Sleep wasn't brought by my collapse. I was plagued by a lingering restlessness, a prickling bit of caution that blocked my eyes from fully closing. Instead, I used my granted time to keep watch of the door whilst against a desk, an arm slung over my knee.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs03oVRdl46
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“Ya look like a sorry sort. More like a midget than a kid.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfNKASTaoq8
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Juke joined me in my resting. The both of us eyed the door, keeping careful watch for any sudden enemies. It probably wasn’t the best course of action, I realized, as that dean was likely to get in trouble. But he was out of sight, and thus, for the time being, out of mind.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ424jnV0EjX
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Besides, I had a verbal jab I needed to address.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzj3mY3410m
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“There are thousands of better ways to say I have a sullen or exhausted face. Take your helmet off; I’m certain you aren’t faring any better.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0o7GOeKJf5
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“Y’know, that ain’t a bad idea.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJGUhBIoECi
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He did just as I suggested, laboriously lifting his laden helmet and setting it aside. 214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbjdDQayM4R
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“Well?”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡex3Mr7xaNJ
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDvgqDzFgWX
“...It’s about what I expected. At least your facial hair looks clean.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYyVSZjtRlU
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“Really? That thing’s messy all the time.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY1A7oCIDTc
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5lMz8O3ZVW
“Maybe exertion has a reverse effect. I’ve heard of things like that happening.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBcK9uFwkJ4
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He stroked his lengthy stubble in contemplation. I let him do that and continued glaring at the entrance, waiting but hoping not for something to pop out.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKzat1spxBP
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“I’m surprised either of us are still standing here. I didn’t even bleed from that fight.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrH6SuOF2A4
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“I ain't bleedin’ either. But that bastard scratched my helmet. ‘Least he didn’t dent it.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSEGvMmLTRG
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He grabbed it and rotated it to spot the marks left by the Bringer’s blade. They were very obvious once he pointed them out, making me feel dumb for not noticing them.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgDmPFQXIj0
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“I’m glad, cuz it means I ain’t gotta get a new one. And if I had ta, I can’t, since I’m stuck in this crazy place. And ta think I still got another tower to fight…”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqYQDtQtlnJ
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I tried to empathize with him, but my state inclined me to be backhanded.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡreg0JRUX4A
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“You only have yourself to blame. You and I could’ve left if we stopped caring about the letter.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ83ifPcuet
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He sighed and shrugged. That gesture indicated that he heard my point, but he still had a retort.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ865WbeH1yN
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLW8QRFXGyy
“C’mon, kid. We agreed on somethin’ back in that alleyway. ‘Specially in times like these, ya gotta keep yer word.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt6N1j2imfP
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3JK9ubJBab
“...Yeah.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmsh3Ge9IzO
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Though I had my frustrations, he was right. I was convinced, not just by Juke, but by my own distorted feelings to go back and fight. I was as to blame as he was. Still–214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO0AvvII4Tp
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“It’s so stupid. I don’t like any of it”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHphVKYGxFN
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“I ain’t liking any of this either.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkD7PgFXtzL
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“I know! I know you aren’t; you’d be a maniac if you did. But still”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkVTjCD9Pvl
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Juke chuckled a little. I rolled my eyes and clicked my tongue. Little gestures like that dulled my festering feelings. He returned to his resting face. But when I looked at it closer, it was more rigid and fierce than the face of a resting man.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOWVnYpeUub
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“I’ll tell ya what, though. I wanted no part of fighting for this damn Pillar.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV7zUP4a3YJ
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“Y-Yeah. That I agree with.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjUesr9S7QS
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“It ain’t amountin’ to anything either, is it?”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4v20wx9w3D
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“...?”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9RaoOGjPbY
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At that, I had to tilt my head.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHa20oTUQFr
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“It’s a detour, certainly, but this furthers our goals, doesn’t it? The Retaliation Crowd are going to help us with our goal after this.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsvvBgY0FZ3
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIyMS888C0c
“...I guess yer right. But it doesn’t feel like it.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA8JCrzZl4I
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSMVdTQUOr7
He adjusted his posture a little, rolling his shoulders and releasing a lengthy sigh.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUgU1jgVeRQ
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“Dennis still ain’t here.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjfclBExsaW
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“...”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDyYQnnR8MG
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The bubbling fumes within me died down immediately. It was difficult to stay mad when I saw Juke’s forlorn face. But at the same time, I struggled to see it justified.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3mPMUHAHnq
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“I don’t really get it. I mean, I understand wanting to help an acquaintance, but you make it out as if he’s a lifelong friend–”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFdGmTWlFAH
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“I get what yer sayin’ kid. Ya ain’t entirely wrong, but it’s more complicated than that. I know ya well enough to make it click. Gimme a second.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4DalonGiLu
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He scooched across the floor and sat with his front facing me, holding both his hands out to help himself explain.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG6XAhHLwP5
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“Think of it this way, kid: let’s say I got an apple, and that I need to eat it within twenny minutes, and if I don’t eat the apple in twenny minutes then I should jump off a buildin’.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnQUbwRzY0N
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“--!? W-What!?”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIqEiY9Xtj8
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Such an analogy was one thing, but that extreme turn made it seem like a joke.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaFTjQTmERa
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“Hold on, Kenny. Ya gotta think about it more. Why would any sound man kill themselves cuz they didn’t eat an apple?”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6wE0x2Z1qT
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“...You aren’t pulling my leg, are you?”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMolOezFu9Z
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“Do ya see my hands on ya? Nah, I’m serious, kid.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJbJ0cSHDxY
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Though I still had my eyebrows raised, I did what was told of me. I pinched my chin and stared at the ceiling, wracking my brain and hoping an answer would fall for me to grab. It didn’t come to me very easily, and I looked at Juke with a slight plea in my eyes. He read it immediately and urged me to keep thinking. 214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKIFp7TaMuA
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I sighed. At the same time though, I figured it was a good use of time, and I knew that playing by his rules would make me understand him better. So I ruminated away. I thought of it from Juke’s perspective at first and realized that wouldn’t lead me anywhere. Then I thought about it regarding recent events– aside from the fighting, that argument we had came up, and a shudder from my shoulders urged me to stop that train of thought. Then, taking how he said it would click for me into account, I thought about it as if I was the Kenneth Juke knew.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRZl4UEWzTg
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That didn’t really work either, but the idea of a different Kenneth gave me what I was looking for.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ9MTRpZfKX
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“If you’d kill yourself over an apple… that must mean it has a lot of sentimental value. But it isn’t just a sentiment that makes it that way.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8knCaIF9yc
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Juke nodded along, and I took it as an okay to continue.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeKFihXb0y4
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“It’s like the shape of a grant. Because you said that the apple meant something, that apple became a symbol. Because you made the terms that this apple’s consumption is correlated with your life, you’re putting stock into it. You’re giving it something greater than sentimental value; you’re making it a wager. Either I’m good enough to eat this apple, or I’m not good enough to live.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6LUjJg2skF
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“...”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA1u0tKiAz7
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I looked at Juke for a response, but what I thought would be a satisfied face just looked a little lost. My face must’ve looked really surprised.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx109Ro8ZBc
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“Ya ain’t wrong, but I wouldn’t call it a wager. It’s more like a checklist. One that ya just have to fill.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡebAfApmDbi
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“I-I see…”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrhTjMyuBwX
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My analogy must have gone too off the rails. Or maybe I wasn’t thinking like Juke enough. Either way, the side effect of going on such a thought train made itself prominent. The sparks of my earlier declaration rekindled, and I grew proud– but only slightly –for making it to this top floor.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOwtaCh6K8Y
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“Seein’ Dennis safe n’ sound is one of those checks. I got a few other ones, but they’re too private to tell ya. And others, I don’t really get.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5VgENKylU6
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjMPeqqPrvg
“You don’t, ‘get?’”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeJHpBcFXjX
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“Y’know, when–”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnhQjksSQPm
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“No no no, I understand you. I do.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBMDNlrVOii
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My muscles loosened a little. I felt awfully warm about the words I would spit.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBPFpc9MKIO
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“I just know that feeling a little too well sometimes–”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOKX1F0c7Hh
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBxCer7GEVg
**SLAM**214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgwSGrpNWfu
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A loud, thundering sound rang through the dusty room, startling Juke and me and putting our senses on high alert. Juke put one hand on his handle, and I already called the tendril forth and aimed it at the sound. It came from the door; now it was opened all the way, but the figure responsible wasn’t behind the other side.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv2Hlpbhes5
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That is until I saw a head peer from the frame.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNAnsdfNB3w
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“Oh, thank goodness. You two are safe.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaaTGkQt4zX
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The head belonged to the dean of the Pillar. He waltzed in haphazardly taking little steps and checking every inch of the room. When his eyes landed on the Bringer, he squeled for a moment, but quieted down once he noticed all the blood.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZbaKtiMPW7
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“Phew. For a moment I thought I came at a bad time.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH6IkBEvVKH
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“M-Mister Dean.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg89RfqB6Dh
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I decided to speak up, as the present situation was too absurd for silence.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTbZ4BadNVu
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“Yes, child?”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGG1X4PuHSh
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“Uh– well, first of all, are you alright?”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaT06HpCkq8
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“Yes, quite alright. My shoulder is still in pain, but the bleeding stopped long ago. And again, I must thank you for releasing me.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLno6YvYtYe
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“R-Right.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBsGhETPQjs
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I couldn’t think of anything else to say, and looking at Juke revealed he was in a similar boat.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbS3OMGMC3W
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“But, enough about me. I came here bringing good news, and a friendly face.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaG3NFWbOsv
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“--Please worry not about explaining it, Sir Dean. I wouldn’t want my duty as a leader stolen as such.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4CN6SJGFUv
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From behind the Dean came a soft voice. A voice of confidence and care, a voice I’ve grown fond of over the past day. And seeing the holder of that voice cross the threshold made me retract my tendril, and put a hand on my chest in relief.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlIewpuXToP
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“Hello, you two,” said Lola, “by the looks of things, your side was a complete success.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvWfEX6PF4B
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–
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–
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With the arrival of Lola came the confirmation I was desperately needing. We had won.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRPzjm7H215
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Though it wasn’t without casualties, the foreign pillar was rid of pesky Bringers. Its control was seized by the Retaliation crowd, and the Dean still being alive was a great relief.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCNO6kSxWmu
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“I was afraid of something like this,” the Dean explained, “but I couldn’t halt the mechanisms of this city because of premonition…”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1NA4pJI9WQ
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Either way, we had what I was assured was an invaluable asset. I didn’t see how in the moment, but as I was taken to the answer, Lola elucidated me about the status.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaUlVp6eWAA
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A majority of the crowd hunkered town at the top. One floor with wide windows served as an excellent watch tower, and ranged specialists were tasked with observing the parameters. The floors above were converted into restrooms or hospital rooms. A few crowd members ventured to the lower floors to gather all the food and water available, of which there was a grand amount. It made sense, as all of those supplies belonged to the Bringers beforehand. Half a dozen of the healthiest and uninjured watched the first floor and the surrounding city, both defending from infiltrators and–214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDUZSlB03tr
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“They’re looking for recruits. If fighters see that we have the most important building under control, they’re more likely to join the effort.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhRSk34XEyr
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“Haven’t you explained that already?”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡikw0gOnuPZ
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“Yes, but… there is a slight problem we’ve run into.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGGISmqrFf4
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“What’s that?”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEOMk5Dz1mQ
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Lola turned around and crossed her arms. She nudged her head to Dave who was beside her, and with a sigh, he stepped forth and spoke.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs6sqBWx5A9
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“Everything is done in two ways here. Either letters or signals. Old man Jackson was always responsible for the latter. We do not have Jackson anymore, so unless we make a lot of noise, we can only commune with letters.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeqltD2QpAJ
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I realized the implications immediately. Even if fighters were available, everyone was in hiding. Nobody knew the state of the central Pillar, and I doubted that the crowd’s existence was well-known either. But then I remembered the prowling Pars and Dave from yesterday and asked:214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0XSNqCDjFw
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“I know I wasn’t asked, but I think making a signal would be effective.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcVyjVBCUUb
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“We thought so too. But we don’t want mages to waste their mana on mere fireworks, so we thought of something better. Since Hard-Bringer miraculously hasn’t set the city ablaze, it’s very quiet out.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡudwZu3ONns
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb4Mo6rWbNK
“...Ah, so that’s where you’re heading. But how will it be done?”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡej0c2yLHjp
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIVsyeejmt5
A smirk found itself on his face. He turned around and continued leading me.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡquMs8Mvw3h
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“We have our methods. This place has been around too long for it not to.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLvYzXvj241
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I followed them further, in a location past the Dean’s office. Hidden by a camouflaging door, the room I entered was lit and energetic but smelled foul.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHQb4rkJdHJ
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“Oh, goodness. And I was wondering why the office was so small.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkQkEBkGFgz
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The room itself was decently spacious, but that detail didn’t attract me. Rather, it was the presence of wooden walls and fences, the hallmark infrastructure of a city stable. Only, it was far tidier and metallic than most.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdWqTzD5Nm7
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“Here is your answer, Kenny,” Lola said, standing beside a stall. I peeped inside and–214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJPvu2xPRwx
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“GAH! W-Why is this here?”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI5tWzT4hP4
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A creature resided within the stall. One with reins around its beak, and one with a stature I’ve seen deceased more often than alive. The Communication City’s signature raptor.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhr1KWhqZMO
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“It’s the Dean’s private delivery bird. It’s specially trained to traverse the city walls, as its tight curves and winding streets are difficult for the average one.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLAQ5zeE5Fl
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“I wouldn’t call any curves ‘tight,’ but I guess when you’re as fast as these things, then they can be.” 214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡamohM1EWkD
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The raptor leaned its head over the gated fence, staring at me with wide, occasionally blinking eyes. I didn’t know what to do. I was never in close proximity to one, and I never had one look at me like I was some kind of puzzle.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEFtrUyrqkz
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“I think it likes you, child.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH52iZbJbrU
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“Please, call me Kenneth or Kenny, Mister Dean. And, uh, are you sure– certain?”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1qsBfE98BN
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The Raptor’s gaze grew more intense. It appeared that he was trying to see into my soul, and I felt like an ant under its wide eyes.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡioqNjcTLI6
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And then, it leaned its head down even further and… sniffed my hair.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHvvA0NX2gF
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“Hah?”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYUPYDChPwI
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“I hear these animals love ta smell flowers. Ya do have that kind of aroma, so thats why it likes ya.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeXhkioLcyC
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“I… smell like flowers?”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvUBxhKQIX7
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I looked around the room for an answer, and everybody present nodded simultaneously. I was completely taken aback, more because of the shock than anything else.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4DPyhqaPWP
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“Why am I just figuring this out !? I don’t smell– well, I don’t think I smell like flowers?”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWoVJu9W8Ty
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I even sniffed my hands and arms to make sure, and nothing of the scent reminded me of flowers.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9D6Mkee8JS
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“Well, ya get used to the way ya smell to the point ya can’t tell. That’s just how yer nose works.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBvgsLiw6nu
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“Really? I didn’t know that…”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDUU13523PL
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“Ahem, moving on–”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOkC3k2oAXf
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Dave interjected with a cough. I turned my attention back to him, anticipating his oncoming words.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzxwNFs5Xzw
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“The plan of action is quite simple. We’ll have someone riding this beast, sprinting around the town, and yelling about our victory. The Raptor’s speed can be easily modulated, so escape from any roaming bringers is easy.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl1bK4FZ0UN
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I understood what he was saying. I even agreed with it. Though shaky, it was a great and efficient plan with the resources we had. What clogged my throat, however, wasn’t the plan itself, but the subtle insinuation of telling me this plan. So, I had to ask:214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7EUgr38CvP
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“May I know why I’m being told this?”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKiaejuh4FB
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“If you think it’s because we’ll make you do that, don’t you even worry. We’re not so cruel to put a child in such danger, are we, Dave?”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ9ZO0CLo0q
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Lola seized all my worries immediately, causing me to let out a happy sigh. I wasn’t even bothered by her mentioning of me being a child, as I welcomed this discrimination just this once.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaL1mBf6ROf
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“But if you need to know why,” she continued, “it’s because we need your help in facilitating it.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkNzgunnR7K
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“My help, you say…”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWN9VeuEh6A
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It wasn’t such a terrible request, though I had no idea how I could. I waited for elaboration, since they looked eager to hand it.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlz4RObH3k3
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“I’ve heard that you’re a prolific, experienced alchemist. At such a young age too no less–”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP16EhBI26X
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“Please, don’t mention it. I don’t want my achievements embellished, especially because of something like age.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Pa9dKeyqB
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“--Anyhow, your skills are most needed. A single raptor can’t traverse every corner of this city without some help, so I was wondering: do you happen to know how to make energizing potions?”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNbeN1B0u7N
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“...Energizing potions?”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDqg5GzJbvo
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I knew how to do that, naturally, but Lola was off the mark somewhat.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwoNbEcTUfA
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“Wouldn’t endurance be more useful? When you’re running both a marathon and a race, just finishing it is most important.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFaLPrmYot4
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Lola had her eyes wide and her head slowly nodding.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡabb7KM2Nbw
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“You’re correct. Do you think you can do it?”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLqaqmFxbgL
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“I definitely can. I can use some of the empty flasks in my bag. That is, if they aren’t broken.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1lfi45o6kA
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I turned my head at Juke and stoutly narrowed my eyes. He didn’t notice until a few seconds passed, and he jolted when he saw me.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa7JW8UPuzc
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“T-There’re few good ones. One’s unopen, so ya can juts pour it out if ya hafta.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5DpDLOA0ul
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“Phew. That’s good. The potency wouldn’t be right if I was just using random cups.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCcMXcdIeR2
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I turned around and marched to the exit of the room. I stopped myself before leaving, because I noticed only my footsteps were echoing.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡee4B5mmy0i
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“Is something wrong?”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXdmLjgFzYL
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Lola and Dave looked at eachother. For being such well-spoken people, it was strange for them to fail finding the words. 214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZaO6zrhCv0
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“Well, kid–”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1jrFVhKi5Y
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Then Juke suddenly spoke out, and I diverted my attention to him.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbm6YDqmchm
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“Ya just look a lot more comfortable than I’m used ta.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDVkpMwPr2N
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After a moment of droning silence, Lola and Dave looked at me, nodding in agreement with Juke. I didn’t know what to say, but I had complete composure to react. Nothing within me flared up, only a single sentence popped into my mind.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPA8zkRuc1X
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“Comfortable? I haven’t heard that one before.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡarAqUwlRNK
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Whether it was good or not, I didn’t care. I had a special duty to perform, and that duty took prescedence. Before leaving the room, I asked Lola where supplies were stored, and once I was told I began moseying through the Dean’s room.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiJFpRjVTHo
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Their perplexed looks didn’t slip by me. I had never seen such a face before, but I knew what it was. I knew it because I’ve made it, albeit a much harsher version. It was the face of a witness to the breaking of boundaries, the erasure of an image of the person one knows. I wasn’t bothered by it– If anything, being looked at that in that way was oddly relieving. But I still couldn’t stand it.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkwLg1u8vLe
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“...Comfortable.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8pumIMUPaz
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I mouthed that word a couple of times. Juke always had a fascinating way of phrasing things. Comfortable. I spoke it, I whispered it, I thought it and I chewed it. Comfortable.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Sakj4k5TG
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Yeah. When it came to alchemy, comfortable was just right.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS7aNgQNUOF
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–
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This process… wasn’t quite nostalgic. I didn’t know what nostalgia even felt like, but I knew that if I was just five years older, I would be sorely missing performing this.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl2UatKMInu
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Scratch that, I missed it even as I did it. 214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡssVcsfejES
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Even with all my experience, I wasn’t afforded time to let my thoughts stray and frolic into useless concepts. All my focus was directedto the task at hand, the busy method of making an endurance potion. Oh, how I missed it.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0zr5XjZoeU
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“...A little bit here.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI2xvnvTJfi
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It took a moment for me to shake of my rust, but as it was only a little over a week since I last did this, I felt good as new afterward. I was performing mana suspension with utmost precision. I’ve made this particular potion so many times, I could just let my hands take it away. Still, as I was going through the process and remembering the materials, there was a nagging feeling in the back of my throat that told me something was off. 214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfgvvN0RTJc
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And it wasn’t until near completion that I realized what it was.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2voCrvvGWy
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“Of course. Goodness, how could I forget the most important part?”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnu0W1Xd6sj
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As I stood in a little booth, there was one natural ingredient from the heap of materials that I was missing: fat. There wasn’t an ounce of raw fat anywhere.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDhEUE7Ivjj
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I sighed and rubbed my head. I knew that I didn’t look hard enough, but having to descend to another floor to pick up something I already should have was a complete hassle.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRw6TpQtyV9
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“No time to waste, though.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ27QLa5WV0M
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So I stood up and exited. The booth was one of several in a particular room. Every booth was an office space repurposed into whatever the circumstances demanded, and I was lucky enough to get one for myself. There were a couple of crowd members up here chatting, and I made sure to wave and grant small greetings as I passed by.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5iobUQFZ74
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I reached the stairs shortly after, and while descending them, I thought of how exactly I was going to acquire any fat. I’m sure there was meat as part of the rations, but from the few sparing glances I took, they all seemed dry. The only wild animal in here had a mission to complete, and I didn’t fancy the idea of killing an animal just for a potion. I reached the floor amidst my thinking and figured that I would figure it all out once I got there.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9TvaM1p9R7
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I walked through, waved at those who waved at me, waltzed to the mock-up kitchen organized by a couple of members, and inspected. Indeed, I found out that I did not figure it out once I got there.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbmPe6H4eWc
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“...Crap.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRNlFibsKgo
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My index and thumb were on my chin, and the arm that held them rested on my other. But looking like a philosopher didn’t manifest what I needed, and I eventually dropped the pose and sighed.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5rgmNEmLen
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“Is there something you’re lookin’ for?”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIN72iHeq7R
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Who was essentially the lunch lady noticed my plight.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhMWZzUjBQu
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“Yes. Um, do you happen to have anything with fat on it? And I mean raw fat.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVIEGqeBAJb
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“Fat? Fat, hmm… well, there might be some in the trash.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpU0kDgxop6
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“Excuse me? Oh, sorry. Can I ask where the trash is?”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZLyTcCK4eP
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“You sure can. It’s in one of those buckets right there.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTcCKhyNMjt
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She pointed with a spoon to the corner of the floor. In that corner, small, lidded buckets were clustered together. They looked to be made of wood. But, those details aside, what I noticed was how nobody was within ten meters of them.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY3Zu40Dnee
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“M-May I ask, what kind of fat is in those?”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSXgr9mq8zS
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And she responded with confirmation of my immediate fears.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡskvDi0fT9I
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“It’s from spoiled meat. We didn’t have salt or ice or nothing to keep it preserved, so it’s already home to the bugs. Crazy how it turns to junk so quick, isn’t it?”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0qWGuBWCr5
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“Crazy indeed, ma’am.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFzQ81QzSYw
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With my back slumped over, I hobbled to the corner with a profound frown. I thought of maybe taking my tendril and producing some kind of flower, but none of their aromas were strong enough to suppress that stench.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOWUWoDWbdO
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“Mind if I ask what you need fat for?”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP9XKmOClSy
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“Oh, yes. It’s for a potion I’m making, you see–”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgpUAT0zrs2
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I cut my sentence short because, unlike the feminine voice of the lunch lady, the one I heard had the sound of a gentleman. What’s more, I recognized its timbre.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaWGWawLza6
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“N-Nigel!?”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt8tHuqLz1E
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“Correct! I’m honored that you remember me. It’s swell to see you in good health, Kenny.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhU4zvxdOKH
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“Y-You as well. Also, please, don’t sneak up on me like that.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIr0OKJCKST
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He lightly shrugged in response. I clicked my tongue at his insouciant attitude but dropped my grudge quickly.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6dcymHU0Vh
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“It’s good to see you healthy as well, Nigel. How was your time at the battle?”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXt75ifFf4T
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“Ah… well, first, let me offer you a hand.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV2R8mfzEXK
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“A hand,” I asked, confused as to what he insinuated.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhAQo2ytg9V
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“You said you need fat for your potion, and I just so happen to have a knife.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBjxrlMtMwt
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He pulled the knife in question out of its sheath and headed towards the buckets, but not before tossing me something.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxlwk672oKx
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“Is this… a clamper?”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLzslZUhdnO
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“It is. I’m sure you know to put it over your nose, right? Anyway, let’s chat while we work.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUSUXxpc0FA
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Nigel’s presence was a lucky blessing. Another pair of hands was one thing, the knife was another, and the clamper was nice, but what I was truly thankful for, was having someone to talk to while I groped and tore stale, smelly, stonymeat.
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“So,” Nigel started as he made his cuts, “what is it that you asked me?”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQzEOVujvAl
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“That I asked you?”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt5R4YmsvVd
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I thought about it, and it seemed to have slipped even my mind, but I remembered my earlier inquiry quickly.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFMypqKH0yx
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“Right. It was about the battle. How was it? I mean, I know it was rough for everyone, but…”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ96frDrcAHK
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“Yeah, I know what you mean. I might as well tell you.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiowfnsb0Zg
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He stopped rotating the meat on his knife and looked down at it.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP5KPKziF60
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“...Was it, did you lose your friend?”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPH0nPKdODj
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He jolted when I asked, raising his head with widened eyes.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrNKaIBruAm
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“How did you–”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1xBeYtBzgR
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“I was behind the crowd the whole time. I had everyone’s backs in front of me, so I started keeping track of the members, seeing who was there and who left by the kind of hair or weapons you all had. And, well… at some point, I noticed the head you were with changed at some point.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPt9tTcoEXG
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCLMKi1Mcc9
“...Hah. You’re a sharp boy with a keen eye.” 214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ93hI4lulQR
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He continued cutting as he spoke.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY61Tr9mVe1
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“Yeah. Damon died during the big ambush. One of the six casualties we suffered. I was left without a partner for the rest of the raid.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhjmio41wG6
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He looked at his hand. I stopped my own cutting, and my limbs twitched, urging me to reach out and do something. But the only thing I could muster was a few consoling words.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPAivG3reJe
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“I’m, so sorry to hear that. He must’ve been a good friend.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvdBt899BrY
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIpOIcgDew6
“...Do you think so? He and I fought a lot, I wouldn’t call him a good friend. Just a colleague. Besides, things like these happen in the field.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMHyHL32i8t
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He said those words. He said those words coolly, without wavering hands or trembling lips. His cutting paused, and his eyes seemed to stare off into nowhere, but I couldn’t read anything from his profile. A part of it relieved me, and another made me want to scamper away.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ74uu0bcVWf
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“You saw me at a bad time, truly. Sorry, I’ll continue helping.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5Vm1tmNHbW
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRE3hwaWkfD
“Don’t… don’t you worry about it.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9WXyuo0bQ3
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“Enough about me. Tell me, how was it on your end?”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRnsPB2L0AA
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His switching of the topic was decisive, so I decided to halt my scary thinking. I sighed and paused my motions, reaching for stored memories I preferred to forget. However, the deeper I dug, I had to wonder:214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT1mvqGAsiw
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9lnrwFHynZ
“Is that really something you want to hear? Are all crowd members like this, just talking about unpleasant fights?”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4dVkjst5qS
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjkzmMKwnLq
“That’s not fair of you. You asked first, right?”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM9Frj9q7bD
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“I… darn it, you got me there.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhTcQmP8Dma
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I continued peeling and let my mouth run.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmf1zrBoVrl
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“It was me and Juke. He and I were partnered, and for the most part, we just whizzed by the rooms. The one we had to tackle was that of the Dean’s, and for what it’s worth, our fight went smoothly. No major injuries, we weren’t too tired, nothing.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡujsJF64oyR
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Though my right hand would be painfully sore in the morning.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd1C8RECP14
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“Excellent to hear. You must be a proficient fighter for it to have gone so well.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ65g2k1XsBA
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE7HFvnFixM
“Not really. I’m just somewhat competent with magic, and my partner had an incredibly useful endowment. We got lucky, that’s all.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2bEVzquDYW
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“I don’t know about that, Kenny.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwXD28d38jn
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I looked at him with pursed lips.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhi4u39U8cZ
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“Why not?”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOv5fCg8uNk
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“Lady fortunate dictates only half the battle, and it's never the half that’ll be the coup de grace. She is the roof of the house, and man is the foundation; without you, she would simply collapse.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkwTqrXSUut
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFAiaUGqr29
“That’s… an interesting way of looking at it. But I’m not convinced. I mean, we even ran into an opponent we already beat.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXprRwdu2JS
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He raised and wagged his finger, going “tsk tsk” with his lips.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFIkTd1279I
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“And who is it that managed to beat that enemy in the first place?”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8QRWTQtj2W
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“--!”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXXLjM8bfNg
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Though my gut still told me something was awry, my mind was convinced by his words. I took it with a grain of salt, and taking it with such a sully still loosened my facial muscles. 214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpmovU4ijtr
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“Did anything else happen?”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZuBHua4IbU
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGDVxzDISVl
“Anything else? Well… Oh!”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7UykAjzKN6
I perked up and yelled all a sudden, startling Nigel and making him ask “What?”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpH1bZ8Lfeb
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdzpR4uZrkx
“I forgot to tell Lola and Dave about some information we learned. Juke might’ve already said it, but I still want to make sure.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuBZkrx0kw7
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdvVLdDOknm
“Some information? Would you like me to relay it while you make the potion?”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu2hJa32VAJ
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“Uh…”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8SZ7unfDN1
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I hesitated, but when I realized how silly that was, I spoke.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOvDmdNduzX
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“I don’t see why not. The gist of it is that Hard-Bringer has a grade-zero mana spinner, so it’s prodigalto let enemies slip away.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw2Q4wEWfSY
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcY11BLytzZ
“...That is quite a concern. It means we need to confirm all our kills as well.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQfxjcOBNCD
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My face retracted and my eyes widened, shocked by our utter differences in derivatives from the information.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHlxJX1PjEX
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“Being together with just Juke must’ve been irritating.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1x84jBfZrD
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“Hm? Why’s that? We were split into pairs, weren’t we?”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0vNThPkuux
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He tilted his head and raised his brow, which made me inclined to do the same.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUzwW0Rani9
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“That’s precisely it. It was just you and Juke, meaning that you couldn’t work with your other partner, Rover, right?”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1fOZpmbCUd
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“...O-Oh.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxaDHcowbFl
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I realized then that there was a great misunderstanding. I didn’t quite know how to address it, but I decided to take a swing anyway.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5IGcZoSviZ
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“See, Rover and I– and Juke, I suppose –we had a falling out. She’s been evasivefor the most part, and we’re likewise.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡheY2CjCeoN
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“I see… she’s been avoiding you? That makes a lot of sense.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0MKfaoETiP
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I tilted my head at his assessment, as I couldn’t imagine how such a conclusion could be drawn.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7qfLqQNLaJ
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“Make sense? How?”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDiJWwzoQRT
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He adjusted his sitting posture by slacking his muscles and raising his legs, holding his arms over his knees.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHsehIyd6nk
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL8lk0TFXRx
“When Damon died, I had to make a quick adjustment. My intuition told me to stick to our agreed formation, and I was advised by a buddy there to group up with her. I did, and we spoke for a minute, but when–”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4tXwNNrR5o
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“Ah, so you were her partner? I figured.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcIa0HqEPXx
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Nigel looked surprised as I finished his retelling for him. I could tell he needed elaboration, so I handed it.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbW0P6owF2V
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“I was the last to leave the room. You left right before me. I gave her a look, and I think she understood it. I’m very particular with my messaging faces.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0jQTWLNJ68
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“So she still fought alone, eh?”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhKMeFe6XEG
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“...Yeah. She did. I heard she’s alive, though. I’m relieved.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGHFLW5ev9o
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“Relieved? How come?”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuRmSxsv3SY
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I jumped at his stupid question, contorting my face as if it offended me.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM2sUXSlk8G
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“You just said you fought. Ah, who am I kidding, I know what it is.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPAuGwh2bq4
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He pulled his arms closer to his chest and continued peeling.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNBMHiSC7Sl
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“You’re probably good friends with her.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNOh0eHQNMc
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“F-Friends? W-Well, I don’t know about–”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ81gMC4Q8Ua
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“You’re friends, man. Don’t kid yourself. You wouldn’t have given her that check if you weren’t.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡML4iRvbvCU
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He continued his peeling without care while I sat still, shaking and stupified. An outrageous conclusion, an unbelievable string of words, worming its way into my ears and trapping the nerves that signaled my limbs, the engine that ran my thoughts.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtqdKZvcDvt
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“I hear she’s hurt,” Nigel continued, snapping me out of my trance, “Hurt very badly.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYSSeKymlYh
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“H-Hurt? What happened?”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZh5bcwxPK6
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“I don’t know the details, but she couldn’t walk when I saw her. She was making one hell of an uproar though, so it’s nothing permanent.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbx1YAxYH1n
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDAFoOVwOVT
“That’s– that’s good to hear.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjMgOIQ81Qz
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“I got a suggestion for you. I know your relationship is shaky with her, but believe me, what I’m about to advise is good for your health.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfRmlbJTrEJ
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A moment later, he put down his knife and slapped a gelatinous mass of yellow onto the floor before me.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ27Jk25Ixa6
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJBh9glcMZ8
“Here’s all the fat I could get. Take this and make your potion, then give her a patch-up.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnCkhL43m9X
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyvbDr3q5SM
“A patch-up… you mean, a healing potion?”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9CsXl14TYI
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He shrugged.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFLLggmGIGA
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“I’m not the alchemist, am I?”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqahxy0iFiB
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmuCFRw6wOP
“...Yeah. Yeah, you aren’t.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT1EEhOTbMm
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I stared at the blubbering mass. It was small enough to fit into my hand, and though it would feel gross, it would be light as a feather as I carried it back to my mock-up lab. But I couldn’t bring myself to pick it up. Because now that chunk was no longer an ingredient, a box to check for my task’s completion. It was a rope; a rigid line to drop me into the depths.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6wvwugGcuq
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All those thoughts, all those tingles, all that premonition and ominous prospecting. I couldn’t bring myself to pick it up. So I had to.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡthJc21GhJG
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“Thank you, Nigel. Your help was invaluable.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnoqR5LNtb6
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“I told you, didn’t I? It’s my pleasure to be a good role model.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9CFAnvPDcX
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOEuC91TUXi
It was impossible to suppress my smile. His cocky optimism– somehow, it was exactly what I needed to fortify my duct-taped prospects. 214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCelcnYl22X
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I picked up the fat, momentarily amazed at how he cut so much so quickly, and waved him goodbye, making my way to my lab and steeling every twitching fiber in me.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQxwMw4qwzc
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–
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–
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–
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“...Role model.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLERxgVoMRh
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Nigel’s hands were a complete mess, covered in gore that assaulted his nostrils. At least as a soldier, the flesh he bled wasn’t rotten. This was a new experience, and in some ways, he was glad about it. He was glad he didn’t run his mouth. He was glad the kid didn’t notice his hands.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡClyldR9jQF
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“Who am I kidding, of course he noticed.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiKifsoOuZ1
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He stood up and brushed his palms against one another, though all that grime would need more oomph to come off. He sighed and tucked his knives away since the kid let the other loiter on the ground.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjvvfojsBYE
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“I’m not cut out to be a role model. But I’m glad that kid’s doing good. I’m glad you’re not here either, man.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWDRAMkWL88
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAtTDTTSsIf
He put the remaining meat back in the bin and closed the lid, moving his legs to the closest washer he knew.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5DsdBJTvIt
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“You would’ve been too much, Damon. I can’t handle all that empty praise. All that talk of being a moral guy.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCdkkBXsUOG
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His legs came to a sudden halt. They jerked to and fro, but they didn’t make one nudge of distance. Nigel scoffed and laughed, looking at his disobedient limbs with a hopeless smile.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXj1RZEI8Oh
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFR7GtdeNKM
“...Not even my hands? Had to go straight for my legs?”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjeGpqic2uK
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOrRRiTBEF6
He closed his eyes. It was all he could to stop the spill, the salty water that trickled for a mere colleague.
