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.
254Please respect copyright.PENANAdX2QKA3ABT
“Now all I need to do is to finalize it.”254Please respect copyright.PENANARsbLYXeVxP
254Please respect copyright.PENANAKvSoYakWt3
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–254Please respect copyright.PENANA3MsTSxgh7x
254Please respect copyright.PENANAPDbX22t0Kc
“It’s a resounding success. Awesome.”254Please respect copyright.PENANACCdQM2vaNY
254Please respect copyright.PENANAuV3EdK8cyf
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.254Please respect copyright.PENANAT0Nthlfacj
254Please respect copyright.PENANAFfYKhH4jnJ
Should I go and deliver this now, or make a healing potion, and deliver this later?254Please respect copyright.PENANADzOg1Jvbnp
254Please respect copyright.PENANAS5LwMp3v6s
“...”254Please respect copyright.PENANACNza8D8Wlh
254Please respect copyright.PENANAEk1tNmJdC8
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.254Please respect copyright.PENANA1cbPUrOeaw
254Please respect copyright.PENANAJ5waF4KMxf
“...That’s new. Where did you come from?”254Please respect copyright.PENANAkuQJf7SF7I
254Please respect copyright.PENANA6qscnHDxiG
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.254Please respect copyright.PENANAL7tKjsvVoo
254Please respect copyright.PENANAbxlWDmCwxT
“I know better. I don’t have the time for that. No, I don’t.”254Please respect copyright.PENANASSBBHfz12b
254Please respect copyright.PENANAPoDL7tONk9
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–254Please respect copyright.PENANA6Wy9JXhP8v
254Please respect copyright.PENANALEHfqEoWoB
“...”254Please respect copyright.PENANAGUVNurt5bZ
254Please respect copyright.PENANAZkFGbDxlGp
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.254Please respect copyright.PENANApZckL6JIaz
254Please respect copyright.PENANACaoryeV34d
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.254Please respect copyright.PENANAGVcyjODEpR
254Please respect copyright.PENANAg2fidzPdTZ
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.254Please respect copyright.PENANA00M2wguoyu
254Please respect copyright.PENANAZGpwvlvbON
–
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–
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–
254Please respect copyright.PENANAbLmeoZJvMG
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.254Please respect copyright.PENANAVvq95y9yct
254Please respect copyright.PENANAkJ6u8di9Vx
“Yes?”254Please respect copyright.PENANAF5Cz5xnS4K
254Please respect copyright.PENANAnbFwY55Tdn
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.254Please respect copyright.PENANAzov3VzutxR
254Please respect copyright.PENANAG1zZHneG4x
“You’re here what I think you’re for, aren’t you?”254Please respect copyright.PENANAAWya1kAw9N
254Please respect copyright.PENANAeTLLmd2HL5
“Y-Yes, Lola. Here, this is the potion I made.”254Please respect copyright.PENANA4UcxuohJFK
254Please respect copyright.PENANA6qdUrsFeIE
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.254Please respect copyright.PENANAgXi33uQouN
254Please respect copyright.PENANAo90DfWG6xt
“You made this in eighty minutes?”254Please respect copyright.PENANAepVMM5LrSJ
254Please respect copyright.PENANAj9xHvLBQmn
“Did I take too long? I’m sorry, I had to grab some ingredients from a lower floor–”254Please respect copyright.PENANA1SvfWY7q0h
254Please respect copyright.PENANAl6e2XNgxeX
“No, not at all. I was expecting you to take longer. Thank you, Kenny, I’ll make sure you’re rewarded handsomely.”254Please respect copyright.PENANAFvmG4skHkh
254Please respect copyright.PENANAS0yzfZQCqI
I raised my hands bashfully and rapidly waved them at her.254Please respect copyright.PENANAdxKYRlFCjP
254Please respect copyright.PENANAiXWb1gejF1
“No no no, please don’t! You’re helping us enough as is.”254Please respect copyright.PENANA22ZC9QIpzA
254Please respect copyright.PENANAnniG1Sq4mp
“If you insist.”254Please respect copyright.PENANA4cmaD45QKq
254Please respect copyright.PENANAN9JO1fN2dQ
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.254Please respect copyright.PENANA6RJFGYfnEu
254Please respect copyright.PENANAp3t4yIerPw
“Kenny?”254Please respect copyright.PENANAiSn8FG6m4y
254Please respect copyright.PENANARJJoQvshyb
“O-Oh, right. Do you need me for anything else?”254Please respect copyright.PENANAsNzi2IQbzL
254Please respect copyright.PENANAAOKkhl7zW8
“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.”254Please respect copyright.PENANA49kf9tHLMk
254Please respect copyright.PENANA2i9PKEPisA
I let out a chuckled sigh and slapped a hand on my chest, muttering a breathy “thank you.”254Please respect copyright.PENANAsJFfWeaJW3
254Please respect copyright.PENANA4PmLcUaDMq
“There is something I’d like to ask you, however, just before you go.”254Please respect copyright.PENANAuSvaYkgI3T
254Please respect copyright.PENANAtDnu09nYyy
She said so right as I turned to leave. I twisted my head and looked at her, gesturing for her to shoot.254Please respect copyright.PENANAwVex7ekHoQ
254Please respect copyright.PENANA5TRbq7sRwY
“The concoction in your other hand; that bright green tint can only mean one thing, yes? A healing potion.”254Please respect copyright.PENANAoMttWBJBad
254Please respect copyright.PENANAGZccnvShCf
I nodded at her assessment. I realized the speed at which this could turn dangerous.254Please respect copyright.PENANAL7XWZ1CmSW
254Please respect copyright.PENANAe1YtmkmjyH
“I see. I see, I see…”254Please respect copyright.PENANAyE4xK3Ulv7
254Please respect copyright.PENANAg4AMfe4dXJ
“A-Are you going to make me make one for each soldier?”254Please respect copyright.PENANAuvLv2GHOIV
254Please respect copyright.PENANAEKDMsxSXqj
“No, I won’t ask that of an outsider, let alone a child– oh, sorry, you don’t like being called that, do you?”254Please respect copyright.PENANAat2mn3rXfj
254Please respect copyright.PENANA5OWYKOmxqy
“...Don’t worry about it. I appreciate you being considerate, Lola. Is there anything else?”254Please respect copyright.PENANA27BYNwrTwD
254Please respect copyright.PENANAxjpU250sco
“I-If you don’t mind my prying, could you answer a few questions for me?”254Please respect copyright.PENANA6e9XYNShjW
254Please respect copyright.PENANAyuzJIyKXFm
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.254Please respect copyright.PENANAmxgFH1sPFY
254Please respect copyright.PENANAuaBqX9sjxI
“Please?”254Please respect copyright.PENANAyECAnf1FR8
254Please respect copyright.PENANA8CJbXQYHep
Though it was difficult to draw a line while she was making such a face.254Please respect copyright.PENANAKYaNipWTJB
254Please respect copyright.PENANAgoC2JISr0Q
“F-Fine, but please make them short. I have somewhere I need to be.”254Please respect copyright.PENANA178NjtKukH
254Please respect copyright.PENANA0LehzdwuG5
“Thank you, I will. It’s just two quick questions. First–”254Please respect copyright.PENANAycyqovCzrb
254Please respect copyright.PENANAXGnc5mBlzP
She paused right before asking, as if a crucial memory struck her from the woodwork. 254Please respect copyright.PENANAz9FWXLsYfo
254Please respect copyright.PENANAKZbQM8sJuU
“–How long have you been an alchemist?”254Please respect copyright.PENANAAdxSuTMjzN
254Please respect copyright.PENANAeQkwcxzEjG
“I’d say… hold on, that question has two answers. Commercially, it’s been about three years(1). Personally, it’s been for… seven?”254Please respect copyright.PENANAEGhZ4CuJK2
254Please respect copyright.PENANA28Zqbcx8mp
“Seven years? That’s over half your life, isn’t it?”254Please respect copyright.PENANA9vsOuYYv4Y
254Please respect copyright.PENANAgw9MN3Kewa
I gave a simple shrug with sandwiched lips.254Please respect copyright.PENANAkjibARJE9Z
254Please respect copyright.PENANAZWZTcCB9RG
“I started young. That’s all.”254Please respect copyright.PENANA7ZoIOwvLWe
254Please respect copyright.PENANAsosZSIH7VH
“I see. Being trained at such a young age, no wonder why you’re so skilled.”254Please respect copyright.PENANAXqt8upiorn
254Please respect copyright.PENANAJEWNdenOou
“P-Please, don’t flatter me. I appreciate the remarks, but they just…”254Please respect copyright.PENANAWatAw6GCj6
254Please respect copyright.PENANAGKyqmRKQVW
They don’t sit right with me, I wanted to say, but Lola gave a predictive, discerning nod, so I stopped speaking.254Please respect copyright.PENANAkkz9M9ELav
254Please respect copyright.PENANAQzhlYHqSvp
“Only seven years… then, maybe–”254Please respect copyright.PENANA8sF1iYu8jS
254Please respect copyright.PENANAI5jiuTqOPQ
“Sorry, can you repeat that? I didn’t catch it.”254Please respect copyright.PENANAqsVFH0SCAo
254Please respect copyright.PENANA36N5XsB2RZ
She jumped and then waved her hand.254Please respect copyright.PENANA2OPReE8xgn
254Please respect copyright.PENANAEniYmSb7vR
“Don’t worry, I was just thinking out loud. Anyhow, for my next question…”254Please respect copyright.PENANA7igrMStn20
254Please respect copyright.PENANAKWNJAgx5LS
“Right.”254Please respect copyright.PENANA0V7TGLGmfz
254Please respect copyright.PENANA8f8mK20gin
“...I apologize if this may seem extreme, but I have to ask.”254Please respect copyright.PENANAunhgcFL1Yo
254Please respect copyright.PENANAENcjNjsXnO
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.254Please respect copyright.PENANAjFpkPhvHzj
254Please respect copyright.PENANAdnweC8VJL6
“Did you kill anyone in the last operation?”254Please respect copyright.PENANAEnxdI3Y8jH
254Please respect copyright.PENANAC0RMc8zHCx
“I– Wha!?”254Please respect copyright.PENANAWAk6sdQar2
254Please respect copyright.PENANAtX6iOxJx31
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.254Please respect copyright.PENANA4XXCQBfryS
254Please respect copyright.PENANAPYqiJ80V47
“Who asks something like that to a child!?”254Please respect copyright.PENANAY6Yy7ingZu
254Please respect copyright.PENANAVHwRUMh6P5
“Shh! I know it’s selfish, but it’s for my own peace of mind! I have to know, please, did you?”254Please respect copyright.PENANAtyEsszndaG
254Please respect copyright.PENANAox5F70HM1l
“Your own… peace of mind?”254Please respect copyright.PENANAOTxX7jYrH9
254Please respect copyright.PENANAatEidBNJGv
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.254Please respect copyright.PENANAz1tl36yp2w
254Please respect copyright.PENANA2wbO0XUpoH
“I didn’t. I hurt some people, but I never landed a killing blow.”254Please respect copyright.PENANAuY1N3OZxac
254Please respect copyright.PENANAbA3sFwv0Wv
“I-I see. That’s a relief. Oh my goodness, that’s a relief.”254Please respect copyright.PENANA4OCnfHrj2R
254Please respect copyright.PENANAcawxtzcVLw
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.254Please respect copyright.PENANAHmvm1MnbAn
254Please respect copyright.PENANAnI0dZB85yI
“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. 254Please respect copyright.PENANAsOrEzGO5S8
254Please respect copyright.PENANAXlsqf10vi0
“You… for some reason, I feel like you regard me much more highly than you should.”254Please respect copyright.PENANArJhnOSx1dk
254Please respect copyright.PENANAmftDPfeyip
She shrugged at my comment.254Please respect copyright.PENANAQl5ZybgbYD
254Please respect copyright.PENANAg8Itc3Uf0x
“Maybe I do, maybe I don’t. I think I’ll keep you guessing. Now, shoo! You have somewhere to be, don’t you?”254Please respect copyright.PENANAW3AMwx0PxU
254Please respect copyright.PENANArIcmt5ei21
Brushing me off with perfect logic before I could respond to her outrageous statement, I clicked my tongue inward and turned on my foot.254Please respect copyright.PENANAE52Ege4E52
254Please respect copyright.PENANAdjwj9XWz67
“Goodbye Lola,” I shouted. She opened the door and slid right through, waving at me right before closing it.254Please respect copyright.PENANA3lkJWwR2xr
254Please respect copyright.PENANAOCWVtktyux
–
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–
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–
254Please respect copyright.PENANA75mQmY9Idb
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.254Please respect copyright.PENANAa0DPjLg0oJ
254Please respect copyright.PENANARq69Be83Ut
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.254Please respect copyright.PENANAIDXPs0nBxy
254Please respect copyright.PENANAfF6EHfcz6n
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.254Please respect copyright.PENANAWmrvupgHWP
254Please respect copyright.PENANACI8c2qDVup
“...This is ridiculous.”254Please respect copyright.PENANAuUCrBERy0W
254Please respect copyright.PENANAyB3IsBucyG
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.254Please respect copyright.PENANArIFGIn0y4k
254Please respect copyright.PENANAW0HU0azp2M
“Just go in, drop it off, go out. Go in, drop it off, go out. Go in, drop it– off!”254Please respect copyright.PENANAYJYkffOfeh
254Please respect copyright.PENANAbLgSJVyAO6
In the midst of my chanting, I bit the arrow and slammed it open. It looked far removed from how I imagined it.254Please respect copyright.PENANAaChGM3numa
254Please respect copyright.PENANAlJ7cDWQ5Ww
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.254Please respect copyright.PENANAtghOICCNWO
254Please respect copyright.PENANA7GyMKdX8XC
And seeing how his groggy face raised to meet mine, I realized how noisy my entrance was.254Please respect copyright.PENANAh3BBzo4V9g
254Please respect copyright.PENANARNbYblYqtu
“S-Sorry, I didn’t mean to disturb anyone. I’m just here to deliver something.”254Please respect copyright.PENANATyitqKeYdv
254Please respect copyright.PENANAcbVscv216S
“...Hmm.”254Please respect copyright.PENANAFxwZYKM2Xn
254Please respect copyright.PENANA6JMSjTOiI8
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.254Please respect copyright.PENANAWMG7Nbvhis
254Please respect copyright.PENANAcnQukMv3n9
“Do whatever.”254Please respect copyright.PENANAg1O0UI5Wah
254Please respect copyright.PENANAaCJh6onjDf
“R-Right. Thank you, sir.”254Please respect copyright.PENANAEUzBggI2oJ
254Please respect copyright.PENANA5RzDUAP8UF
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.254Please respect copyright.PENANASGQIWA7RU9
254Please respect copyright.PENANAZ3n3XXa0j6
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.254Please respect copyright.PENANAhpgf0XFE8J
254Please respect copyright.PENANAFLoJsAW6cJ
“D-Darn it.”254Please respect copyright.PENANAYmTDNcln8v
254Please respect copyright.PENANAdlW2w4QlTj
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–254Please respect copyright.PENANA3iKUgtjIW1
254Please respect copyright.PENANAdg1bAMAEy9
“What are you doing here?”254Please respect copyright.PENANArXJTN8L520
254Please respect copyright.PENANAWdNIXyRRLT
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.254Please respect copyright.PENANA262Tapp5p4
254Please respect copyright.PENANAhERbccsG0a
There was Rover, sitting in the one corner out of my sight, eyeing me with a lion’s eyes.254Please respect copyright.PENANA0b4eSrUcG1
254Please respect copyright.PENANACWNIshuC4i
“...U-Uh.”254Please respect copyright.PENANAqpJvUKQ7zY
254Please respect copyright.PENANA2wIbEz8bVZ
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.254Please respect copyright.PENANAeQAGBeHXUw
254Please respect copyright.PENANAZXXYuH4MXe
“Well? Come on, spit it out.”254Please respect copyright.PENANAKseH9lnVA8
254Please respect copyright.PENANAYpMcJZSKLx
“I… I-I.”254Please respect copyright.PENANA3IGTsDLm7w
254Please respect copyright.PENANAdpe2GvTsOT
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.254Please respect copyright.PENANA300cyxSXz1
254Please respect copyright.PENANARexDcrOkpT
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.254Please respect copyright.PENANAYAlPhoraxn
254Please respect copyright.PENANAkH07AgyyZ1
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.254Please respect copyright.PENANA3dn2R6aHBF
254Please respect copyright.PENANAvmzDjWmhWR
“I don’t have time for this, just spit it out!”254Please respect copyright.PENANAq2ZNzkjbNm
254Please respect copyright.PENANAOoS2N1pRdc
“I-I’m here.”254Please respect copyright.PENANAIvnypvrMUI
254Please respect copyright.PENANACgxNJcWUCo
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.254Please respect copyright.PENANAXpLXX3n2rX
254Please respect copyright.PENANA4ceH5EwUxA
“I’m– I made— I– Rover, I’m here–”254Please respect copyright.PENANAPmubrWSdX7
254Please respect copyright.PENANAmNljubeYV7
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.”254Please respect copyright.PENANA2r0B60zgNw
254Please respect copyright.PENANA6Bi9YtQnHc
“I…”254Please respect copyright.PENANABwb2ygUilw
254Please respect copyright.PENANAKxp0Axx0vU
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.254Please respect copyright.PENANAmvC6zAfUCY
254Please respect copyright.PENANAb6kTbY7FFl
“Hello, Rover.”254Please respect copyright.PENANAk7aTGy3hzG
254Please respect copyright.PENANAVMoQh1QJQt
“Hey, Kenny.”254Please respect copyright.PENANAOPusJM15to
254Please respect copyright.PENANAiWNIHBFuph
I retracted my stretched arm, then extended it yet again.254Please respect copyright.PENANAlmDglSDQT9
254Please respect copyright.PENANAZGvP7RDYI2
“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–”254Please respect copyright.PENANAXWqbHFywkF
254Please respect copyright.PENANAQJ4uLV8CP2
“Cut to the chase!”254Please respect copyright.PENANALud6YfzqM9
254Please respect copyright.PENANAkmAcQiOgbv
“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.”254Please respect copyright.PENANA4meuJO0hCv
254Please respect copyright.PENANAqjexiL5qdP
Her eyes widened. Her crossed arms slackened, and I took it as a signal to move forward. I took it incorrectly.254Please respect copyright.PENANAzenqSVAfiJ
254Please respect copyright.PENANAcrNI1QynhP
“Hold on, you brought me a potion?”254Please respect copyright.PENANATJhSBw1WeX
254Please respect copyright.PENANAVrBPXNr8Qq
“Y-Yes.”254Please respect copyright.PENANAse8VyGUyVi
254Please respect copyright.PENANA0DYs6eyRZI
“Now who told you to do that?”254Please respect copyright.PENANARoSkbEv8fJ
254Please respect copyright.PENANAyE997N74OU
“W-Well–”254Please respect copyright.PENANA5aKDVck9un
254Please respect copyright.PENANAx8jrOavMf8
Nigel suggested it, but he didn’t tell me. No, mulling over that was wasteful spending. There was only one truth in this situation:254Please respect copyright.PENANAn2S6zweOpn
254Please respect copyright.PENANAwNOgbj4AKB
“I wanted to do it. I wasn’t told.”254Please respect copyright.PENANAm8JpZh7YfU
254Please respect copyright.PENANAWXDmKuMNvq
“...You? That wimpy Kenny?”254Please respect copyright.PENANAxgWSOhIU4r
254Please respect copyright.PENANAe4EyxEmI3T
I wasn’t mad at her insult. It was all too accurate.254Please respect copyright.PENANAztDoS7Yvul
254Please respect copyright.PENANAsqg1LabOte
“Yes, the wimpy Kenny.”254Please respect copyright.PENANAhpPdwG8FkV
254Please respect copyright.PENANAS0nLTx3H5R
“Ha! You’ve surprised me before, but this really blew my expectations out of the water!”254Please respect copyright.PENANAZ8yDDjEF6K
254Please respect copyright.PENANAmQE2oeDQmx
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.254Please respect copyright.PENANAN5KLvmMmOa
254Please respect copyright.PENANAzi4OcevHf8
“I refuse your treatment!”254Please respect copyright.PENANAixfokGZRmp
254Please respect copyright.PENANAYM2W08d0NX
“H-Huh!?”254Please respect copyright.PENANAivGdrag8eD
254Please respect copyright.PENANAZTwR7q6aK6
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.254Please respect copyright.PENANAPLegwc9Czt
254Please respect copyright.PENANAwsN9mhXeWM
“Why not? Don’t you want to recover faster?”254Please respect copyright.PENANAAFrDxop1RT
254Please respect copyright.PENANAutT3YDvk3z
“Of course I do, but I can’t accept it. Not when you’re looking at me like I’m some kind of monster.”254Please respect copyright.PENANAgGBGvwB8GN
254Please respect copyright.PENANAkCy1WjuYox
“I– Wha?”254Please respect copyright.PENANADz6x4QMRpM
254Please respect copyright.PENANAk0v9AOWsKK
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–254Please respect copyright.PENANAd7YoKrjdws
254Please respect copyright.PENANAIiAsROmeiY
“No, stupid! It’s the face you’re making! It’s weird!”254Please respect copyright.PENANA9a2M9VQ6Bc
254Please respect copyright.PENANA4X9C7dFbau
“Stupid? Weird!?”254Please respect copyright.PENANA1nAgLrxkJ1
254Please respect copyright.PENANA2fqKCSXS0N
“Do you need the whole room to hear it!? You’re looking at me like a weirdo!”254Please respect copyright.PENANAWFDrj1uULl
254Please respect copyright.PENANAw7PruG8lhr
“...”254Please respect copyright.PENANAYZMADoQ1xV
254Please respect copyright.PENANAiiocnQXCfi
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.254Please respect copyright.PENANA5ZfV9QsyNu
254Please respect copyright.PENANAos5pVLguYC
“Why are you looking at me like that? Hmph.”254Please respect copyright.PENANAPNn3TuVLyx
254Please respect copyright.PENANAzbIbpEL17D
As I had no other mode of operating at this moment, I blurted my immediate response.254Please respect copyright.PENANAPSi8NYkLRF
254Please respect copyright.PENANABdOGclWO3k
“It’s because I upset you.”254Please respect copyright.PENANAGuRz521FUQ
254Please respect copyright.PENANASySPZYgZN1
And then I realized that something like this required thoughtful phrasing.254Please respect copyright.PENANAysyWYRcKF8
254Please respect copyright.PENANAiZsRjxno5m
“I don’t– well, I don’t want to make you any more uncomfortable than you–”254Please respect copyright.PENANAe1nIrpYpFm
254Please respect copyright.PENANA8OQeudiDOJ
“That’s bullshit! Man, forget answering that, I don’t need your whole, your spiel you know!? Come here!”254Please respect copyright.PENANAeQhc8RzmXx
254Please respect copyright.PENANAgv8gAYafq5
“Come, there,” I asked, pointing to myself.254Please respect copyright.PENANAnOAd29Zcde
254Please respect copyright.PENANATu62yHQYNU
“Yes. Sit by me, I can’t stand looking at your working legs.”254Please respect copyright.PENANAC46WaT5bAY
254Please respect copyright.PENANAnZWkU3dd1X
“S-Sheesh.” 254Please respect copyright.PENANAsE8epnHeu6
254Please respect copyright.PENANAK6gUOvrT3L
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.
254Please respect copyright.PENANAmVpQpGBzKS
“How do I use this thing?”254Please respect copyright.PENANAA9klznw18p
254Please respect copyright.PENANAJPXpVxT6fE
“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.”254Please respect copyright.PENANA1JI2gMFNkO
254Please respect copyright.PENANACaGm3aTJGx
“Drinking works for me.”254Please respect copyright.PENANA7rH24mTJJR
254Please respect copyright.PENANAmowlRfSsdK
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.254Please respect copyright.PENANAv1UnfX1EBo
254Please respect copyright.PENANAi1xBipwyo5
“Cah! What the hell, is in this thing?”254Please respect copyright.PENANA9nIgRojUQZ
254Please respect copyright.PENANAQtIr1k7l4y
“That’s not the problem! You drank it too fast, you dingus!”254Please respect copyright.PENANAfEFU8f27Ol
254Please respect copyright.PENANAoK70ngzivJ
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.254Please respect copyright.PENANAB6x2CO9ZUk
254Please respect copyright.PENANATBZhkipaVw
“If you drink like that, it’s likely to go down the wrong pipe.”254Please respect copyright.PENANAw7oZ01Gt92
254Please respect copyright.PENANAPSV9t7wjj5
“Whatever.”254Please respect copyright.PENANA6biSkVjkS8
254Please respect copyright.PENANA1NrdLizdXj
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. 254Please respect copyright.PENANAuPSG9x1K2c
254Please respect copyright.PENANAXVO1jpyXrq
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.254Please respect copyright.PENANAdDCH9510CD
254Please respect copyright.PENANAzzDEniSEaz
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.254Please respect copyright.PENANA4pgCfUgTdD
254Please respect copyright.PENANAnVBzmVevcQ
But before I could even take anpreludebreath, she spoke, reading my intentions.254Please respect copyright.PENANAgn5ShPyrSM
254Please respect copyright.PENANAksdhPTGvHp
“Leaving already?”254Please respect copyright.PENANA6IjDJLa2NL
254Please respect copyright.PENANA5AgiyoU5zK
“I-I am, yes. I think it would be best. It isn’t as if I don’t have–”254Please respect copyright.PENANAQz4W23SUld
254Please respect copyright.PENANAPLXdAK4zrZ
“Hold on, not yet. I still have something to say to you.”254Please respect copyright.PENANAnBwjfK02Jz
254Please respect copyright.PENANAY21E6shT8a
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.254Please respect copyright.PENANA0iaiINVUeb
254Please respect copyright.PENANAUw6ZQaol2K
“That’s funny. I do too. Do you mind if I start first?”254Please respect copyright.PENANAir7QeEqqEP
254Please respect copyright.PENANA33wzXu1hyc
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.254Please respect copyright.PENANAwUuMZpje9h
254Please respect copyright.PENANAF1l3KbSnwQ
“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?”254Please respect copyright.PENANApZcQ6bR7U8
254Please respect copyright.PENANAsUb1g7pYpQ
“Yeah, I do. I remembered how much of a wuss you were.”254Please respect copyright.PENANAkFFS5JPRoj
254Please respect copyright.PENANATNtuZNnZE8
I almost chuckled. Blunt as a bat, but it hit a bullseye.254Please respect copyright.PENANA9l5fHXbzOR
254Please respect copyright.PENANAcuZQRxXEqR
“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.”254Please respect copyright.PENANAaT5o75VB5C
254Please respect copyright.PENANARz3DsDeVMs
I noticed the subtlest rise of her right brow.254Please respect copyright.PENANAna56kOg9Zj
254Please respect copyright.PENANAmYmIcwOLkX
“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.”254Please respect copyright.PENANAFuZd5650Vc
254Please respect copyright.PENANA7aagGBFPXo
She nodded along to my apology. It looked like she was expecting more, but I was finished. So she’d understand, I concluded with–254Please respect copyright.PENANABGLUUExXwB
254Please respect copyright.PENANAXEAFCRPwAF
“So yeah, I’m sorry for being such a wuss.”254Please respect copyright.PENANAdVMRjoMoCa
254Please respect copyright.PENANAi1lJGW4CKq
“...Hmm. Ha, I guess kids really do grow so fast.”254Please respect copyright.PENANAYmgqHm7Oav
254Please respect copyright.PENANA46Sm1ZGV8j
“H-Huh?”254Please respect copyright.PENANAOJ8fA3FGHg
254Please respect copyright.PENANAyWrXOmkHyD
She rubbed her nose a little and continued talking.254Please respect copyright.PENANAqkoIQbQX8c
254Please respect copyright.PENANAZXhGaTdW59
“Just look at you. You’re nothing like the Kenny I knew.”254Please respect copyright.PENANA8jiOaQQAEq
254Please respect copyright.PENANAios055sn0p
“I-I, well, I don’t know if I agree–”254Please respect copyright.PENANALAo36ybbO7
254Please respect copyright.PENANANmvnTjOBcP
“Nah, on second thought, I take that back. But that doesn’t matter anyway. Seriously, just look at you.”254Please respect copyright.PENANAM7WaWbR5av
254Please respect copyright.PENANANkt1TScsx9
“I’m n-nothing so special.”254Please respect copyright.PENANAHH4V2xiEDE
254Please respect copyright.PENANA8NvB4Vdcrt
“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!”254Please respect copyright.PENANAF81ODoWg9V
254Please respect copyright.PENANANog3GY08KQ
“The letter certainly isn’t a priority.”254Please respect copyright.PENANAXmMXqdh87I
254Please respect copyright.PENANAJv5SWOEAR7
She casually clicked her tongue, tilted her head sideways, and waved her hand downward.254Please respect copyright.PENANAfvSfeZ14VV
254Please respect copyright.PENANAo2cnK3NGft
“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.”254Please respect copyright.PENANAEjUUme3OBK
254Please respect copyright.PENANA2dpo3Ykar7
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. 254Please respect copyright.PENANAJ3paZY2T7I
254Please respect copyright.PENANAYD54LBK0Q3
It took me only a few 254Please respect copyright.PENANA968c0G6NVh
254Please respect copyright.PENANAkRvnxc0E8g
“I don’t think so. I don’t think I grew anything.”254Please respect copyright.PENANAR5N65Mz9tk
254Please respect copyright.PENANAO9cAKvtTNw
“‘Course you did! Stop giving me such crap–”254Please respect copyright.PENANAtazSPtLw8t
254Please respect copyright.PENANAD6jLgzYEDH
“No, really, Rover.”254Please respect copyright.PENANADynOHucMyE
254Please respect copyright.PENANAvrlIwnA3wt
I slouched my posture and leaned back, lifting myself with my hands behind me. 254Please respect copyright.PENANAPTtLH00buw
254Please respect copyright.PENANAQH7kGjsglw
“I think I’m just lucky.”254Please respect copyright.PENANANqxKTZIuCZ
254Please respect copyright.PENANAKHePa7Z3fk
I veered my eyes away from the ceiling, looking into Rover’s, and was taken aback by her utter dejection. Or was it disgust?254Please respect copyright.PENANAg7dIGRlLiX
254Please respect copyright.PENANAkD7Z8bxN87
“I-I mean, it’s not as if I haven’t been trying, it’s just–”254Please respect copyright.PENANANiawh2y9PO
254Please respect copyright.PENANAW78csyhQCP
“Nevermind all that, Kenny. You’re starting to give me a headache.”254Please respect copyright.PENANAgIISSXyiuj
254Please respect copyright.PENANAVjF8hcmvyS
I stopped my frantic hand-waving and began to scratch my head.254Please respect copyright.PENANAZSmBskhRV2
254Please respect copyright.PENANAnbUg4VenTT
“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.”254Please respect copyright.PENANAmDE7R7A3WX
254Please respect copyright.PENANAgmMXRPuNmS
“It isn’t a drug! I wouldn’t stoop to such barbaric substances!”254Please respect copyright.PENANAL7YjhB20kW
254Please respect copyright.PENANAD0soB3cAdm
“Uh-huh, whatever. Hear me out before you can’t anymore.”
254Please respect copyright.PENANA9AfhTJKIP3
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.254Please respect copyright.PENANAWEGlv6e936
254Please respect copyright.PENANAXHWiNYGF0n
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. 254Please respect copyright.PENANAYfPzh4vxfd
254Please respect copyright.PENANAkgDgtUifol
“D-Don’t rush me!”254Please respect copyright.PENANA8qhL8vj0xz
254Please respect copyright.PENANAhIJzTb0MFi
“I’m not rushing you! I mean, I wouldn’t mind if you just spat it out, but–”254Please respect copyright.PENANAPOaELRWiX6
254Please respect copyright.PENANA3HRHS0yeV9
“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…”254Please respect copyright.PENANA8bRltm2Y0S
254Please respect copyright.PENANAJ9Djrh5ccf
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.254Please respect copyright.PENANAGFQ4trwB53
254Please respect copyright.PENANAELEL13EbGI
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.254Please respect copyright.PENANA9nZz3kDHeg
254Please respect copyright.PENANAgdrwpAPsJ6
“Gahh, forget it! You convinced me, I’ll just say it!”254Please respect copyright.PENANAf5d5QKsyRe
254Please respect copyright.PENANAePFrAVZzYQ
“I didn’t say anything.”254Please respect copyright.PENANAlH983eQrWO
254Please respect copyright.PENANATxPsyahAKg
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.254Please respect copyright.PENANAB2w2X2aGEn
254Please respect copyright.PENANAbn3LrZvdpt
“I’m sorry for being such a priss.”254Please respect copyright.PENANAhFu57el8ZN
254Please respect copyright.PENANA4kblromGoD
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.254Please respect copyright.PENANAG7g4NYjc8E
254Please respect copyright.PENANAhLrZb7TWfa
But whether she was or not, mattered not to me.254Please respect copyright.PENANAUwjyOR7HlC
254Please respect copyright.PENANAX7CNznIm5F
“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.”254Please respect copyright.PENANAQOeZadCgQB
254Please respect copyright.PENANAPdiHPXUyXk
“Told you all I did? What?”254Please respect copyright.PENANAZZtVflkeDp
254Please respect copyright.PENANA7PyL3I6qOb
She was caught by a wind of fury.254Please respect copyright.PENANANJ9puhAyvi
254Please respect copyright.PENANAnqyrYoelZ1
“You don’t remember!? Are you kidding me!? I really should–! Gah, you’re making this so much harder than it should be!”254Please respect copyright.PENANAi9a720PVkC
254Please respect copyright.PENANAiZoxFbDqgQ
I couldn’t help but let out a chuckle. She stopped her rage immediately, donning a look of perplexion. 254Please respect copyright.PENANAF9ek0IvpaQ
254Please respect copyright.PENANA0ix4ut3cMx
“What’s so funny?”254Please respect copyright.PENANAvwzYACVdis
254Please respect copyright.PENANANO6Rf58sS6
“N-Nothing in particular. I appreciate the apology, I suppose? I don’t think I’m all that deserving of it, though.”254Please respect copyright.PENANA5Q20Wbfrlk
254Please respect copyright.PENANAxFWaYx28Qk
“Hold on, I’m not done yet!”254Please respect copyright.PENANAXWyIJ7av7p
254Please respect copyright.PENANACcL3wUPCwQ
I nodded in understanding, and so she continued.254Please respect copyright.PENANAnTUAps6zhl
254Please respect copyright.PENANAQk10gqLqJo
“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.”254Please respect copyright.PENANACu8LB4XM72
254Please respect copyright.PENANAw3pJDvI0JN
“A little crazy?”254Please respect copyright.PENANAUhakUbtWXA
254Please respect copyright.PENANAswOIv1qw3U
“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!”254Please respect copyright.PENANATKAfPxBjwz
254Please respect copyright.PENANAJgYxH0rsEJ
Her hands balled themselves to compliment her offshoot tangent. Her escalating tone made me concerned, but she relaxed soon after.254Please respect copyright.PENANARacpC6adP7
254Please respect copyright.PENANA1vHqUNZGOR
“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.”254Please respect copyright.PENANArIIXV9JNdm
254Please respect copyright.PENANA90wxsbMaOD
“Well–”254Please respect copyright.PENANAGWbladzOB0
254Please respect copyright.PENANAPTq4fT3W4W
“Shut up! Shut up! Do you know how annoying it is to hear someone undersell themselves all the time?”254Please respect copyright.PENANAyokgxIn80X
254Please respect copyright.PENANAoXsI2JSML5
“I–”254Please respect copyright.PENANAmtE11LvebF
254Please respect copyright.PENANAidhAAmLZNm
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.254Please respect copyright.PENANAAGAYoPvkst
254Please respect copyright.PENANAEIYq7Bu8Uj
“Yeah. I do. It sucks.”254Please respect copyright.PENANAY4Mxi2HVbp
254Please respect copyright.PENANArkxWR63XN0
“See! I– huh? You do?”254Please respect copyright.PENANAJMsbI1ov9a
254Please respect copyright.PENANA0EFBDiKDOB
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.254Please respect copyright.PENANAl9gbF7v5Ng
254Please respect copyright.PENANApYaWtsY5Jt
“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.”254Please respect copyright.PENANAbsnmYwabx4
254Please respect copyright.PENANATcEGSUMP8I
“Whatever. Think what you want, but don’t speak it out loud anymore.”254Please respect copyright.PENANApQPKPb9n7x
254Please respect copyright.PENANAhmMmqG5KIL
“I… haha, sure thing, Rover. I’ll do just that.”254Please respect copyright.PENANAmoysGl4xMx
254Please respect copyright.PENANAqBVMwX85PJ
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.254Please respect copyright.PENANAW3iASD6Zzf
254Please respect copyright.PENANAHtYPmYdXly
“Perfect. I was just about to tell you to leave.”254Please respect copyright.PENANAred7uj6pHh
254Please respect copyright.PENANAZDtsw5jGRh
“I’m starting to think you hate me.”254Please respect copyright.PENANATKpuMlOD7E
254Please respect copyright.PENANAQvBkCNqbuS
Her hands twitched upwards defensively.254Please respect copyright.PENANA60wJoFIccF
254Please respect copyright.PENANAQpdCjYc7RY
“I-I don’t. I’m just getting sleepy. Any second now, I’ll doze off.”254Please respect copyright.PENANAULkzmbHMbm
254Please respect copyright.PENANAMxmInPaUBz
“Ah, right.”254Please respect copyright.PENANA2jxBBSuLea
254Please respect copyright.PENANAvWqBYfSzK5
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.254Please respect copyright.PENANAaB1uQaTzlb
254Please respect copyright.PENANA8uvPfRl9Aj
“That one Bringer was invigorated even with a restored limb, after all…”254Please respect copyright.PENANAd9bVsRfWmS
254Please respect copyright.PENANAR5jV1PUTSs
“What are you mumbling about, eh? Scram! Scram, I tell you!”254Please respect copyright.PENANAYLNTDWZAQZ
254Please respect copyright.PENANA9AUd2Ie2ZU
“Alright alright, jeez. With how grouchy you’re being, you really do need that rest.”254Please respect copyright.PENANA4J2NChQoCV
254Please respect copyright.PENANA7CMzTNRO4M
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.254Please respect copyright.PENANADLvMKlu9OM
254Please respect copyright.PENANAo6fa8YIhAM
“Wait, one last thing!”254Please respect copyright.PENANA5j2gPv9FyP
254Please respect copyright.PENANApYuoyNqx9O
Then, she shouted unexpectedly. I looked at her with a blank expression to signify my okay, and she continued shortly.254Please respect copyright.PENANAtMsf62Fpgc
254Please respect copyright.PENANAGab0H0OLDt
“Tell that old bucket-wearing fart to visit me sometime.”254Please respect copyright.PENANAymOTKN5vTk
254Please respect copyright.PENANABHxMa4WRtH
“...”254Please respect copyright.PENANAds8MaxNZyg
254Please respect copyright.PENANAAdHXMV0mdn
I smiled.254Please respect copyright.PENANAzRWyFE5t2S
254Please respect copyright.PENANAHdEUty3sgc
“I will.”254Please respect copyright.PENANAACcMHHZe1M
254Please respect copyright.PENANALl1DLbgRRH
I returned her wave and exited the room. The moment the door shut behind me, I let out a quick breath and–254Please respect copyright.PENANASUJrkwP6XI
254Please respect copyright.PENANA1zO8kZ6GC9
“Yes!”254Please respect copyright.PENANARDcMoZnvBH
254Please respect copyright.PENANAmRx7EOzhOT
A jump with jubilation. I had to. I never experienced such success before.254Please respect copyright.PENANAjRmwwQUG81