241Please respect copyright.PENANA8dTHarI2PP
“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.”241Please respect copyright.PENANAXob0tULaDd
241Please respect copyright.PENANAhjpgQHcUCL
Juke nodded along, and I took it as an okay to continue.241Please respect copyright.PENANAseVCkxWMbH
241Please respect copyright.PENANAvcgFLLbDoc
“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.241Please respect copyright.PENANAdJ2GYvGliU
241Please respect copyright.PENANAaoN6Lh1t11
“...”241Please respect copyright.PENANAhhadnYdKsW
241Please respect copyright.PENANA6BAJuG8YAU
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.241Please respect copyright.PENANAeSJNerBZiN
241Please respect copyright.PENANA5zhmLG3jpJ
“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.”241Please respect copyright.PENANAKutj6MJync
241Please respect copyright.PENANAwdNkp4pInG
“I-I see…”241Please respect copyright.PENANAhak6vHeMIh
241Please respect copyright.PENANAK11fwOAa8j
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.241Please respect copyright.PENANAmwo9lT4ri3
241Please respect copyright.PENANAXZrrO4gxUD
“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.”241Please respect copyright.PENANAqiV6wnZtqv
241Please respect copyright.PENANAhVAAtTGTDE
“You don’t, ‘get?’”241Please respect copyright.PENANAoBljXREfOT
241Please respect copyright.PENANAYPyeVgaOqw
“Y’know, when–”241Please respect copyright.PENANAxVLku47PHm
241Please respect copyright.PENANAE94EdBLBjP
“No no no, I understand you. I do.”241Please respect copyright.PENANAuQZyVAC4RL
241Please respect copyright.PENANAIvOYkXKf0h
My muscles loosened a little. I felt awfully warm about the words I would spit.241Please respect copyright.PENANABYMyRTINkj
241Please respect copyright.PENANAu7T2TmPL9Z
“I just know that feeling a little too well sometimes–”241Please respect copyright.PENANAmNSx0oZbeP
241Please respect copyright.PENANAXkAiLThvXn
**SLAM**241Please respect copyright.PENANAt58K2nSPlK
241Please respect copyright.PENANA7dNUqYFB0J
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.241Please respect copyright.PENANAe9a7FnfvaB
241Please respect copyright.PENANAUZ8jUsxMXE
That is until I saw a head peer from the frame.241Please respect copyright.PENANAf92k7EpvDZ
241Please respect copyright.PENANAt6v115TkKr
“Oh, thank goodness. You two are safe.”241Please respect copyright.PENANArVS4Fdw0Qt
241Please respect copyright.PENANAPAP8um9s4d
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.241Please respect copyright.PENANADv3wp9PaBK
241Please respect copyright.PENANABQm4Qd0AbA
“Phew. For a moment I thought I came at a bad time.”241Please respect copyright.PENANABm8V4i4FWP
241Please respect copyright.PENANAf2YDu9WBAY
“M-Mister Dean.”241Please respect copyright.PENANAkNDxjleFAC
241Please respect copyright.PENANAYXhlyPJH69
I decided to speak up, as the present situation was too absurd for silence.241Please respect copyright.PENANAdVVYDxUKwN
241Please respect copyright.PENANAkem1u1J5i8
“Yes, child?”241Please respect copyright.PENANAhWOuJUJQ8R
241Please respect copyright.PENANAwMKevsyw9l
“Uh– well, first of all, are you alright?”241Please respect copyright.PENANAeZoK8gipEb
241Please respect copyright.PENANAU1WWPHF0zY
“Yes, quite alright. My shoulder is still in pain, but the bleeding stopped long ago. And again, I must thank you for releasing me.”241Please respect copyright.PENANAevoG8FspaA
241Please respect copyright.PENANAk4FYGVfY0N
“R-Right.”241Please respect copyright.PENANAsxMTLOKX4P
241Please respect copyright.PENANAUnpOb0eDFe
I couldn’t think of anything else to say, and looking at Juke revealed he was in a similar boat.241Please respect copyright.PENANAreUT2Btci6
241Please respect copyright.PENANAtcKF0ZgfMz
“But, enough about me. I came here bringing good news, and a friendly face.”241Please respect copyright.PENANABKUTmAaABi
241Please respect copyright.PENANAwcoGX6gDVa
“--Please worry not about explaining it, Sir Dean. I wouldn’t want my duty as a leader stolen as such.”241Please respect copyright.PENANAB558R285K5
241Please respect copyright.PENANAXyW5ZnZk33
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.241Please respect copyright.PENANAQbvBZ9TMQN
241Please respect copyright.PENANA1riqzLjoVp
“Hello, you two,” said Lola, “by the looks of things, your side was a complete success.”241Please respect copyright.PENANAHHm45ad76x
241Please respect copyright.PENANAexlc4zxnb4
–
241Please respect copyright.PENANAbkg45pV4O6
–
241Please respect copyright.PENANAMhcfC50HqW
–
241Please respect copyright.PENANAnmMI0wjKDa
With the arrival of Lola came the confirmation I was desperately needing. We had won.241Please respect copyright.PENANAIMNH1MmSpA
241Please respect copyright.PENANAXoSs0ytCxe
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.241Please respect copyright.PENANA9j1fHjDFfV
241Please respect copyright.PENANA6uGajNfzks
“I was afraid of something like this,” the Dean explained, “but I couldn’t halt the mechanisms of this city because of premonition…”241Please respect copyright.PENANAxBm54rtWCn
241Please respect copyright.PENANAKZo2gWQaqs
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.241Please respect copyright.PENANAtkw7ME7XPh
241Please respect copyright.PENANAXVLdXMUIZy
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–241Please respect copyright.PENANA88SH3BmqeG
241Please respect copyright.PENANAQbyeNDJ374
“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.”241Please respect copyright.PENANAmpHt0Imj5Q
241Please respect copyright.PENANAzc3Stj9PSA
“Haven’t you explained that already?”241Please respect copyright.PENANAlUlcvlHx62
241Please respect copyright.PENANAPY0We5XLU7
“Yes, but… there is a slight problem we’ve run into.”241Please respect copyright.PENANA8hkd2QRwjM
241Please respect copyright.PENANAsblODysU4b
“What’s that?”241Please respect copyright.PENANAq4CCy63NgQ
241Please respect copyright.PENANAjUQ5j1il78
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.241Please respect copyright.PENANAlMPRuBW9dv
241Please respect copyright.PENANAlPJybyRLFV
“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.”241Please respect copyright.PENANAC5XKhIkzd7
241Please respect copyright.PENANA4fIjJDccFE
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:241Please respect copyright.PENANAtkGGcgHC0m
241Please respect copyright.PENANAxAFj0rzyG8
“I know I wasn’t asked, but I think making a signal would be effective.”241Please respect copyright.PENANAI0vpbHKong
241Please respect copyright.PENANAKtZZh0cSpq
“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.”241Please respect copyright.PENANAVUULFDck5X
241Please respect copyright.PENANA9sC67HNHV2
“...Ah, so that’s where you’re heading. But how will it be done?”241Please respect copyright.PENANA54PJgIJWbb
241Please respect copyright.PENANAHfGOf7PTt5
A smirk found itself on his face. He turned around and continued leading me.241Please respect copyright.PENANAyBMlaPfhbB
241Please respect copyright.PENANA3JMP6x06j4
“We have our methods. This place has been around too long for it not to.”241Please respect copyright.PENANAhMBAxzORhD
241Please respect copyright.PENANA2YzoBaB3aB
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.241Please respect copyright.PENANA2EWdzFZjZ3
241Please respect copyright.PENANA9eUctpMszY
“Oh, goodness. And I was wondering why the office was so small.”241Please respect copyright.PENANALE9lb5zZ5u
241Please respect copyright.PENANAfj6cHO3Tfu
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.241Please respect copyright.PENANAxNVljwptPn
241Please respect copyright.PENANABg3HBjiL7h
“Here is your answer, Kenny,” Lola said, standing beside a stall. I peeped inside and–241Please respect copyright.PENANAvTmCo93Abi
241Please respect copyright.PENANAaxba5U5CyA
“GAH! W-Why is this here?”241Please respect copyright.PENANAllf59zVUNB
241Please respect copyright.PENANAVv2BHfSgtg
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.241Please respect copyright.PENANA2NAhnZuPAU
241Please respect copyright.PENANAv3JS3qui0V
“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.”241Please respect copyright.PENANABs3GWL4Tz9
241Please respect copyright.PENANAccv6UO6iJi
“I wouldn’t call any curves ‘tight,’ but I guess when you’re as fast as these things, then they can be.” 241Please respect copyright.PENANA0bGP23bjWE
241Please respect copyright.PENANALchkb3oulB
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.241Please respect copyright.PENANA6trrvoGFLc
241Please respect copyright.PENANAgQONLXAveY
“I think it likes you, child.”241Please respect copyright.PENANAnShrFcyQFk
241Please respect copyright.PENANA7UktYO4Ewb
“Please, call me Kenneth or Kenny, Mister Dean. And, uh, are you sure– certain?”241Please respect copyright.PENANArCZooAjO6J
241Please respect copyright.PENANAVatOwjuFrq
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.241Please respect copyright.PENANAsKLbckeVtE
241Please respect copyright.PENANAjXwmWOR7wN
And then, it leaned its head down even further and… sniffed my hair.241Please respect copyright.PENANAfdLmML64ya
241Please respect copyright.PENANAgKL2cGHyqK
“Hah?”241Please respect copyright.PENANArZHyDhcH1D
241Please respect copyright.PENANAYNq0dRO7N7
“I hear these animals love ta smell flowers. Ya do have that kind of aroma, so thats why it likes ya.”241Please respect copyright.PENANAVuQZGi2dbj
241Please respect copyright.PENANAZ1HGQG0dQy
“I… smell like flowers?”241Please respect copyright.PENANAhAb9LNc038
241Please respect copyright.PENANAMdrzQUVbKg
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.241Please respect copyright.PENANAF5Gm8e5D1M
241Please respect copyright.PENANA3llOcHTY53
“Why am I just figuring this out !? I don’t smell– well, I don’t think I smell like flowers?”241Please respect copyright.PENANAe5zs2uN38H
241Please respect copyright.PENANAVwvhJiYtqo
I even sniffed my hands and arms to make sure, and nothing of the scent reminded me of flowers.241Please respect copyright.PENANA8zowKTidAX
241Please respect copyright.PENANADYC5bEa1kJ
“Well, ya get used to the way ya smell to the point ya can’t tell. That’s just how yer nose works.”241Please respect copyright.PENANAjJ5jqTEiPu
241Please respect copyright.PENANAIJqC8m6Azk
“Really? I didn’t know that…”241Please respect copyright.PENANAHgTXPH6bdm
241Please respect copyright.PENANARQjQMQOR8Y
“Ahem, moving on–”241Please respect copyright.PENANA5p1QDoW2lm
241Please respect copyright.PENANANklyVKgDja
Dave interjected with a cough. I turned my attention back to him, anticipating his oncoming words.241Please respect copyright.PENANAt57HCpUx0h
241Please respect copyright.PENANAaQOC2sXZma
“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.”241Please respect copyright.PENANAu6cBfBpj1K
241Please respect copyright.PENANAwZRPYRFAmS
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:241Please respect copyright.PENANAXO9ivhBqLe
241Please respect copyright.PENANAu60sozV62T
“May I know why I’m being told this?”241Please respect copyright.PENANAEbeDIzS2SN
241Please respect copyright.PENANAz3jbbj4EPn
“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?”241Please respect copyright.PENANAAz3a9cwtXE
241Please respect copyright.PENANALddpQlalqg
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.241Please respect copyright.PENANAbNWZSdcyvp
241Please respect copyright.PENANAlSOPIm4vNS
“But if you need to know why,” she continued, “it’s because we need your help in facilitating it.”241Please respect copyright.PENANAnb6LDyQZyO
241Please respect copyright.PENANAsmNmousvBf
“My help, you say…”241Please respect copyright.PENANASVvqcVIS9X
241Please respect copyright.PENANAc87207jyYn
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.241Please respect copyright.PENANAljhkv0yah0
241Please respect copyright.PENANAXx0V0ivdaC
“I’ve heard that you’re a prolific, experienced alchemist. At such a young age too no less–”241Please respect copyright.PENANABRtpwDWFc0
241Please respect copyright.PENANAWswcOgsHXH
“Please, don’t mention it. I don’t want my achievements embellished, especially because of something like age.”241Please respect copyright.PENANAxSAAPjqqnc
241Please respect copyright.PENANAjcHm5hMgvj
“--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?”241Please respect copyright.PENANAku0J3eZCoV
241Please respect copyright.PENANAwSEoM8vorS
“...Energizing potions?”241Please respect copyright.PENANAgwAdRLi8kK
241Please respect copyright.PENANAjvFLDGqYOY
I knew how to do that, naturally, but Lola was off the mark somewhat.241Please respect copyright.PENANAwV30xqvD5T
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“Wouldn’t endurance be more useful? When you’re running both a marathon and a race, just finishing it is most important.”241Please respect copyright.PENANAdiMiNIqm8E
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Lola had her eyes wide and her head slowly nodding.241Please respect copyright.PENANA746TQFFYIj
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“You’re correct. Do you think you can do it?”241Please respect copyright.PENANA3NaMXqY1sI
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“I definitely can. I can use some of the empty flasks in my bag. That is, if they aren’t broken.”241Please respect copyright.PENANATcJ0YU0gLi
241Please respect copyright.PENANAV4R2G6hUir
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.241Please respect copyright.PENANAev9e6Rfxki
241Please respect copyright.PENANAAwSuljIiTU
“T-There’re few good ones. One’s unopen, so ya can juts pour it out if ya hafta.”241Please respect copyright.PENANAetJ26hQELU
241Please respect copyright.PENANAWdLhfaOvqu
“Phew. That’s good. The potency wouldn’t be right if I was just using random cups.”241Please respect copyright.PENANAVVLcQipyVq
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I turned around and marched to the exit of the room. I stopped myself before leaving, because I noticed only my footsteps were echoing.241Please respect copyright.PENANAKQ4diRxBST
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“Is something wrong?”241Please respect copyright.PENANAGakpAr61yf
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Lola and Dave looked at eachother. For being such well-spoken people, it was strange for them to fail finding the words. 241Please respect copyright.PENANAIiTMynVPSo
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“Well, kid–”241Please respect copyright.PENANArZHybjzXyN
241Please respect copyright.PENANAgNkh7DEKfF
Then Juke suddenly spoke out, and I diverted my attention to him.241Please respect copyright.PENANAJG5fFNWu8S
241Please respect copyright.PENANAbXZ0s47lKK
“Ya just look a lot more comfortable than I’m used ta.”241Please respect copyright.PENANADBbNHIa086
241Please respect copyright.PENANA0NooM2CYtU
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.241Please respect copyright.PENANAk91Qwmu5ad
241Please respect copyright.PENANAZ7FxY7AjXF
“Comfortable? I haven’t heard that one before.”241Please respect copyright.PENANADhdWUJTgMR
241Please respect copyright.PENANA1e96veDZcW
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.241Please respect copyright.PENANAsjPC8frT94
241Please respect copyright.PENANACu6k0sF6Cs
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.241Please respect copyright.PENANATFrBPUZYkV
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“...Comfortable.”241Please respect copyright.PENANAwYhdggEamv
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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.241Please respect copyright.PENANAEF1rve4BWI
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Yeah. When it came to alchemy, comfortable was just right.241Please respect copyright.PENANAs7EzEIa35n
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–
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–
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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.241Please respect copyright.PENANAlE5IWwfPLe
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Scratch that, I missed it even as I did it. 241Please respect copyright.PENANAwaoQQOhTIJ
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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.241Please respect copyright.PENANAnq6qa6YDnJ
241Please respect copyright.PENANAA9PliOwP28
“...A little bit here.”241Please respect copyright.PENANA0JKohPjOFp
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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. 241Please respect copyright.PENANASQ358rDKL7
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And it wasn’t until near completion that I realized what it was.241Please respect copyright.PENANA0nSqJBPS8U
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“Of course. Goodness, how could I forget the most important part?”241Please respect copyright.PENANAbiKhFoMTcT
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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.241Please respect copyright.PENANARQuPilL62V
241Please respect copyright.PENANAsLtifcBAE9
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.241Please respect copyright.PENANAc3JmTeteAN
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“No time to waste, though.”241Please respect copyright.PENANAw08MDcVOeV
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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.241Please respect copyright.PENANAJFZxFEsoO9
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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.241Please respect copyright.PENANAjQH03RvMjF
241Please respect copyright.PENANApVSrET3n9E
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.241Please respect copyright.PENANAX0y2d8RuJA
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“...Crap.”241Please respect copyright.PENANAhg3eMZwXtV
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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.241Please respect copyright.PENANABs3q0hQBoE
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“Is there something you’re lookin’ for?”241Please respect copyright.PENANAJIbqCOxbvn
241Please respect copyright.PENANAvDp7hm8JvA
Who was essentially the lunch lady noticed my plight.241Please respect copyright.PENANATKooXfZ3SQ
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“Yes. Um, do you happen to have anything with fat on it? And I mean raw fat.”241Please respect copyright.PENANAF20aaYEhZk
241Please respect copyright.PENANAg3ufCJXZJb
“Fat? Fat, hmm… well, there might be some in the trash.”241Please respect copyright.PENANAmmomX8QiIL
241Please respect copyright.PENANAak9uwJOmsD
“Excuse me? Oh, sorry. Can I ask where the trash is?”241Please respect copyright.PENANAu4ECnMiy0O
241Please respect copyright.PENANA3MOsxCElFP
“You sure can. It’s in one of those buckets right there.”241Please respect copyright.PENANAdxiCHAk00Z
241Please respect copyright.PENANAQZ7fXgOlgw
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.241Please respect copyright.PENANA0GdFIwGUH2
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“M-May I ask, what kind of fat is in those?”241Please respect copyright.PENANAARCU24hMGF
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And she responded with confirmation of my immediate fears.241Please respect copyright.PENANAG3gloVyRJG
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“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?”241Please respect copyright.PENANAY8ln57vq5i
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“Crazy indeed, ma’am.”241Please respect copyright.PENANAORBVYcga8D
241Please respect copyright.PENANA3FKjMn9EOR
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.241Please respect copyright.PENANALc61QgoxcW
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“Mind if I ask what you need fat for?”241Please respect copyright.PENANAOJ2S9NMNIN
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“Oh, yes. It’s for a potion I’m making, you see–”241Please respect copyright.PENANAU0XnWrXziy
241Please respect copyright.PENANA2ABAxCou3g
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.241Please respect copyright.PENANAYTqENhHOJM
241Please respect copyright.PENANArfbwko3KMV
“N-Nigel!?”241Please respect copyright.PENANAN3O0icmGog
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“Correct! I’m honored that you remember me. It’s swell to see you in good health, Kenny.”241Please respect copyright.PENANAzzmjiAfPCP
241Please respect copyright.PENANAh2E40bA7LX
“Y-You as well. Also, please, don’t sneak up on me like that.”241Please respect copyright.PENANApfX1tm4zJQ
241Please respect copyright.PENANAZl5Le1DITP
He lightly shrugged in response. I clicked my tongue at his insouciant attitude but dropped my grudge quickly.241Please respect copyright.PENANA8zefJHQ9Nv
241Please respect copyright.PENANAgH7F2SH27B
“It’s good to see you healthy as well, Nigel. How was your time at the battle?”241Please respect copyright.PENANAQCniSxLDro
241Please respect copyright.PENANAOjEaRdptMx
“Ah… well, first, let me offer you a hand.”241Please respect copyright.PENANA4AeNMU6xJD
241Please respect copyright.PENANALwgEK9Pfop
“A hand,” I asked, confused as to what he insinuated.241Please respect copyright.PENANAyMhtjFxNol
241Please respect copyright.PENANAafqKklJpdc
“You said you need fat for your potion, and I just so happen to have a knife.”241Please respect copyright.PENANAEKFvAPxdAa
241Please respect copyright.PENANAUYVCLHhEbs
He pulled the knife in question out of its sheath and headed towards the buckets, but not before tossing me something.241Please respect copyright.PENANAmjbwiVVVhZ
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“Is this… a clamper?”241Please respect copyright.PENANAAFg8dovzQM
241Please respect copyright.PENANAgjNR5ntcsp
“It is. I’m sure you know to put it over your nose, right? Anyway, let’s chat while we work.”241Please respect copyright.PENANADqmeVSCO4z
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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.
241Please respect copyright.PENANAB2YSccNcaa
“So,” Nigel started as he made his cuts, “what is it that you asked me?”241Please respect copyright.PENANAZanslj2JOS
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“That I asked you?”241Please respect copyright.PENANAKYZre66RUI
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I thought about it, and it seemed to have slipped even my mind, but I remembered my earlier inquiry quickly.241Please respect copyright.PENANA2r62Vdeof4
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“Right. It was about the battle. How was it? I mean, I know it was rough for everyone, but…”241Please respect copyright.PENANAa8vb5lUeNw
241Please respect copyright.PENANAj6pCcdo2lX
“Yeah, I know what you mean. I might as well tell you.”241Please respect copyright.PENANABmTtfnh6nS
241Please respect copyright.PENANAQTdqYAzyFU
He stopped rotating the meat on his knife and looked down at it.241Please respect copyright.PENANAkdNSxl8O61
241Please respect copyright.PENANApatR9R74oK
“...Was it, did you lose your friend?”241Please respect copyright.PENANAI4UssXS2cm
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He jolted when I asked, raising his head with widened eyes.241Please respect copyright.PENANAMlyiBQXywD
241Please respect copyright.PENANAwYEvXoWUhr
“How did you–”241Please respect copyright.PENANAfYZj9aM5SE
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“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.”241Please respect copyright.PENANAyxJIV7OYog
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“...Hah. You’re a sharp boy with a keen eye.” 241Please respect copyright.PENANAHHFUXF9QAC
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He continued cutting as he spoke.241Please respect copyright.PENANAeG3os822pn
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“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.”241Please respect copyright.PENANAfVhzO3htKD
241Please respect copyright.PENANAyKav8wapAD
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.241Please respect copyright.PENANAANHEpf3XjV
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“I’m, so sorry to hear that. He must’ve been a good friend.”241Please respect copyright.PENANAu6Qq8Qrzaz
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“...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.”241Please respect copyright.PENANAPcNJa0z6BF
241Please respect copyright.PENANADAdoYb4J1J
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.241Please respect copyright.PENANAhg6eLtRJM9
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“You saw me at a bad time, truly. Sorry, I’ll continue helping.”241Please respect copyright.PENANA7jMkV6gEwr
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“Don’t… don’t you worry about it.”241Please respect copyright.PENANAAlEDZbdSjp
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“Enough about me. Tell me, how was it on your end?”241Please respect copyright.PENANADYZYnTifrf
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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:241Please respect copyright.PENANAlHutxMuqc5
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“Is that really something you want to hear? Are all crowd members like this, just talking about unpleasant fights?”241Please respect copyright.PENANA6dk5wrb6eV
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“That’s not fair of you. You asked first, right?”241Please respect copyright.PENANAURPSoI3J0p
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“I… darn it, you got me there.”241Please respect copyright.PENANABbqgQA973h
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I continued peeling and let my mouth run.241Please respect copyright.PENANAyoUdrNmgvi
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“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.”241Please respect copyright.PENANAC8KySzkGyK
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Though my right hand would be painfully sore in the morning.241Please respect copyright.PENANAAKbMNoYFhe
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“Excellent to hear. You must be a proficient fighter for it to have gone so well.”241Please respect copyright.PENANAQXCTiJVGpH
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“Not really. I’m just somewhat competent with magic, and my partner had an incredibly useful endowment. We got lucky, that’s all.”241Please respect copyright.PENANAyxnWjXaMMS
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“I don’t know about that, Kenny.”241Please respect copyright.PENANAa2RdIokcTv
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I looked at him with pursed lips.241Please respect copyright.PENANAm6fwPfTsua
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“Why not?”241Please respect copyright.PENANANTNf6oyCkR
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“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.”241Please respect copyright.PENANASLhCrmDm5z
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“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.”241Please respect copyright.PENANAefC709DG1R
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He raised and wagged his finger, going “tsk tsk” with his lips.241Please respect copyright.PENANAFGZ4JGGTz8
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“And who is it that managed to beat that enemy in the first place?”241Please respect copyright.PENANAXdhsxVloLu
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“--!”241Please respect copyright.PENANAKmFxyJFJC3
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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. 241Please respect copyright.PENANAlbJVACDk0K
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“Did anything else happen?”241Please respect copyright.PENANA80W23n0pgn
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“Anything else? Well… Oh!”241Please respect copyright.PENANA0Gk0TKzHqG
I perked up and yelled all a sudden, startling Nigel and making him ask “What?”241Please respect copyright.PENANAElFUC5MmPZ
241Please respect copyright.PENANAcF13Buktxn
“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.”241Please respect copyright.PENANA35WO0HxUn4
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“Some information? Would you like me to relay it while you make the potion?”241Please respect copyright.PENANAJ6tBclvckU
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“Uh…”241Please respect copyright.PENANAS8hqYsl2Fz
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I hesitated, but when I realized how silly that was, I spoke.241Please respect copyright.PENANAJFi06GV4Kw
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“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.”241Please respect copyright.PENANADoqytCLeX9
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“...That is quite a concern. It means we need to confirm all our kills as well.”241Please respect copyright.PENANAS7aIrNtau1
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My face retracted and my eyes widened, shocked by our utter differences in derivatives from the information.241Please respect copyright.PENANAFWYPn3e3e0
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“Being together with just Juke must’ve been irritating.”241Please respect copyright.PENANAg53JOxDbUy
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“Hm? Why’s that? We were split into pairs, weren’t we?”241Please respect copyright.PENANAcl4LN3Sg0Y
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He tilted his head and raised his brow, which made me inclined to do the same.241Please respect copyright.PENANAMDGGHeOJD7
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“That’s precisely it. It was just you and Juke, meaning that you couldn’t work with your other partner, Rover, right?”241Please respect copyright.PENANAlIio37AT8x
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“...O-Oh.”241Please respect copyright.PENANAR3TF8sXxtk
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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.241Please respect copyright.PENANAu6N1bnvDNb
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“See, Rover and I– and Juke, I suppose –we had a falling out. She’s been evasivefor the most part, and we’re likewise.”241Please respect copyright.PENANA98mGIfNjpg
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“I see… she’s been avoiding you? That makes a lot of sense.”241Please respect copyright.PENANAi2du7lI4g1
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I tilted my head at his assessment, as I couldn’t imagine how such a conclusion could be drawn.241Please respect copyright.PENANA5NQu0n1fK8
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“Make sense? How?”241Please respect copyright.PENANAmi2fohiU22
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He adjusted his sitting posture by slacking his muscles and raising his legs, holding his arms over his knees.241Please respect copyright.PENANAjANx11RWi0
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“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–”241Please respect copyright.PENANAlwuZttRqGo
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“Ah, so you were her partner? I figured.”241Please respect copyright.PENANA09A6mRAgfC
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Nigel looked surprised as I finished his retelling for him. I could tell he needed elaboration, so I handed it.241Please respect copyright.PENANAMh2CrZoRWr
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“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.”241Please respect copyright.PENANAc8oLJZQuUM
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“So she still fought alone, eh?”241Please respect copyright.PENANAuwd6lV13d5
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“...Yeah. She did. I heard she’s alive, though. I’m relieved.”241Please respect copyright.PENANA1QHWMSnupM
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“Relieved? How come?”241Please respect copyright.PENANAeiGJc1Ljse
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I jumped at his stupid question, contorting my face as if it offended me.241Please respect copyright.PENANAbI33dN7IE9
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“You just said you fought. Ah, who am I kidding, I know what it is.”241Please respect copyright.PENANADIFaYgHHwy
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He pulled his arms closer to his chest and continued peeling.241Please respect copyright.PENANASrElqPlwf7
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“You’re probably good friends with her.”241Please respect copyright.PENANAlZ8FWPlNVl
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“F-Friends? W-Well, I don’t know about–”241Please respect copyright.PENANAAHPhvZhYBJ
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“You’re friends, man. Don’t kid yourself. You wouldn’t have given her that check if you weren’t.”241Please respect copyright.PENANAMTMCloIAJU
241Please respect copyright.PENANA8PEI20a9iG
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.241Please respect copyright.PENANAvNLCQPaDSy
241Please respect copyright.PENANAetRs9VhqG0
“I hear she’s hurt,” Nigel continued, snapping me out of my trance, “Hurt very badly.”241Please respect copyright.PENANA7MTtCVeBuy
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“H-Hurt? What happened?”241Please respect copyright.PENANAlU0MvWsV0o
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“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.”241Please respect copyright.PENANABHd9GPaWSw
241Please respect copyright.PENANA3phWO0lXGX
“That’s– that’s good to hear.”241Please respect copyright.PENANAFZXf0IQMMs
241Please respect copyright.PENANA7fmqSgVHNH
“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.”241Please respect copyright.PENANAZiEFMcVfl3
241Please respect copyright.PENANAOri9YT4YsY
A moment later, he put down his knife and slapped a gelatinous mass of yellow onto the floor before me.241Please respect copyright.PENANA2GF0yOc8vv
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“Here’s all the fat I could get. Take this and make your potion, then give her a patch-up.”241Please respect copyright.PENANAWNpNZ29HU7
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“A patch-up… you mean, a healing potion?”241Please respect copyright.PENANAmE94A8GFEi
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He shrugged.241Please respect copyright.PENANACJeSn4HmJW
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“I’m not the alchemist, am I?”241Please respect copyright.PENANAFth0GsJ6BZ
241Please respect copyright.PENANAn26W9jOIT8
“...Yeah. Yeah, you aren’t.”241Please respect copyright.PENANAcQJFVCcEtK
241Please respect copyright.PENANA7LvY79PMOl
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.241Please respect copyright.PENANAOj6e82tXvR
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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.241Please respect copyright.PENANA2Ij3Bk6zxt
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“Thank you, Nigel. Your help was invaluable.”241Please respect copyright.PENANAJO8mTLFAyA
241Please respect copyright.PENANAtLTU7yPkCX
“I told you, didn’t I? It’s my pleasure to be a good role model.”241Please respect copyright.PENANA1yzrcWZflH
241Please respect copyright.PENANAqTBMSsXlQv
It was impossible to suppress my smile. His cocky optimism– somehow, it was exactly what I needed to fortify my duct-taped prospects. 241Please respect copyright.PENANAiFtskCKXhA
241Please respect copyright.PENANAkFX73TfipU
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.241Please respect copyright.PENANAlRm2fmF9qT
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–
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“...Role model.”241Please respect copyright.PENANA6ipXyTtSWp
241Please respect copyright.PENANAtPw5QH3iEI
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.241Please respect copyright.PENANAZudgyQUjuH
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“Who am I kidding, of course he noticed.”241Please respect copyright.PENANAEASBssApur
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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.241Please respect copyright.PENANAOcZpyYKJ7e
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“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.”241Please respect copyright.PENANAuq368NHTqI
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He put the remaining meat back in the bin and closed the lid, moving his legs to the closest washer he knew.241Please respect copyright.PENANAbSRx9BWYpw
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“You would’ve been too much, Damon. I can’t handle all that empty praise. All that talk of being a moral guy.”241Please respect copyright.PENANAV4ehfFeDot
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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.241Please respect copyright.PENANAfUgLpjnUi5
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“...Not even my hands? Had to go straight for my legs?”241Please respect copyright.PENANABlwrrYt5vV
241Please respect copyright.PENANANMcFtwhbXE
He closed his eyes. It was all he could to stop the spill, the salty water that trickled for a mere colleague.