The fat Nigel and I amassed was substantial for the potion. I didn’t know what to do with the leftovers, but I didn’t dare to throw the fruits of our hard work away. It wasn’t as if another endurance potion wouldn’t be needed.
226Please respect copyright.PENANAjEdIcTIlDf
“Now all I need to do is to finalize it.”226Please respect copyright.PENANAyD3h3xAfaN
226Please respect copyright.PENANADNmNb8KSf0
A few minutes of careful mana suspension was the remaining requirement for a job well done. I did so easily, channeling my shaky focus to form it with haste. The liquid turned deep blue, the color of the distant sea, meaning that–226Please respect copyright.PENANAgdZU3Hlxxx
226Please respect copyright.PENANAS5TIuLZU4y
“It’s a resounding success. Awesome.”226Please respect copyright.PENANAuV83OXLwM4
226Please respect copyright.PENANArRZlUBGUZB
I wiped my brow with my forearm and patted my face with my collar. I wasn’t sweaty or anything, but my head felt undeniably hot, likely from all the blood that rushed to fuel my attention. That aside, I now had a finished product to deliver, but as I tasked myself I came at a small crossroads.226Please respect copyright.PENANAsLwLttpvF1
226Please respect copyright.PENANAnlMK3yh6cV
Should I go and deliver this now, or make a healing potion, and deliver this later?226Please respect copyright.PENANA9XYSi3cDLP
226Please respect copyright.PENANAvOCbZ3OMkP
“...”226Please respect copyright.PENANA5e3sHyIr1Q
226Please respect copyright.PENANAOvkqHtffju
It seemed obvious to me what the answer was. Pragmaticism dictated the practice of the former, as the recipients of this potion were operating under borrowed time. But my left mind dictated otherwise; it told me that it would be a slight– no, a flagrant offense if I didn’t brew that medicine.226Please respect copyright.PENANAbR5EIsxaAO
226Please respect copyright.PENANAD40lsqt6ae
“...That’s new. Where did you come from?”226Please respect copyright.PENANA6CtcT829ea
226Please respect copyright.PENANAv14YvgpVe5
Thoughts like that– I didn’t recall having them. I was hit from left field by this warping, contorting, sapping feeling in my chest. It didn’t disturb me, however. Rather, I was confused. I was uncomfortable, but I could bear this panging, especially with a distracting duty.226Please respect copyright.PENANAKWe8HZU4sP
226Please respect copyright.PENANAADzYSnlLMl
“I know better. I don’t have the time for that. No, I don’t.”226Please respect copyright.PENANA3zaZgCJv2x
226Please respect copyright.PENANAp4wrrREwcC
Indeed, I was creating with urgency. I spent enough excess time finding ingredients as it was, so any further stalling would jeopardize the whole city. I had to get out, and get out now–226Please respect copyright.PENANAArjM3cd5o2
226Please respect copyright.PENANAHAOav8OAA1
“...”226Please respect copyright.PENANAPGduObMi3C
226Please respect copyright.PENANAwMS8rqmlJl
But when I jerked my legs to do so, they didn’t. They stood in place, locked to the ground by that warping sensation. I clicked my tongue, because now I realized what was happening, and my irritated frown turned into a worried grimace.226Please respect copyright.PENANAzqw7HkXP1w
226Please respect copyright.PENANA6gplTFdSik
Even though I had a duty, to leave Rover to hang with a broken leg longer than she had to, left me with a pit in my stomach. It’s Especially so, because I had the power and the will to relieve her.226Please respect copyright.PENANAiXEvQ7hJYp
226Please respect copyright.PENANAyYZIv1TeKp
Fortunately, I had a compromise. I found that compromise in my bag, slouched against the wall. I sifted through it and found what I needed, then made a quick exit from the booth.226Please respect copyright.PENANAd5DYRoX1D9
226Please respect copyright.PENANA3noi8rKvAf
–
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–
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–
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Knock, knock, knock. The strength of my banging knuckles surprised even me. I stocked hardly half the force in my flicks to produce such noise. But I summed up the cause immediately. I was nervous.226Please respect copyright.PENANAJhTsHY3mb1
226Please respect copyright.PENANA98McWhyiwk
“Yes?”226Please respect copyright.PENANAbdzvjZUOOC
226Please respect copyright.PENANALgnv4FJiE9
The door opened quickly, revealing a Lola who was peekingher head through the opening. Her countenance lost its vigilance once she saw me, and it likewise calmed me down.226Please respect copyright.PENANAMnOHsh2KRt
226Please respect copyright.PENANAp17KjIPE5j
“You’re here what I think you’re for, aren’t you?”226Please respect copyright.PENANAXeTXbm7uey
226Please respect copyright.PENANA9wPcUmdC8n
“Y-Yes, Lola. Here, this is the potion I made.”226Please respect copyright.PENANA5HhLHcv1JD
226Please respect copyright.PENANAixwMU8HPdT
I stretchedmy arm out as she widened the door. She grabbed it with her free hand and inspected it on all planes. At some point, she stopped twirling and nudging it and blankly stared at the blue. I noticed now how fluidly the streams swirled.226Please respect copyright.PENANACPyQCnhZc7
226Please respect copyright.PENANA89IH7FRdYu
“You made this in eighty minutes?”226Please respect copyright.PENANAHas77uvSLf
226Please respect copyright.PENANAvDPsGHs0Zg
“Did I take too long? I’m sorry, I had to grab some ingredients from a lower floor–”226Please respect copyright.PENANA71KMka4k9Z
226Please respect copyright.PENANACAs5LEhyIL
“No, not at all. I was expecting you to take longer. Thank you, Kenny, I’ll make sure you’re rewarded handsomely.”226Please respect copyright.PENANABN6P7FpXqh
226Please respect copyright.PENANAWsPvBeU7QV
I raised my hands bashfully and rapidly waved them at her.226Please respect copyright.PENANA4BoaIYLyzH
226Please respect copyright.PENANAbkXUgZTYEV
“No no no, please don’t! You’re helping us enough as is.”226Please respect copyright.PENANAgoJYYUI8ae
226Please respect copyright.PENANA93T8szEAX5
“If you insist.”226Please respect copyright.PENANAlV4hDd8Mlh
226Please respect copyright.PENANAeQFpXqBQPh
She said so with an upscaling cadence, poorly singing the last syllable. I blinked a few times, and my eyes reopened to blaring blurs. Only my mother ever did that.226Please respect copyright.PENANAEWHYJlKR53
226Please respect copyright.PENANALbmkYpoOok
“Kenny?”226Please respect copyright.PENANAFwmkieAe8d
226Please respect copyright.PENANAQyxO5xWlQU
“O-Oh, right. Do you need me for anything else?”226Please respect copyright.PENANAlCtBDt52AF
226Please respect copyright.PENANAuX46sLwtW7
“Hmm,” she hummed, clasping her chin, “if we do, I’ll bug you. For now, make yourself at home, and get plenty of rest. You’ll need it for what comes next.”226Please respect copyright.PENANA45QEY0PB3D
226Please respect copyright.PENANAW4nOBkHg0S
I let out a chuckled sigh and slapped a hand on my chest, muttering a breathy “thank you.”226Please respect copyright.PENANArnm0sgk1M1
226Please respect copyright.PENANAZWo4JkHLfz
“There is something I’d like to ask you, however, just before you go.”226Please respect copyright.PENANAQDpswj0bw7
226Please respect copyright.PENANAKUvpStr5tw
She said so right as I turned to leave. I twisted my head and looked at her, gesturing for her to shoot.226Please respect copyright.PENANAhvUmgc3NIB
226Please respect copyright.PENANAvv1kg81Tp2
“The concoction in your other hand; that bright green tint can only mean one thing, yes? A healing potion.”226Please respect copyright.PENANAOn4l2BtVhq
226Please respect copyright.PENANAPHTSphUEVv
I nodded at her assessment. I realized the speed at which this could turn dangerous.226Please respect copyright.PENANAz38IDMq56t
226Please respect copyright.PENANAQ3N6L9Qtdr
“I see. I see, I see…”226Please respect copyright.PENANA6xpiySdLSV
226Please respect copyright.PENANA6eDqy1Zg8i
“A-Are you going to make me make one for each soldier?”226Please respect copyright.PENANAouxDwjF7rL
226Please respect copyright.PENANAaSYUUGJacd
“No, I won’t ask that of an outsider, let alone a child– oh, sorry, you don’t like being called that, do you?”226Please respect copyright.PENANAKUgyErSXLE
226Please respect copyright.PENANAomd9KYIn2p
“...Don’t worry about it. I appreciate you being considerate, Lola. Is there anything else?”226Please respect copyright.PENANAMzJmP3aBwD
226Please respect copyright.PENANAdRqf9NoDLa
“I-If you don’t mind my prying, could you answer a few questions for me?”226Please respect copyright.PENANACRoxJAmVpm
226Please respect copyright.PENANAURopbZbqP1
She stepped over the threshold and closed the door, but stopped just short of shutting it. As much as I wanted to chat with her, though, I had somewhere else to be.226Please respect copyright.PENANAjeX6eKYO9a
226Please respect copyright.PENANAnCyqXTgMNY
“Please?”226Please respect copyright.PENANAIAghSszR1D
226Please respect copyright.PENANACpbubk0GVV
Though it was difficult to draw a line while she was making such a face.226Please respect copyright.PENANAQNffVEBvqn
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“F-Fine, but please make them short. I have somewhere I need to be.”226Please respect copyright.PENANAjK5ans3sQC
226Please respect copyright.PENANAT9DugDxX0d
“Thank you, I will. It’s just two quick questions. First–”226Please respect copyright.PENANA3hP4ONPqGS
226Please respect copyright.PENANAWaxBMribgz
She paused right before asking, as if a crucial memory struck her from the woodwork. 226Please respect copyright.PENANAjseTV8NjZI
226Please respect copyright.PENANA2wnYkMqurL
“–How long have you been an alchemist?”226Please respect copyright.PENANApJH5bfqAxL
226Please respect copyright.PENANAkuwebZV11y
“I’d say… hold on, that question has two answers. Commercially, it’s been about three years(1). Personally, it’s been for… seven?”226Please respect copyright.PENANAR5leljY2Ia
226Please respect copyright.PENANAhozjAL47o7
“Seven years? That’s over half your life, isn’t it?”226Please respect copyright.PENANA3DfsqQrzIL
226Please respect copyright.PENANAmR27UfG8jb
I gave a simple shrug with sandwiched lips.226Please respect copyright.PENANAAwga1YxSus
226Please respect copyright.PENANA9p1FE8baSZ
“I started young. That’s all.”226Please respect copyright.PENANAVLe9bYOXQj
226Please respect copyright.PENANA7v76TrlFfY
“I see. Being trained at such a young age, no wonder why you’re so skilled.”226Please respect copyright.PENANAyg0MzEEX90
226Please respect copyright.PENANACKz1J4T5jL
“P-Please, don’t flatter me. I appreciate the remarks, but they just…”226Please respect copyright.PENANATJIoply0Y6
226Please respect copyright.PENANAzCV1XSr5n6
They don’t sit right with me, I wanted to say, but Lola gave a predictive, discerning nod, so I stopped speaking.226Please respect copyright.PENANAT2S9m5PdLV
226Please respect copyright.PENANA0TSccj07fj
“Only seven years… then, maybe–”226Please respect copyright.PENANAOS9HN3B5Zb
226Please respect copyright.PENANAoUn5mZ12sW
“Sorry, can you repeat that? I didn’t catch it.”226Please respect copyright.PENANAor9w4kZPYT
226Please respect copyright.PENANAgv8xgcMCxo
She jumped and then waved her hand.226Please respect copyright.PENANAoMbSh1jLub
226Please respect copyright.PENANAGEBKFbI67L
“Don’t worry, I was just thinking out loud. Anyhow, for my next question…”226Please respect copyright.PENANAQL0Zxsjjd1
226Please respect copyright.PENANATTMYFLwHBL
“Right.”226Please respect copyright.PENANAcl6pnGuvUl
226Please respect copyright.PENANAUzU0HkrUhq
“...I apologize if this may seem extreme, but I have to ask.”226Please respect copyright.PENANAsfGGLINttY
226Please respect copyright.PENANAvZT671ghih
She straightened herself and turned her head left and right, seemingly afraid of anyone hearing in. That assumption was validated by her leaning her head in.226Please respect copyright.PENANAngeahwGZJS
226Please respect copyright.PENANAJf0sRKh8mQ
“Did you kill anyone in the last operation?”226Please respect copyright.PENANARgY3Fmjq1l
226Please respect copyright.PENANApuzHpPdS7Q
“I– Wha!?”226Please respect copyright.PENANAcIUQm4jWQd
226Please respect copyright.PENANATsED0UDb88
I couldn’t keep my voice down, much to her dismay. But, goodness, could she blame me? She put a hand on my shoulder and told me to calm down, which I quickly did, but I still had a storm thrashing in my skull.226Please respect copyright.PENANAbDnT9puRgp
226Please respect copyright.PENANAXtKyEBPYL3
“Who asks something like that to a child!?”226Please respect copyright.PENANAUJiqp5tivX
226Please respect copyright.PENANA3moLf3mYMN
“Shh! I know it’s selfish, but it’s for my own peace of mind! I have to know, please, did you?”226Please respect copyright.PENANApiliIzwS5H
226Please respect copyright.PENANAe3I7wnkhyn
“Your own… peace of mind?”226Please respect copyright.PENANAhoZDHq8wlt
226Please respect copyright.PENANAwgEdauTT55
When it was twisted that way, suddenly, I wasn’t so apprehensive. I was still bewildered, but answering that question didn’t feel like falling into a trap anymore. And so, reluctantly, my lips spoke the answer.226Please respect copyright.PENANAYlTOnWJHWO
226Please respect copyright.PENANAMLtoxuFfUF
“I didn’t. I hurt some people, but I never landed a killing blow.”226Please respect copyright.PENANA4FLutueqXL
226Please respect copyright.PENANAZzOQdyXvaU
“I-I see. That’s a relief. Oh my goodness, that’s a relief.”226Please respect copyright.PENANAcT6dF2l2w5
226Please respect copyright.PENANARqTrEkylka
She leaned against the door, closed it, and putting her hand on her brow, she closed her eyes and began to… pant? I wondered how she could be so worried. I was beginning to think she might have a screw loose.226Please respect copyright.PENANAb2Uj5gRGZ1
226Please respect copyright.PENANA6RoGy0Qpp4
“Thank you for humoring me. You have no idea how much it calms me, to know there’s no blood on such a young man’s hands. 226Please respect copyright.PENANAeAYairgoHQ
226Please respect copyright.PENANA9WH90srE8r
“You… for some reason, I feel like you regard me much more highly than you should.”226Please respect copyright.PENANAHeqD8m2uj5
226Please respect copyright.PENANAAIy3O60LVr
She shrugged at my comment.226Please respect copyright.PENANAWuCSyWNbPP
226Please respect copyright.PENANAOTbtFUb4yq
“Maybe I do, maybe I don’t. I think I’ll keep you guessing. Now, shoo! You have somewhere to be, don’t you?”226Please respect copyright.PENANATr3wVawlIm
226Please respect copyright.PENANA9TM1z0KbaQ
Brushing me off with perfect logic before I could respond to her outrageous statement, I clicked my tongue inward and turned on my foot.226Please respect copyright.PENANAUTOhExBvf3
226Please respect copyright.PENANAISEXPkuErq
“Goodbye Lola,” I shouted. She opened the door and slid right through, waving at me right before closing it.226Please respect copyright.PENANApMEedywJDo
226Please respect copyright.PENANAE92l5oDYDo
–
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–
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–
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As I inched closer to the infirmary, my body had an expected reaction. I coped with it accordingly, though that didn’t make it easy to move.226Please respect copyright.PENANANAzzSpxyu5
226Please respect copyright.PENANApjuaPaWsKL
With every progressing movement of my foot came a wave of resistance double the magnitude. I had to dig my soles into the floor to wade through the spasms, closing my eyes and gritting my teeth just to keep my limbs moving.226Please respect copyright.PENANA5Iof0kB6Yy
226Please respect copyright.PENANAvXykIv4LUb
Of course, I was exaggerating. But goodness, did that swelling weight pound against my chest. My limbs did shake as I reached for the knob, but I managed to grasp it and keep my hand there.226Please respect copyright.PENANAm9hMAGwTIU
226Please respect copyright.PENANAh2vjEKelK7
“...This is ridiculous.”226Please respect copyright.PENANAGKUegAtNKy
226Please respect copyright.PENANASb5gd33WUZ
I sighed. I looked at the healing potion and gave it a few light shakes, watching the agent crash like small waves against the flask. If push came to shove, I could drop this off by the bed or table and turn the other way. In fact, if I had to convince myself that was all I had to do just to open this damned door, then I would do so. So I kept saying so, a lunatic hustling his mantra.226Please respect copyright.PENANAiMEv623IAw
226Please respect copyright.PENANAmxxXU0vv6K
“Just go in, drop it off, go out. Go in, drop it off, go out. Go in, drop it– off!”226Please respect copyright.PENANAdJn6fPLYjM
226Please respect copyright.PENANAvSq9qGtpDa
In the midst of my chanting, I bit the arrow and slammed it open. It looked far removed from how I imagined it.226Please respect copyright.PENANAF5LZuxjbvV
226Please respect copyright.PENANAZWzquPM4DY
Instead of a small room with curtain-covered beds lined up with uniform spacing, it was a small room lined with dingy, almost make-shift mattresses. About eight people were in the room, and one was slouched on a chair opposite of me, his head hung and his arms crossed.226Please respect copyright.PENANAKbhtGm9sMC
226Please respect copyright.PENANAcTEq3CsQpK
And seeing how his groggy face raised to meet mine, I realized how noisy my entrance was.226Please respect copyright.PENANAAW8ks0foW0
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“S-Sorry, I didn’t mean to disturb anyone. I’m just here to deliver something.”226Please respect copyright.PENANAut7CBCllc7
226Please respect copyright.PENANApcXCDv62uv
“...Hmm.”226Please respect copyright.PENANAD11JTO0g0d
226Please respect copyright.PENANAosHlnzQYdA
The man stood up and haggardly walked to me. From his gait alone, I could tell he’d been drinking, though I wondered how exactly he got his hands on alcohol. He stopped a few paces before me, took one long look with narrowed eyes, and casually shrugged.226Please respect copyright.PENANA3Ok4HiFyHN
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“Do whatever.”226Please respect copyright.PENANAkP9gKEyz9y
226Please respect copyright.PENANAgcZB3pYH2z
“R-Right. Thank you, sir.”226Please respect copyright.PENANAoBJjYvhNGG
226Please respect copyright.PENANAKOyBNTeWQv
He gave me a thumbs-up and plodded back to his chair. I looked around the room, feeling blessed from my lucky break, and eyed all the patients.226Please respect copyright.PENANAhzxsoNFqgz
226Please respect copyright.PENANAZCsIDOD3OQ
While most were in their mock-up beds, either sleeping, eating, or chatting away, one mattress was empty. By process of elimination, it belonged to the person I was looking for.226Please respect copyright.PENANAKSLaw5vkHQ
226Please respect copyright.PENANA6vvvrrj6gc
“D-Darn it.”226Please respect copyright.PENANAoVLJDXJ9tU
226Please respect copyright.PENANApais4K9sFq
Gnawing on my fingers, I did one more sweep before releasing a sigh. Rover was nowhere to be seen– not in the beds, not on the window sill, not in the corners, nothing–226Please respect copyright.PENANAFApg7jJDpp
226Please respect copyright.PENANAYRaIneG0HR
“What are you doing here?”226Please respect copyright.PENANAwbBZuF3JMH
226Please respect copyright.PENANA0XFNqETgdH
And then I heard a voice call from me. I jolted, nearly dropping my flask, and turned to face its timbre. Only as I saw its bearer’s face, did its course tone ring a bell in me.226Please respect copyright.PENANAv9GLMWOVfw
226Please respect copyright.PENANA0dDIa9NP4q
There was Rover, sitting in the one corner out of my sight, eyeing me with a lion’s eyes.226Please respect copyright.PENANAOVhDKUmMIL
226Please respect copyright.PENANAT6KgPqfQAN
“...U-Uh.”226Please respect copyright.PENANAQ0Yas1sfvD
226Please respect copyright.PENANAmCBzqxvpHX
All my systems shut down at that moment. It was one thing to imagine meeting her, but seeing her face-to-face instead of a mere effigy I controlled the responses of was a completely different beast.226Please respect copyright.PENANAQYwS5R0dfL
226Please respect copyright.PENANAuuA21IjRpV
“Well? Come on, spit it out.”226Please respect copyright.PENANAslDidOEuCC
226Please respect copyright.PENANAbV26gRL9BR
“I… I-I.”226Please respect copyright.PENANATB7YjRC9cX
226Please respect copyright.PENANAMScwtC54yn
My body didn’t shake. My eyes didn’t blink, my lips didn’t part, and only the functions of my lungs and stiff throat continued normally. I was completely and utterly frozen.226Please respect copyright.PENANAo6e6F8xuhU
226Please respect copyright.PENANAh5kSL8ZxNG
Suddenly, I felt my face fire up. It was a familiar feeling, but I was vulnerable during its assassination. In front of another person, of whom I had their undivided attention, witnessing my pale cheeks light like fireflies.226Please respect copyright.PENANArYQnHdyGkI
226Please respect copyright.PENANA5V0z0iulUU
That shame was too much to bear. I stuck my hand out, darting my eyes between her and the potion, and even orbiting my other hand around the flask to emphasize it. Despite me putting it on a pedestal, Rover tilted her head with an eyebrow that raised to the ceiling.226Please respect copyright.PENANALTzxMDysYq
226Please respect copyright.PENANA18kUwfIag4
“I don’t have time for this, just spit it out!”226Please respect copyright.PENANALPeGLFvhWl
226Please respect copyright.PENANAXVN7nN6rDw
“I-I’m here.”226Please respect copyright.PENANA3lopbeiJXD
226Please respect copyright.PENANAe6DuyHbNRn
By some miracle, her urging words kicked my chords into action, and I was beginning to form words again. Only, they didn’t have a present pilot.226Please respect copyright.PENANAz0msFL9Ynw
226Please respect copyright.PENANAt8IgXxyols
“I’m– I made— I– Rover, I’m here–”226Please respect copyright.PENANArWyi8IpXqF
226Please respect copyright.PENANAKVFKue0n7d
As I kept stumbling over myself, Rover rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. She looked at me, tapping her finger on herself as if she was waiting for me to stop.”226Please respect copyright.PENANAEy2NzDCQwj
226Please respect copyright.PENANAWFWpqiEItk
“I…”226Please respect copyright.PENANAqv4yYN3lpg
226Please respect copyright.PENANAMukHcVJxXo
I sighed and pinched my nose, shook my head, and slapped my left cheek. I looked at the corner between the wall and ceiling, whispered something akin to a prayer, and finally looked that woman in the eyes.226Please respect copyright.PENANA0Hx58ueRT7
226Please respect copyright.PENANAgvxdIhmZQS
“Hello, Rover.”226Please respect copyright.PENANArzZH350p8Q
226Please respect copyright.PENANA8wsiG8BxoS
“Hey, Kenny.”226Please respect copyright.PENANAWGo6k14Xvf
226Please respect copyright.PENANA5lJuXh0id6
I retracted my stretched arm, then extended it yet again.226Please respect copyright.PENANAV0HvWqAUdJ
226Please respect copyright.PENANASUQPPJvMQI
“I made you this. It’s something I made, in light of the news I heard. Well, it’s just leftovers, but I did want to make one for you–”226Please respect copyright.PENANA3WW44UOIh7
226Please respect copyright.PENANA3YR5uHMzxs
“Cut to the chase!”226Please respect copyright.PENANAKadoyF3PqR
226Please respect copyright.PENANAkchd8TDOYI
“R-Right. It’s a healing potion. I heard that your leg sustained a major injury, and so, I’d like to give this to you. For some relief, and quicker healing.”226Please respect copyright.PENANAzQxxRITwac
226Please respect copyright.PENANAMeKpoeVcRm
Her eyes widened. Her crossed arms slackened, and I took it as a signal to move forward. I took it incorrectly.226Please respect copyright.PENANAhEbUCmK55Q
226Please respect copyright.PENANAa06IyoAEID
“Hold on, you brought me a potion?”226Please respect copyright.PENANAC9AFXDWDzL
226Please respect copyright.PENANAA3mj0ExapF
“Y-Yes.”226Please respect copyright.PENANA11WzlJhVrT
226Please respect copyright.PENANAZDNkhaj8oA
“Now who told you to do that?”226Please respect copyright.PENANAD2L0zrva8I
226Please respect copyright.PENANAmo4JfqILae
“W-Well–”226Please respect copyright.PENANAnBMeTzzayR
226Please respect copyright.PENANAIhmhaCAWeh
Nigel suggested it, but he didn’t tell me. No, mulling over that was wasteful spending. There was only one truth in this situation:226Please respect copyright.PENANAcRIcLZH5he
226Please respect copyright.PENANApkNJ8Q2QjZ
“I wanted to do it. I wasn’t told.”226Please respect copyright.PENANAqef6L2goy3
226Please respect copyright.PENANAY5uUcr7sAS
“...You? That wimpy Kenny?”226Please respect copyright.PENANAPGoSS8Yv9G
226Please respect copyright.PENANAcKLvRi5wCf
I wasn’t mad at her insult. It was all too accurate.226Please respect copyright.PENANAMZrnQxFbiE
226Please respect copyright.PENANAbwbgnbPme0
“Yes, the wimpy Kenny.”226Please respect copyright.PENANA3efkoejAt0
226Please respect copyright.PENANAxZR95fcGt1
“Ha! You’ve surprised me before, but this really blew my expectations out of the water!”226Please respect copyright.PENANAEX6qPjyu4n
226Please respect copyright.PENANA6jlT6Airkn
She rubbed under her nose and hummed to herself with a satisfied tune. As I couldn’t read her mind, I stood in place and didn’t budge.226Please respect copyright.PENANAcbfYr3ayhz
226Please respect copyright.PENANAhAVx64jaU6
“I refuse your treatment!”226Please respect copyright.PENANAB6233dizEF
226Please respect copyright.PENANAfL6LpmbLiR
“H-Huh!?”226Please respect copyright.PENANAHqYRgLfPIn
226Please respect copyright.PENANA40RDmMHQUu
In a single moment, all my apprehension had been voided. All anxiety and dread, crumpled into a ball and thrown out a window, replaced by a slate of terrible vexation.226Please respect copyright.PENANAA4GWPby5Ii
226Please respect copyright.PENANAKbJPVjryHS
“Why not? Don’t you want to recover faster?”226Please respect copyright.PENANAQqpSHhMQdg
226Please respect copyright.PENANAII0tsZnJCq
“Of course I do, but I can’t accept it. Not when you’re looking at me like I’m some kind of monster.”226Please respect copyright.PENANAK2kZTM2zR2
226Please respect copyright.PENANAO5yvIm8fHw
“I– Wha?”226Please respect copyright.PENANAh8sxmGMq4j
226Please respect copyright.PENANApnuRNjr0ae
I stopped pointing my finger and used it to feel around my face. There was no mirror, so it was the best I could do. Something was off with it, and if I didn’t figure out what, then I couldn’t give Rover this potion, and I couldn’t confront–226Please respect copyright.PENANAfhDv9DqnO3
226Please respect copyright.PENANAr31dd6TZ3N
“No, stupid! It’s the face you’re making! It’s weird!”226Please respect copyright.PENANAbgvnS15yOA
226Please respect copyright.PENANAqqclTrCQC9
“Stupid? Weird!?”226Please respect copyright.PENANAD32u5CBq5I
226Please respect copyright.PENANAu2bRVcetgW
“Do you need the whole room to hear it!? You’re looking at me like a weirdo!”226Please respect copyright.PENANAqFJzyJE8yB
226Please respect copyright.PENANAEdSeS4ZXTy
“...”226Please respect copyright.PENANAtOyTCd9duS
226Please respect copyright.PENANAMxJHQDQ1Z9
The energy to argue was sapped. I understood what she said, and could do nothing but stare with mouth agape. Rover leaned further against the wall and looked at me with her chin raised.226Please respect copyright.PENANAuz7nVu4qWU
226Please respect copyright.PENANAeQqsO2IYYp
“Why are you looking at me like that? Hmph.”226Please respect copyright.PENANAGcCCTEjLdo
226Please respect copyright.PENANA1KZGvM8uDC
As I had no other mode of operating at this moment, I blurted my immediate response.226Please respect copyright.PENANAY2Gxnlawl1
226Please respect copyright.PENANAXgYEGU3WzJ
“It’s because I upset you.”226Please respect copyright.PENANABmHhcKGSv9
226Please respect copyright.PENANA3uZOCM94W1
And then I realized that something like this required thoughtful phrasing.226Please respect copyright.PENANA7pDo503hcf
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“I don’t– well, I don’t want to make you any more uncomfortable than you–”226Please respect copyright.PENANAfZ9tT6KNQ1
226Please respect copyright.PENANAVvgNpgFldP
“That’s bullshit! Man, forget answering that, I don’t need your whole, your spiel you know!? Come here!”226Please respect copyright.PENANAxI8hXuOA6s
226Please respect copyright.PENANAnoGACNO6Wb
“Come, there,” I asked, pointing to myself.226Please respect copyright.PENANAmejaqTcAXm
226Please respect copyright.PENANArsdQC0O6AE
“Yes. Sit by me, I can’t stand looking at your working legs.”226Please respect copyright.PENANA9Yhngf9319
226Please respect copyright.PENANA3APIg21McQ
“S-Sheesh.” 226Please respect copyright.PENANAmzrAqg97St
226Please respect copyright.PENANAq6EJgeRN8o
I didn’t even begin thinking of a way to respond to that. I just did as I was asked and walked to her side, sitting against the wall beside her. She snatched the potion right out of my hand and eyed it like an appraiser. Only, if said appraiser was terrible at imitating one.
226Please respect copyright.PENANA5FX4o2aErt
“How do I use this thing?”226Please respect copyright.PENANAPHrMnNnWvl
226Please respect copyright.PENANAJyl2AXlauX
“You, uhm, you have to drink it. If you have a needle, you can inject it right into your leg, that’ll make it work faster, but not better.”226Please respect copyright.PENANAmOfSuRi6Ah
226Please respect copyright.PENANAGyqS95wxj6
“Drinking works for me.”226Please respect copyright.PENANAChlLES5R5E
226Please respect copyright.PENANAegywgKT6pk
She popped the cork and chugged it to its last drop. She shook every drop out, set the flask on the ground, and entered a fierce coughing fit.226Please respect copyright.PENANANeKOOJpi8n
226Please respect copyright.PENANAm7gcAUwJhL
“Cah! What the hell, is in this thing?”226Please respect copyright.PENANAtiv1iOD1Ij
226Please respect copyright.PENANAXUpYgSjMR6
“That’s not the problem! You drank it too fast, you dingus!”226Please respect copyright.PENANAZRWUtFb8a5
226Please respect copyright.PENANAjRU25gSxKY
She looked at me with sharp eyes but couldn’t do anything in the midst of her coughing. I slapped her back a few times to help it pass her throat, and after a moment, she calmed down.226Please respect copyright.PENANAEfJbWsknr7
226Please respect copyright.PENANA8qXm70ZDPm
“If you drink like that, it’s likely to go down the wrong pipe.”226Please respect copyright.PENANAcMFD8DIkpq
226Please respect copyright.PENANA4375b34kYz
“Whatever.”226Please respect copyright.PENANAnF4eyLDbaT
226Please respect copyright.PENANAIWia6Nml84
With her dismissive reply, she turned her head to the side with what I could only imagine was a pout. I silently sighed, because for all the gritting teeth and flexing fingers her behavior should’ve invoked, it was within my whetted expectations. I tolerated her usual brashness rather well– in fact, my body was as relaxed as a koala. But I didn’t come here to watch her pout, and I no doubt must’ve warranted that face somehow. 226Please respect copyright.PENANA4GgdIBs72X
226Please respect copyright.PENANAYaey970yQb
She discarded my earlier words, but they were genuine. I didn’t want to make her stressed. Not any more than a person with such a leg should have.226Please respect copyright.PENANA6WeCXUu38C
226Please respect copyright.PENANAQGFbI7Brpm
And so, I got up from my improvised seat and brushed the little bits of dust that landed on my pants. I turned to Rover, who already had her eyes meeting mine. It was with such swiftness, that I almost staggered before my goodbye. Almost, but I fixed myself before it.226Please respect copyright.PENANAOD5V4JIC7u
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But before I could even take anpreludebreath, she spoke, reading my intentions.226Please respect copyright.PENANAsonVWCOtv4
226Please respect copyright.PENANAuaxizN7r3D
“Leaving already?”226Please respect copyright.PENANA2a578HWOpW
226Please respect copyright.PENANAAkP6ND7wR9
“I-I am, yes. I think it would be best. It isn’t as if I don’t have–”226Please respect copyright.PENANAUxIHqZ7dcv
226Please respect copyright.PENANAe3YVaezHII
“Hold on, not yet. I still have something to say to you.”226Please respect copyright.PENANAU8SHADNKy5
226Please respect copyright.PENANAM3ZLExGjrG
She didn’t reach a hand. No, not one inch of her body nudged my way. But her crossed arms and crunched eyes enacted a greater force than her limbs ever could, as if a fortress wall materialized on my head. My butt returned to the floor soon after, but what I tried my hardest not to reveal, was that it was self-assisted.226Please respect copyright.PENANAyQcamTE4Gu
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“That’s funny. I do too. Do you mind if I start first?”226Please respect copyright.PENANA4esGsGPlXa
226Please respect copyright.PENANAahDdtlYZbE
She shook her head back and forth, keeping that iron countenance but giving me the go-ahead. It made spitting out my words difficult, but I was lucky to have rehearsed them. Only a little, of course.226Please respect copyright.PENANA4DmankE2cr
226Please respect copyright.PENANASaSXhLHKhh
“I wanted to tell you, that I’m sorry for what happened earlier. My conduct, of course. I was just– you remember what I’m talking about, right? Back in our little rented room?”226Please respect copyright.PENANAcKtwp8C14Z
226Please respect copyright.PENANADAygTDbGVH
“Yeah, I do. I remembered how much of a wuss you were.”226Please respect copyright.PENANA0cEpCMYtNv
226Please respect copyright.PENANAscXaQl5DxX
I almost chuckled. Blunt as a bat, but it hit a bullseye.226Please respect copyright.PENANACnIRNAtxAe
226Please respect copyright.PENANADoBuXIDD2h
“I was being conducted by fright. I couldn’t fathom, putting myself out there, and making myself a part of this mess. Risking my life, your life, Juke’s. But, honestly, those reasons took a backseat.”226Please respect copyright.PENANAvRs5k84f2O
226Please respect copyright.PENANAAc48ejSCfb
I noticed the subtlest rise of her right brow.226Please respect copyright.PENANATmj7L2NQD2
226Please respect copyright.PENANAsSSg7E6Y1s
“I thought that, the lower the engagement, the better it would be. Screw the job, screw the people. The less involved I was, the better. The less it was up to me, the better. I don’t fully get it– not yet I do –but with the words I have, I can tell you this much: that’s how I felt.”226Please respect copyright.PENANAdgdwC2Nfeg
226Please respect copyright.PENANAmFhd8ABzhA
She nodded along to my apology. It looked like she was expecting more, but I was finished. So she’d understand, I concluded with–226Please respect copyright.PENANAltHeWLLmpd
226Please respect copyright.PENANAE6n3svUVIy
“So yeah, I’m sorry for being such a wuss.”226Please respect copyright.PENANA2VTXBZcDWY
226Please respect copyright.PENANAX8kN6h9Xkd
“...Hmm. Ha, I guess kids really do grow so fast.”226Please respect copyright.PENANA4W5zemOriA
226Please respect copyright.PENANACFuYxOzagf
“H-Huh?”226Please respect copyright.PENANAvEliFUSzfM
226Please respect copyright.PENANAzTWK9TvaD3
She rubbed her nose a little and continued talking.226Please respect copyright.PENANAe8M19ReO9U
226Please respect copyright.PENANAfM0W6FgtWv
“Just look at you. You’re nothing like the Kenny I knew.”226Please respect copyright.PENANAxLjayTCCQO
226Please respect copyright.PENANA5OKLI9bIVM
“I-I, well, I don’t know if I agree–”226Please respect copyright.PENANADOZCaMNV6w
226Please respect copyright.PENANAHJ27Lccsep
“Nah, on second thought, I take that back. But that doesn’t matter anyway. Seriously, just look at you.”226Please respect copyright.PENANAPlj53Vx51Z
226Please respect copyright.PENANAIzuX51gkSL
“I’m n-nothing so special.”226Please respect copyright.PENANAWXwgbLnbAS
226Please respect copyright.PENANARCoB0dLZAg
“Sure you ain’t. But here you are, in a room with a bunch of battle casualties. You’re in the same mess I’m in, and you’re finally working to get that letter back!”226Please respect copyright.PENANABZ9ZOoA0ms
226Please respect copyright.PENANAoKtDEa3CRm
“The letter certainly isn’t a priority.”226Please respect copyright.PENANAEFikOfrFvH
226Please respect copyright.PENANAdXKjB5Roaz
She casually clicked her tongue, tilted her head sideways, and waved her hand downward.226Please respect copyright.PENANAJ1ntwwTuK5
226Please respect copyright.PENANAjAK8smFkzK
“Don’t sweat the details. That’s not the point. The point is that you’re in the same room as me again, and that means you finally grew a pair.”226Please respect copyright.PENANA44RD0puWaq
226Please respect copyright.PENANAKw4E5WA0mU
Whether it was he boorish phrasing or encouraging insistence, something about her made me sit on those words. I raised a hand to my chin and looked up at nothing, entrenched in thought. 226Please respect copyright.PENANArvHh5aMole
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It took me only a few 226Please respect copyright.PENANARdXNDVbKA3
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“I don’t think so. I don’t think I grew anything.”226Please respect copyright.PENANAnSfL7wLI22
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“‘Course you did! Stop giving me such crap–”226Please respect copyright.PENANAK5buSG5FZZ
226Please respect copyright.PENANAMqZvhpmqDP
“No, really, Rover.”226Please respect copyright.PENANA7Z4Smhy1ZW
226Please respect copyright.PENANA3liYyiBNpt
I slouched my posture and leaned back, lifting myself with my hands behind me. 226Please respect copyright.PENANAeI5kFeLJjM
226Please respect copyright.PENANAoWQ3GPIZeA
“I think I’m just lucky.”226Please respect copyright.PENANAwgzyt5xs1b
226Please respect copyright.PENANANlLuLpKanO
I veered my eyes away from the ceiling, looking into Rover’s, and was taken aback by her utter dejection. Or was it disgust?226Please respect copyright.PENANAN1ru9rmasn
226Please respect copyright.PENANAQJIpwnjFhc
“I-I mean, it’s not as if I haven’t been trying, it’s just–”226Please respect copyright.PENANAfeCzlqYl4g
226Please respect copyright.PENANACFSEZKxUHH
“Nevermind all that, Kenny. You’re starting to give me a headache.”226Please respect copyright.PENANAUMHkPj4Dia
226Please respect copyright.PENANAeBYXnNyUv7
I stopped my frantic hand-waving and began to scratch my head.226Please respect copyright.PENANAZiGhRRd57D
226Please respect copyright.PENANAeYJUzaXPpi
“You’re doing something right. You said it yourself, so you know. But enough about you; I have something to say, and your weird drug is already making me drowsy.”226Please respect copyright.PENANALYOTyCta1t
226Please respect copyright.PENANAmuEWZha9gH
“It isn’t a drug! I wouldn’t stoop to such barbaric substances!”226Please respect copyright.PENANAORVaEyZx0H
226Please respect copyright.PENANAzh1Vk5Mn1r
“Uh-huh, whatever. Hear me out before you can’t anymore.”
226Please respect copyright.PENANATgVBkdZhLe
I rolled my eyes but kept my mouth shut, squishing my cheek by resting it on my face. Though Rover looked ready to speak with her gaze matching mine, she quickly jerked her head the other way and appeared to look off into nowhere. I was confused, but I didn’t voice it. It would be unfair of me to interrupt her as she gathered her words, as I hadn’t been so many times.226Please respect copyright.PENANAylQYKPJkvf
226Please respect copyright.PENANAvY56bcdGb1
Eventually, Rover’s face flared and became ruddy. I didn’t think much of it initially, but as I continued to remember that it was Rover who I was talking to, this meant that whatever she said had immense gravity. I perked my ears and sharpened their hearing– as best as I could with the poor funnel my hands formed, anyhow. 226Please respect copyright.PENANACw6lZU0WaD
226Please respect copyright.PENANAsLj8ukpckH
“D-Don’t rush me!”226Please respect copyright.PENANAyxaQZ4M84c
226Please respect copyright.PENANAKkfQPuN2wD
“I’m not rushing you! I mean, I wouldn’t mind if you just spat it out, but–”226Please respect copyright.PENANAzuVFrjuxrC
226Please respect copyright.PENANAt3oSbeJNpr
“Shut up, Kenny! You told me yourself once that I’m too crass with words. Just let me think; you already know I’m bad at this…”226Please respect copyright.PENANAp4whFMaqus
226Please respect copyright.PENANAFu37WqtzL3
I had no recollection of doing such a thing, but as the clearest memory I had of her was of the incident that night, I chose to believe her. She spent the time fiddling with her fingers, biting then nibbling her lips, darting her eyes this way and that with such ferocity her head jiggled with each motion. I could see my reflection on her sweat, and she was so engrossed in thought that air stopped entering her system.226Please respect copyright.PENANASEdYyhiUU3
226Please respect copyright.PENANAzGEQDDXQPz
I was exaggerating, but I couldn’t deny that it was making me uncomfortable. I wondered then for a moment, as admonishable as a thought that it was, if this is how people felt around me at times.226Please respect copyright.PENANAJAU3HfOV7z
226Please respect copyright.PENANAoypST1zc6A
“Gahh, forget it! You convinced me, I’ll just say it!”226Please respect copyright.PENANAqjcO1Sqss8
226Please respect copyright.PENANAEpBNwb0uoX
“I didn’t say anything.”226Please respect copyright.PENANAM9ccZ38ldR
226Please respect copyright.PENANAKC9Hxt0iaf
She straightened her back and puffed out her chest. Her guise of bravery was there to convince herself. The instance her lips would part, she’d cross a fine line, one whose threshold would shut and lock with her passing legs. I knew that gesture all too well. And since I did, I gave her nothing but my most diligent attention.226Please respect copyright.PENANAc7wolS6dwC
226Please respect copyright.PENANAdSLBISUnyi
“I’m sorry for being such a priss.”226Please respect copyright.PENANA33FzMRv7XL
226Please respect copyright.PENANAEtThzH0kT9
And I was returned an equal blow. Rover stuck her tongue out after saying that, ready to clean off the ‘mawkish verbiage’ she just spewed. That’s what it seemed to me anyway, but she refrained, as she had only her body to convince me of her sincerity.226Please respect copyright.PENANABfqqZ6m0C6
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But whether she was or not, mattered not to me.226Please respect copyright.PENANA2iMeuzfnuQ
226Please respect copyright.PENANAvzrGIcdx0I
“I don’t regret chewing you out, don’t get me wrong. But I shouldn’t have abandoned you two. Not after how we’ve, b-became friends, and not after how you told me all you did.”226Please respect copyright.PENANAs5e9kC3o4r
226Please respect copyright.PENANAgkmFQr3dg9
“Told you all I did? What?”226Please respect copyright.PENANAj96wJQMm7s
226Please respect copyright.PENANAlgq1VAIzyX
She was caught by a wind of fury.226Please respect copyright.PENANAGmYxn39HXO
226Please respect copyright.PENANAOoXk4O6RMa
“You don’t remember!? Are you kidding me!? I really should–! Gah, you’re making this so much harder than it should be!”226Please respect copyright.PENANAiU702gO6RU
226Please respect copyright.PENANASQ1GTCcU9K
I couldn’t help but let out a chuckle. She stopped her rage immediately, donning a look of perplexion. 226Please respect copyright.PENANALTlXNMQeOr
226Please respect copyright.PENANA4e7K96CslW
“What’s so funny?”226Please respect copyright.PENANAgRSm3eRjPg
226Please respect copyright.PENANAhK0lJCF946
“N-Nothing in particular. I appreciate the apology, I suppose? I don’t think I’m all that deserving of it, though.”226Please respect copyright.PENANARggG2HMqYf
226Please respect copyright.PENANAmI1Y2RfN10
“Hold on, I’m not done yet!”226Please respect copyright.PENANAUX18Q5usYR
226Please respect copyright.PENANAf89EKPbond
I nodded in understanding, and so she continued.226Please respect copyright.PENANAxLWm6YOkrH
226Please respect copyright.PENANAaF9x7QaM0p
“As I was saying… I was so mad, but I was never that mad. And I get why now. Because when it comes to anything Hard-Bringer, I get a little crazy.”226Please respect copyright.PENANAc6mGbVy2Fb
226Please respect copyright.PENANAabenALB844
“A little crazy?”226Please respect copyright.PENANAyIp8CQKvDV
226Please respect copyright.PENANAksKLaEdI23
“Yes, idiot, I just said that. They piss me off like you wouldn’t believe. Screw that, I don’t get a little crazy, I grow mad, mad!”226Please respect copyright.PENANAIKcS0P5TtP
226Please respect copyright.PENANAgOCybrW4VA
Her hands balled themselves to compliment her offshoot tangent. Her escalating tone made me concerned, but she relaxed soon after.226Please respect copyright.PENANAeH9ddNK7Iv
226Please respect copyright.PENANAA1taCWFz0v
“So yeah. Sorry for messing up. And, sorry for thinking you were such a wimp. I thought you were totally hopeless, but I was off the mark.”226Please respect copyright.PENANAD7irfUjVSF
226Please respect copyright.PENANAc9VTSFdMeu
“Well–”226Please respect copyright.PENANAEBPQsyFULQ
226Please respect copyright.PENANA2Xkn3MzLMZ
“Shut up! Shut up! Do you know how annoying it is to hear someone undersell themselves all the time?”226Please respect copyright.PENANAWodrkQjWoL
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“I–”226Please respect copyright.PENANACdbaU2otEj
226Please respect copyright.PENANArYSJoQvE7n
It was that precise phrasing, that specific selection of words and syntax, and her usual, but energized voice that spelled it out for me, that allowed a candle to ignite in my mind. A quick image flashed in my mind, one of a man of close acquaintanceship, and then my throat spoke on its own.226Please respect copyright.PENANAbOYQiJ4CgJ
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“Yeah. I do. It sucks.”226Please respect copyright.PENANAohpQsRJqRm
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“See! I– huh? You do?”226Please respect copyright.PENANARGI84J9y4H
226Please respect copyright.PENANAuqnKkGwg3B
I slowly nodded along. Rover looked with pleasant surprise. She was more than eager to take my word for it, and in fact looked delighted after I spoke.226Please respect copyright.PENANAC4qVKJDPDR
226Please respect copyright.PENANAjFsXLivK3t
“Still,” I began, “as grating as it may be for your ears, I really have to stress that I think you’re wrong about me. I’m still a wimp.”226Please respect copyright.PENANASM8vA96JEB
226Please respect copyright.PENANAv0A6zkHitK
“Whatever. Think what you want, but don’t speak it out loud anymore.”226Please respect copyright.PENANAZHHpoBgzhL
226Please respect copyright.PENANAkOKqL9PQoQ
“I… haha, sure thing, Rover. I’ll do just that.”226Please respect copyright.PENANAHdy3tbbBn6
226Please respect copyright.PENANAQ7XeKo3Op6
Her candid words were the perfect closer. There was wisdom in that harsh language– a funny thing to call it, as she was only a few years older than me –but wisdom nevertheless. No speech of mine could be a better finale, so I gathered myself and stood up from the floor.226Please respect copyright.PENANAIGNUGxXjGi
226Please respect copyright.PENANAAIOmwk8fwD
“Perfect. I was just about to tell you to leave.”226Please respect copyright.PENANAapy4uKCYDw
226Please respect copyright.PENANA9p7zKf8foK
“I’m starting to think you hate me.”226Please respect copyright.PENANAE5gmCyaOb9
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Her hands twitched upwards defensively.226Please respect copyright.PENANAeS3wHcTMj6
226Please respect copyright.PENANAxyzF6ukSI1
“I-I don’t. I’m just getting sleepy. Any second now, I’ll doze off.”226Please respect copyright.PENANAx8Z3nO12kz
226Please respect copyright.PENANAxK05duhZsu
“Ah, right.”226Please respect copyright.PENANAN88FWpHBbK
226Please respect copyright.PENANAsHcPvFp6WI
She mentioned it just a few minutes ago, but it didn’t compute with me until now. Recovery would always be an exhausting thing, especially with assistance from potions. I wondered for a moment if there was a way to mitigate that.226Please respect copyright.PENANAk3Ujm0wRT1
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“That one Bringer was invigorated even with a restored limb, after all…”226Please respect copyright.PENANApHSTDYSNn9
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“What are you mumbling about, eh? Scram! Scram, I tell you!”226Please respect copyright.PENANA5rS6TC7Vcj
226Please respect copyright.PENANA8fmWHlzAEy
“Alright alright, jeez. With how grouchy you’re being, you really do need that rest.”226Please respect copyright.PENANAsCKMu84FDd
226Please respect copyright.PENANAIIvveU88iN
She stuck her tongue out at me this time. I took it with a light heart, waltzing to the door and stretching as I made my way. I placed my hand on it but stopped short of opening, taking one last look at Rover. Her eyes were taking turns closing. I could tell she was exerting herself when she waved me off.226Please respect copyright.PENANAEl8mTryMPv
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“Wait, one last thing!”226Please respect copyright.PENANAOj4Nhd7E2T
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Then, she shouted unexpectedly. I looked at her with a blank expression to signify my okay, and she continued shortly.226Please respect copyright.PENANAjxmvptKBvy
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“Tell that old bucket-wearing fart to visit me sometime.”226Please respect copyright.PENANAivEkqAoqaI
226Please respect copyright.PENANAsAOYl3QYnq
“...”226Please respect copyright.PENANA1nLnKVLvpD
226Please respect copyright.PENANArCgerbdSBo
I smiled.226Please respect copyright.PENANAGVpf4mNP3p
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“I will.”226Please respect copyright.PENANA9D0ugDCXOA
226Please respect copyright.PENANAxHkVM96Yyo
I returned her wave and exited the room. The moment the door shut behind me, I let out a quick breath and–226Please respect copyright.PENANAPyk1t0arfZ
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“Yes!”226Please respect copyright.PENANAv6dHtkr6SG
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A jump with jubilation. I had to. I never experienced such success before.226Please respect copyright.PENANAqCy01Kh1gO