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.16Please respect copyright.PENANAhQXGWf1oIo
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“Ya look like a sorry sort. More like a midget than a kid.”16Please respect copyright.PENANAAsNqJGNlY8
16Please respect copyright.PENANAfWkgDIQl97
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.16Please respect copyright.PENANAf8Sr2iAtEp
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Besides, I had a verbal jab I needed to address.16Please respect copyright.PENANAXtg57i9qi1
16Please respect copyright.PENANA0SoTD9U6pY
“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.”16Please respect copyright.PENANAxooKdTbzPK
16Please respect copyright.PENANA4zfn1h4xDo
“Y’know, that ain’t a bad idea.”16Please respect copyright.PENANASAojoNrHOK
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He did just as I suggested, laboriously lifting his laden helmet and setting it aside. 16Please respect copyright.PENANABiwWffJmVD
16Please respect copyright.PENANAWLFsCZNSf8
“Well?”16Please respect copyright.PENANAaFPE7l1u7W
16Please respect copyright.PENANAlAMUekdiO8
“...It’s about what I expected. At least your facial hair looks clean.”16Please respect copyright.PENANAjkiaagGnu9
16Please respect copyright.PENANA5PNjRrvtgj
“Really? That thing’s messy all the time.”16Please respect copyright.PENANAwyDIuyIzsI
16Please respect copyright.PENANAjZNufV8jIX
“Maybe exertion has a reverse effect. I’ve heard of things like that happening.”16Please respect copyright.PENANAp4ajQ1ulVW
16Please respect copyright.PENANAdHlPdAHFYC
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.16Please respect copyright.PENANAeeLwKGgx6I
16Please respect copyright.PENANA8FWY265JU1
“I’m surprised either of us are still standing here. I didn’t even bleed from that fight.”16Please respect copyright.PENANAipok845Dx4
16Please respect copyright.PENANAzMxzgcP2IU
“I ain't bleedin’ either. But that bastard scratched my helmet. ‘Least he didn’t dent it.”16Please respect copyright.PENANAxcO0qSftBv
16Please respect copyright.PENANAgB8kWJ2Jp6
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.16Please respect copyright.PENANAxDoab1oiCF
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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…”16Please respect copyright.PENANACYSNH6bZTd
16Please respect copyright.PENANAvHFYFPBHqF
I tried to empathize with him, but my state inclined me to be backhanded.16Please respect copyright.PENANANqaFGLb6WJ
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“You only have yourself to blame. You and I could’ve left if we stopped caring about the letter.”16Please respect copyright.PENANACLrh7y5GIF
16Please respect copyright.PENANAeHnJFSPYb0
He sighed and shrugged. That gesture indicated that he heard my point, but he still had a retort.16Please respect copyright.PENANAyNfDdlfpIU
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“C’mon, kid. We agreed on somethin’ back in that alleyway. ‘Specially in times like these, ya gotta keep yer word.”16Please respect copyright.PENANATHLiOlQhFn
16Please respect copyright.PENANATFhZxwhjOO
“...Yeah.”16Please respect copyright.PENANAU0lAmfjFl0
16Please respect copyright.PENANAsZDzAfcdHq
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–16Please respect copyright.PENANAI5gXqpocn5
16Please respect copyright.PENANAmuvr05AzG6
“It’s so stupid. I don’t like any of it”16Please respect copyright.PENANAhAQLrl5ND1
16Please respect copyright.PENANASZIehT05Zu
“I ain’t liking any of this either.”16Please respect copyright.PENANAm4SJX08a6C
16Please respect copyright.PENANATpIJvVCC0j
“I know! I know you aren’t; you’d be a maniac if you did. But still”16Please respect copyright.PENANAoW7Bkh7p6L
16Please respect copyright.PENANAAcaEO51Hmo
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.16Please respect copyright.PENANAVwEl4jvHjA
16Please respect copyright.PENANAD2HhEVDblS
“I’ll tell ya what, though. I wanted no part of fighting for this damn Pillar.”16Please respect copyright.PENANAj09tOUgCq4
16Please respect copyright.PENANASVE9Ap6m0V
“Y-Yeah. That I agree with.”16Please respect copyright.PENANAoe0AnxK348
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“It ain’t amountin’ to anything either, is it?”16Please respect copyright.PENANAP8phKLhQgP
16Please respect copyright.PENANA4KQ0U8FskP
“...?”16Please respect copyright.PENANAu3jSbuurec
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At that, I had to tilt my head.16Please respect copyright.PENANApZe0Zh760y
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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.”16Please respect copyright.PENANAPQVFukNIPQ
16Please respect copyright.PENANAaRrJFjQqfu
“...I guess yer right. But it doesn’t feel like it.”16Please respect copyright.PENANAiGEoT3lfN5
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He adjusted his posture a little, rolling his shoulders and releasing a lengthy sigh.16Please respect copyright.PENANAZIpdcmNNnZ
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“Dennis still ain’t here.”16Please respect copyright.PENANAj731E7OAe2
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“...”16Please respect copyright.PENANAnz1pxq1WnW
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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.16Please respect copyright.PENANA4xmqRXwAPR
16Please respect copyright.PENANAE8D51tvm3S
“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–”16Please respect copyright.PENANAkjoi0V8scd
16Please respect copyright.PENANAcqyf7pxU9e
“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.”16Please respect copyright.PENANAjAhaCouUAF
16Please respect copyright.PENANANJ2sjDIbbh
He scooched across the floor and sat with his front facing me, holding both his hands out to help himself explain.16Please respect copyright.PENANAzmyYaEzKtV
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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’.”16Please respect copyright.PENANAyGPGON7qcG
16Please respect copyright.PENANAHQSYqEGgp8
“--!? W-What!?”16Please respect copyright.PENANAcitvLA4GZN
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Such an analogy was one thing, but that extreme turn made it seem like a joke.16Please respect copyright.PENANA3wk0RcN7a4
16Please respect copyright.PENANAun7ejCUVi0
“Hold on, Kenny. Ya gotta think about it more. Why would any sound man kill themselves cuz they didn’t eat an apple?”16Please respect copyright.PENANAQ0fHNdJvNz
16Please respect copyright.PENANApfTccETT0E
“...You aren’t pulling my leg, are you?”16Please respect copyright.PENANAbJj0qTFeqU
16Please respect copyright.PENANAvz1CV1Ghpe
“Do ya see my hands on ya? Nah, I’m serious, kid.”16Please respect copyright.PENANARuiDv8vOAm
16Please respect copyright.PENANAvAVHOZEmlL
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. 16Please respect copyright.PENANAkhuskCGJYs
16Please respect copyright.PENANA11yuPbVutI
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.16Please respect copyright.PENANA35M6w9XiwN
16Please respect copyright.PENANABuhho42Jo9
That didn’t really work either, but the idea of a different Kenneth gave me what I was looking for.16Please respect copyright.PENANAmekB9gYDk8
16Please respect copyright.PENANAdDAbOQsKpE
“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.”16Please respect copyright.PENANAOh4IiZ8L6B
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Juke nodded along, and I took it as an okay to continue.16Please respect copyright.PENANAkumVivZa5U
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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.16Please respect copyright.PENANArSIYtfRiJo
16Please respect copyright.PENANAp8PtxtTEjf
“...”16Please respect copyright.PENANAgV0mIO8hYn
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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.16Please respect copyright.PENANATH8aU2PV6A
16Please respect copyright.PENANANbshnWm5Gv
“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.”16Please respect copyright.PENANARfQp3o5JhJ
16Please respect copyright.PENANADKqRA3yvPG
“I-I see…”16Please respect copyright.PENANAssADCq1cwG
16Please respect copyright.PENANAdWXz5ZkZ17
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.16Please respect copyright.PENANAYpdZTNmZeQ
16Please respect copyright.PENANAkDsgEj3Ta9
“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.”16Please respect copyright.PENANAcIHiMQa2Iv
16Please respect copyright.PENANAGPs4m8doFO
“You don’t, ‘get?’”16Please respect copyright.PENANAQ22pufPjQa
16Please respect copyright.PENANAMrEomeuikH
“Y’know, when–”16Please respect copyright.PENANAUlYEkZlSwo
16Please respect copyright.PENANA5KR9KQ94jH
“No no no, I understand you. I do.”16Please respect copyright.PENANA5mnwbGWTkD
16Please respect copyright.PENANAcNfiLAIqU7
My muscles loosened a little. I felt awfully warm about the words I would spit.16Please respect copyright.PENANASBVLatQnxh
16Please respect copyright.PENANAhDj4zqeB1Z
“I just know that feeling a little too well sometimes–”16Please respect copyright.PENANA3klCcU10YU
16Please respect copyright.PENANA6Gem7i7Wm7
**SLAM**16Please respect copyright.PENANA274DEW5CJh
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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.16Please respect copyright.PENANAcsIlol17wn
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That is until I saw a head peer from the frame.16Please respect copyright.PENANAW4144l62No
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“Oh, thank goodness. You two are safe.”16Please respect copyright.PENANAw559goxaPZ
16Please respect copyright.PENANA8cDfMCOKeD
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.16Please respect copyright.PENANAEThgjYo1KY
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“Phew. For a moment I thought I came at a bad time.”16Please respect copyright.PENANA28lxFcZwt3
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“M-Mister Dean.”16Please respect copyright.PENANA4lrh21pAZf
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I decided to speak up, as the present situation was too absurd for silence.16Please respect copyright.PENANA4cvYqnvTzJ
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“Yes, child?”16Please respect copyright.PENANAqvtHanhMDV
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“Uh– well, first of all, are you alright?”16Please respect copyright.PENANAUXM9LACPOx
16Please respect copyright.PENANAhfhjaFcK95
“Yes, quite alright. My shoulder is still in pain, but the bleeding stopped long ago. And again, I must thank you for releasing me.”16Please respect copyright.PENANAz7Y7czF6L5
16Please respect copyright.PENANA03eJwVwlot
“R-Right.”16Please respect copyright.PENANAsfrgGymijc
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I couldn’t think of anything else to say, and looking at Juke revealed he was in a similar boat.16Please respect copyright.PENANAxGtdHLfyVf
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“But, enough about me. I came here bringing good news, and a friendly face.”16Please respect copyright.PENANALmml5LBQs8
16Please respect copyright.PENANAfKsBH56U7O
“--Please worry not about explaining it, Sir Dean. I wouldn’t want my duty as a leader stolen as such.”16Please respect copyright.PENANAjGVXgawgMg
16Please respect copyright.PENANAzTkKaOJubC
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.16Please respect copyright.PENANAkvtGPiIbDG
16Please respect copyright.PENANAPcE95D2iJM
“Hello, you two,” said Lola, “by the looks of things, your side was a complete success.”16Please respect copyright.PENANAnKBmEPKiLS
16Please respect copyright.PENANARg2HPgAwLz
–
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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.16Please respect copyright.PENANAIxl431lw07
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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.16Please respect copyright.PENANAnK1ZuchWpY
16Please respect copyright.PENANAM0nu0CyAeh
“I was afraid of something like this,” the Dean explained, “but I couldn’t halt the mechanisms of this city because of premonition…”16Please respect copyright.PENANA8iGPR2NrHe
16Please respect copyright.PENANAGGmQmqaMyF
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.16Please respect copyright.PENANAi6Z6XvNRs7
16Please respect copyright.PENANAH0LM9De6Gy
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–16Please respect copyright.PENANAvCfLnGxrPV
16Please respect copyright.PENANAKbLV7MN6LY
“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.”16Please respect copyright.PENANABP1zktCppj
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“Haven’t you explained that already?”16Please respect copyright.PENANABBO3W0GEAB
16Please respect copyright.PENANAgNq3FPWmnN
“Yes, but… there is a slight problem we’ve run into.”16Please respect copyright.PENANA8DHCBqMgra
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“What’s that?”16Please respect copyright.PENANAwS1f5dl6DJ
16Please respect copyright.PENANAQ7PZ9Z0oQH
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.16Please respect copyright.PENANAiGKULUqvem
16Please respect copyright.PENANAQO1H8HNeYi
“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.”16Please respect copyright.PENANAfEYpcOc4me
16Please respect copyright.PENANAJw38RomyRT
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:16Please respect copyright.PENANAysTVKMixxL
16Please respect copyright.PENANAO5ZuRfN94J
“I know I wasn’t asked, but I think making a signal would be effective.”16Please respect copyright.PENANAJmQk5cvHCL
16Please respect copyright.PENANAmFKCXH51Zp
“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.”16Please respect copyright.PENANAavyMbKgxkw
16Please respect copyright.PENANArcdNQJ0OqT
“...Ah, so that’s where you’re heading. But how will it be done?”16Please respect copyright.PENANA0VKfzLtMo2
16Please respect copyright.PENANAOiqLEyLdKq
A smirk found itself on his face. He turned around and continued leading me.16Please respect copyright.PENANAGkpvIv6JIb
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“We have our methods. This place has been around too long for it not to.”16Please respect copyright.PENANAIP0gRq4h8A
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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.16Please respect copyright.PENANA8LGlvtMDHd
16Please respect copyright.PENANAD3EnIiWYNt
“Oh, goodness. And I was wondering why the office was so small.”16Please respect copyright.PENANAyenxmKttXG
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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.16Please respect copyright.PENANAdWYXjbU2tz
16Please respect copyright.PENANAXFcT7jrAQI
“Here is your answer, Kenny,” Lola said, standing beside a stall. I peeped inside and–16Please respect copyright.PENANAXjoPanwGdz
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“GAH! W-Why is this here?”16Please respect copyright.PENANA0FSKpPcAbm
16Please respect copyright.PENANAZlRZliEE7u
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.16Please respect copyright.PENANAiByP4sOqGg
16Please respect copyright.PENANAwFjiv12bE9
“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.”16Please respect copyright.PENANA8LsxBcYZgk
16Please respect copyright.PENANAJO98KtRE5E
“I wouldn’t call any curves ‘tight,’ but I guess when you’re as fast as these things, then they can be.” 16Please respect copyright.PENANAKN1jOjtvYX
16Please respect copyright.PENANAHQmDcMVK9y
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.16Please respect copyright.PENANAhU2H8i5W2Q
16Please respect copyright.PENANA9Hc0ujTOqQ
“I think it likes you, child.”16Please respect copyright.PENANAIWpEKZPIox
16Please respect copyright.PENANAswoTaQAZ7t
“Please, call me Kenneth or Kenny, Mister Dean. And, uh, are you sure– certain?”16Please respect copyright.PENANAzz9bExH9OJ
16Please respect copyright.PENANAazmoKVtm9i
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.16Please respect copyright.PENANA8fCMJ1p5Fy
16Please respect copyright.PENANAz2mzhrqvbx
And then, it leaned its head down even further and… sniffed my hair.16Please respect copyright.PENANAGyu8odOmSn
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“Hah?”16Please respect copyright.PENANAnUbtyAuc4q
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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.”16Please respect copyright.PENANAOuxYTi2iKH
16Please respect copyright.PENANARpjBQUQygx
“I… smell like flowers?”16Please respect copyright.PENANAYHnR63SYo0
16Please respect copyright.PENANAU6ShqQWRtW
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.16Please respect copyright.PENANAUPjjAvoor8
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“Why am I just figuring this out !? I don’t smell– well, I don’t think I smell like flowers?”16Please respect copyright.PENANA8xAgcB7UjH
16Please respect copyright.PENANAx1I7tlsem8
I even sniffed my hands and arms to make sure, and nothing of the scent reminded me of flowers.16Please respect copyright.PENANAGyZPQWJ3a5
16Please respect copyright.PENANAx1NpKUyimy
“Well, ya get used to the way ya smell to the point ya can’t tell. That’s just how yer nose works.”16Please respect copyright.PENANAPYNetrw2IN
16Please respect copyright.PENANA8JlrbJsPWP
“Really? I didn’t know that…”16Please respect copyright.PENANAOqJevR7n0G
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“Ahem, moving on–”16Please respect copyright.PENANA2JQAroRxp5
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Dave interjected with a cough. I turned my attention back to him, anticipating his oncoming words.16Please respect copyright.PENANAM9HXxuEL2E
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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.”16Please respect copyright.PENANAgphamBkDo4
16Please respect copyright.PENANAJcfFVpRQzy
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:16Please respect copyright.PENANA49D0wylUor
16Please respect copyright.PENANAplxoAZP0v4
“May I know why I’m being told this?”16Please respect copyright.PENANAjO6HHJWCov
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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?”16Please respect copyright.PENANAWpleWKvYwm
16Please respect copyright.PENANAbKbwjdmbap
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.16Please respect copyright.PENANAdYdFlEXOiX
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“But if you need to know why,” she continued, “it’s because we need your help in facilitating it.”16Please respect copyright.PENANAeFh0clpSNk
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“My help, you say…”16Please respect copyright.PENANAE856q6o9g7
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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.16Please respect copyright.PENANAVRyV7lzEww
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“I’ve heard that you’re a prolific, experienced alchemist. At such a young age too no less–”16Please respect copyright.PENANAGFrGPGWaGf
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“Please, don’t mention it. I don’t want my achievements embellished, especially because of something like age.”16Please respect copyright.PENANA1pBhG0jkUO
16Please respect copyright.PENANAFy5By3o0Td
“--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?”16Please respect copyright.PENANAUmGoFHVsfc
16Please respect copyright.PENANAjXgUNKZSTI
“...Energizing potions?”16Please respect copyright.PENANAPLPKWDXD3S
16Please respect copyright.PENANAnGSaQQ7qTf
I knew how to do that, naturally, but Lola was off the mark somewhat.16Please respect copyright.PENANAZ1y6VUYBgL
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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.”16Please respect copyright.PENANAnic4doNXHL
16Please respect copyright.PENANAzHCoyw681P
Lola had her eyes wide and her head slowly nodding.16Please respect copyright.PENANAZsosrnd6Bv
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“You’re correct. Do you think you can do it?”16Please respect copyright.PENANAYtoXNORQb2
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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.”16Please respect copyright.PENANAJwj1jqh1hF
16Please respect copyright.PENANAZF8EUc7Pnr
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.16Please respect copyright.PENANAnsvmncvXW4
16Please respect copyright.PENANAoHseRdJUh5
“T-There’re few good ones. One’s unopen, so ya can juts pour it out if ya hafta.”16Please respect copyright.PENANAgk0h3R2cVN
16Please respect copyright.PENANAx9fkHQnTOO
“Phew. That’s good. The potency wouldn’t be right if I was just using random cups.”16Please respect copyright.PENANArtYI9Q6HM0
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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.16Please respect copyright.PENANAG9Y3sTLt5I
16Please respect copyright.PENANA9opn5I7f9W
“Is something wrong?”16Please respect copyright.PENANAvekCNYZjHi
16Please respect copyright.PENANA6yuSy75NCc
Lola and Dave looked at eachother. For being such well-spoken people, it was strange for them to fail finding the words. 16Please respect copyright.PENANAepOnm0FbPz
16Please respect copyright.PENANAMRR2L2h5gn
“Well, kid–”16Please respect copyright.PENANA0Cckjv6kHg
16Please respect copyright.PENANAvjfWn7Q16f
Then Juke suddenly spoke out, and I diverted my attention to him.16Please respect copyright.PENANAScxvXbVviv
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“Ya just look a lot more comfortable than I’m used ta.”16Please respect copyright.PENANAy0AWqcY2cc
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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.16Please respect copyright.PENANAIe3pex8CmI
16Please respect copyright.PENANAQX3h4qP84x
“Comfortable? I haven’t heard that one before.”16Please respect copyright.PENANADEmwb1kZ3k
16Please respect copyright.PENANAZdPS7cCa8V
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.16Please respect copyright.PENANAhnpQxz8jwy
16Please respect copyright.PENANA86DKegL4pS
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.16Please respect copyright.PENANAcPipEzarGT
16Please respect copyright.PENANAoA5X6YqocV
“...Comfortable.”16Please respect copyright.PENANA1jW8fgwcOX
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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.16Please respect copyright.PENANAo9Skfk7HQV
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Yeah. When it came to alchemy, comfortable was just right.16Please respect copyright.PENANA6C5rrVssGF
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–
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–
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–
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This process… wasn’t quite nostalgic. I didn’t know what nostalgia even felt like, but I knew that if I was just five years older, I would be sorely missing performing this.16Please respect copyright.PENANAGiMjMykBJz
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Scratch that, I missed it even as I did it. 16Please respect copyright.PENANAoQ0HLn5eKg
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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.16Please respect copyright.PENANAuVH7CaHBIx
16Please respect copyright.PENANAmSaTyWMi44
“...A little bit here.”16Please respect copyright.PENANAjrlpJXrywC
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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. 16Please respect copyright.PENANAD7o70b914K
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And it wasn’t until near completion that I realized what it was.16Please respect copyright.PENANAIBuKbXnUn6
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“Of course. Goodness, how could I forget the most important part?”16Please respect copyright.PENANAqCYOsjZxIE
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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.16Please respect copyright.PENANAQ5ZuVltVKK
16Please respect copyright.PENANAr1YVVeqT2P
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.16Please respect copyright.PENANAcKjGstVGZr
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“No time to waste, though.”16Please respect copyright.PENANAjXhnCapLjK
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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.16Please respect copyright.PENANAYrsDjg0Md9
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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.16Please respect copyright.PENANA52LomZg8Sf
16Please respect copyright.PENANAPDJB7JJatI
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.16Please respect copyright.PENANAJ7u42n253F
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“...Crap.”16Please respect copyright.PENANAZjg5ppLHqd
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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.16Please respect copyright.PENANAf8faNPqSit
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“Is there something you’re lookin’ for?”16Please respect copyright.PENANAKWgDZflqCe
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Who was essentially the lunch lady noticed my plight.16Please respect copyright.PENANAABYL4Ylqbk
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“Yes. Um, do you happen to have anything with fat on it? And I mean raw fat.”16Please respect copyright.PENANAUbqhbfUnmu
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“Fat? Fat, hmm… well, there might be some in the trash.”16Please respect copyright.PENANAIIQQ1vTkNr
16Please respect copyright.PENANAhWZcZnW2tC
“Excuse me? Oh, sorry. Can I ask where the trash is?”16Please respect copyright.PENANARbZmVFDPcQ
16Please respect copyright.PENANAaSrDWf46EM
“You sure can. It’s in one of those buckets right there.”16Please respect copyright.PENANAFZd8PeWTLs
16Please respect copyright.PENANA6cb2ZjzdQI
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.16Please respect copyright.PENANA0yhNnZTaUQ
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“M-May I ask, what kind of fat is in those?”16Please respect copyright.PENANAjPmfsxqWH1
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And she responded with confirmation of my immediate fears.16Please respect copyright.PENANAwaqJRZsNlG
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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?”16Please respect copyright.PENANAETVLIE7lnu
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“Crazy indeed, ma’am.”16Please respect copyright.PENANAB6fRML3lYx
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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.16Please respect copyright.PENANA9ywR8Viav6
16Please respect copyright.PENANAKzn3d9Ncj8
“Mind if I ask what you need fat for?”16Please respect copyright.PENANAWnqp5MmGWG
16Please respect copyright.PENANA4jtWdEiEcz
“Oh, yes. It’s for a potion I’m making, you see–”16Please respect copyright.PENANARe4hMdEcYv
16Please respect copyright.PENANAl5GUhSaJvJ
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.16Please respect copyright.PENANAhs4S71F2at
16Please respect copyright.PENANAokHY4YnlRa
“N-Nigel!?”16Please respect copyright.PENANAhnemTbt7qg
16Please respect copyright.PENANAM2riT1sMHH
“Correct! I’m honored that you remember me. It’s swell to see you in good health, Kenny.”16Please respect copyright.PENANAH1aLoN98BZ
16Please respect copyright.PENANAOdIQ1ylt8I
“Y-You as well. Also, please, don’t sneak up on me like that.”16Please respect copyright.PENANAFO8XCuuEwk
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He lightly shrugged in response. I clicked my tongue at his insouciant attitude but dropped my grudge quickly.16Please respect copyright.PENANAJifdvOCdsn
16Please respect copyright.PENANAIj54LRq9Qi
“It’s good to see you healthy as well, Nigel. How was your time at the battle?”16Please respect copyright.PENANAE0m0Mm2naA
16Please respect copyright.PENANA6xS4jiOPur
“Ah… well, first, let me offer you a hand.”16Please respect copyright.PENANAAY9SUMu28X
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“A hand,” I asked, confused as to what he insinuated.16Please respect copyright.PENANAaCttj2slwb
16Please respect copyright.PENANATj8LiRsfHm
“You said you need fat for your potion, and I just so happen to have a knife.”16Please respect copyright.PENANAq7xLn8dkj3
16Please respect copyright.PENANAUi5rznxM22
He pulled the knife in question out of its sheath and headed towards the buckets, but not before tossing me something.16Please respect copyright.PENANAgWeS0GPWIh
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“Is this… a clamper?”16Please respect copyright.PENANAcubWFvxk2b
16Please respect copyright.PENANAGWH7MqdNrn
“It is. I’m sure you know to put it over your nose, right? Anyway, let’s chat while we work.”16Please respect copyright.PENANAfAeBpiZSI5
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–
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–
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–
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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.
16Please respect copyright.PENANAnZFisWxdVN
“So,” Nigel started as he made his cuts, “what is it that you asked me?”16Please respect copyright.PENANALD79cnPTyW
16Please respect copyright.PENANAL5CaI4H3pw
“That I asked you?”16Please respect copyright.PENANAS1cQACrBSF
16Please respect copyright.PENANADZdLChN4Uh
I thought about it, and it seemed to have slipped even my mind, but I remembered my earlier inquiry quickly.16Please respect copyright.PENANAW8HKOvnCkI
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“Right. It was about the battle. How was it? I mean, I know it was rough for everyone, but…”16Please respect copyright.PENANANlWm42DYjl
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“Yeah, I know what you mean. I might as well tell you.”16Please respect copyright.PENANAKmhHzcHkk3
16Please respect copyright.PENANAuGFKg1QX7E
He stopped rotating the meat on his knife and looked down at it.16Please respect copyright.PENANAeRZRqTco7W
16Please respect copyright.PENANApqad32sHHP
“...Was it, did you lose your friend?”16Please respect copyright.PENANARchHWbeWuw
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He jolted when I asked, raising his head with widened eyes.16Please respect copyright.PENANAcgxijeft27
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“How did you–”16Please respect copyright.PENANAUQZ7bSG8vr
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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.”16Please respect copyright.PENANA1UbxgZm4kW
16Please respect copyright.PENANAxU8UdRYmQ0
“...Hah. You’re a sharp boy with a keen eye.” 16Please respect copyright.PENANA7bXVAiu1W4
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He continued cutting as he spoke.16Please respect copyright.PENANAjZuk2jG3K8
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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.”16Please respect copyright.PENANAZjTYn9O2Uf
16Please respect copyright.PENANAZ8UQcQhw55
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.16Please respect copyright.PENANAxCf0UQJBMg
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“I’m, so sorry to hear that. He must’ve been a good friend.”16Please respect copyright.PENANACL8LZgBo8E
16Please respect copyright.PENANAg2Gz2DRx0c
“...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.”16Please respect copyright.PENANAlNNCLFAWHk
16Please respect copyright.PENANAxtdCIn75SM
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.16Please respect copyright.PENANAGJvvXqrL3E
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“You saw me at a bad time, truly. Sorry, I’ll continue helping.”16Please respect copyright.PENANAFe9H1NgW4B
16Please respect copyright.PENANAPojBOm0sv7
“Don’t… don’t you worry about it.”16Please respect copyright.PENANATC3xAKSEm4
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“Enough about me. Tell me, how was it on your end?”16Please respect copyright.PENANA1f1pPkHqLL
16Please respect copyright.PENANALW8ntpNA1O
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:16Please respect copyright.PENANAwjwuRcZoHh
16Please respect copyright.PENANAQwXfwix8ab
“Is that really something you want to hear? Are all crowd members like this, just talking about unpleasant fights?”16Please respect copyright.PENANA4RoSLKvN64
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“That’s not fair of you. You asked first, right?”16Please respect copyright.PENANAOrQOCQln92
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“I… darn it, you got me there.”16Please respect copyright.PENANAI4rspNxMpG
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I continued peeling and let my mouth run.16Please respect copyright.PENANAAIDGqaGZvs
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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.”16Please respect copyright.PENANAoyQ75l3wRo
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Though my right hand would be painfully sore in the morning.16Please respect copyright.PENANARKQYTI289p
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“Excellent to hear. You must be a proficient fighter for it to have gone so well.”16Please respect copyright.PENANAUuxXP4JxSB
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“Not really. I’m just somewhat competent with magic, and my partner had an incredibly useful endowment. We got lucky, that’s all.”16Please respect copyright.PENANAL7FyTwFDJG
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“I don’t know about that, Kenny.”16Please respect copyright.PENANAfXWa68NDvH
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I looked at him with pursed lips.16Please respect copyright.PENANATgxTS4dH0v
16Please respect copyright.PENANAjbh80K7WZy
“Why not?”16Please respect copyright.PENANAw0SxDYdpIR
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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.”16Please respect copyright.PENANAIQVND3yAlN
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“That’s… an interesting way of looking at it. But I’m not convinced. I mean, we even ran into an opponent we already beat.”16Please respect copyright.PENANAA4lhWf2U0S
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He raised and wagged his finger, going “tsk tsk” with his lips.16Please respect copyright.PENANAPr53VH2OvH
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“And who is it that managed to beat that enemy in the first place?”16Please respect copyright.PENANANf1Ipl4iJj
16Please respect copyright.PENANAqVaep7GK9u
“--!”16Please respect copyright.PENANAfQZsP0eBp9
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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. 16Please respect copyright.PENANAiB3gWnEZb7
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“Did anything else happen?”16Please respect copyright.PENANALDoFOKwMqu
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“Anything else? Well… Oh!”16Please respect copyright.PENANAirdmEYJoIJ
I perked up and yelled all a sudden, startling Nigel and making him ask “What?”16Please respect copyright.PENANAec7eWwgtdl
16Please respect copyright.PENANAsljiqSvMPQ
“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.”16Please respect copyright.PENANAM6l5NDN1C3
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“Some information? Would you like me to relay it while you make the potion?”16Please respect copyright.PENANA6vCd4U2vrG
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“Uh…”16Please respect copyright.PENANArskm9aPSdD
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I hesitated, but when I realized how silly that was, I spoke.16Please respect copyright.PENANA7wZrnt7Jlb
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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.”16Please respect copyright.PENANAPBHGvCmEuu
16Please respect copyright.PENANAbDGbUCJh2z
“...That is quite a concern. It means we need to confirm all our kills as well.”16Please respect copyright.PENANAYyrq74d4kK
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My face retracted and my eyes widened, shocked by our utter differences in derivatives from the information.16Please respect copyright.PENANAREUwU4taDh
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“Being together with just Juke must’ve been irritating.”16Please respect copyright.PENANAdHIZZ1APNc
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“Hm? Why’s that? We were split into pairs, weren’t we?”16Please respect copyright.PENANAzoAp0dZdg0
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He tilted his head and raised his brow, which made me inclined to do the same.16Please respect copyright.PENANAkGFQVRIRXi
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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?”16Please respect copyright.PENANAckX4OdPWrY
16Please respect copyright.PENANAJ7J6OdMFmi
“...O-Oh.”16Please respect copyright.PENANAvINyymFZRq
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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.16Please respect copyright.PENANAwxnwq6ao50
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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.”16Please respect copyright.PENANAOK5RFYEa8X
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“I see… she’s been avoiding you? That makes a lot of sense.”16Please respect copyright.PENANAsh1WkP0TId
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I tilted my head at his assessment, as I couldn’t imagine how such a conclusion could be drawn.16Please respect copyright.PENANA0WNbRedNmP
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“Make sense? How?”16Please respect copyright.PENANA2oNcbdBWIQ
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He adjusted his sitting posture by slacking his muscles and raising his legs, holding his arms over his knees.16Please respect copyright.PENANAvPqTDROgmn
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“When Damon died, I had to make a quick adjustment. My intuition told me to stick to our agreed formation, and I was advised by a buddy there to group up with her. I did, and we spoke for a minute, but when–”16Please respect copyright.PENANAkWFkAL0TB7
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“Ah, so you were her partner? I figured.”16Please respect copyright.PENANAnSsbYo3oQR
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Nigel looked surprised as I finished his retelling for him. I could tell he needed elaboration, so I handed it.16Please respect copyright.PENANAH0tVWZ4zov
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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.”16Please respect copyright.PENANAK9rZHKgGa2
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“So she still fought alone, eh?”16Please respect copyright.PENANAlczBBn5wNv
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“...Yeah. She did. I heard she’s alive, though. I’m relieved.”16Please respect copyright.PENANAlYzxrR54hx
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“Relieved? How come?”16Please respect copyright.PENANA7Dk2bwk0ts
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I jumped at his stupid question, contorting my face as if it offended me.16Please respect copyright.PENANA8ROCMbv7te
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“You just said you fought. Ah, who am I kidding, I know what it is.”16Please respect copyright.PENANAtigZh23Wms
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He pulled his arms closer to his chest and continued peeling.16Please respect copyright.PENANAJMEEufLPLu
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“You’re probably good friends with her.”16Please respect copyright.PENANAaysuqVUKlw
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“F-Friends? W-Well, I don’t know about–”16Please respect copyright.PENANAL7tCeQrrgL
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“You’re friends, man. Don’t kid yourself. You wouldn’t have given her that check if you weren’t.”16Please respect copyright.PENANAs8mp06qoHW
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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.16Please respect copyright.PENANAPeCvfU7OmE
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“I hear she’s hurt,” Nigel continued, snapping me out of my trance, “Hurt very badly.”16Please respect copyright.PENANAvkXvIzr5D4
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“H-Hurt? What happened?”16Please respect copyright.PENANAyJTPEfGQJz
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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.”16Please respect copyright.PENANA5ZdyT25yoL
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“That’s– that’s good to hear.”16Please respect copyright.PENANAc1xWi8Buz7
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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.”16Please respect copyright.PENANApQ69wg8JS6
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A moment later, he put down his knife and slapped a gelatinous mass of yellow onto the floor before me.16Please respect copyright.PENANAq1So8LFlww
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“Here’s all the fat I could get. Take this and make your potion, then give her a patch-up.”16Please respect copyright.PENANAoo8iyNhvDC
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“A patch-up… you mean, a healing potion?”16Please respect copyright.PENANAcInvqoksEP
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He shrugged.16Please respect copyright.PENANAMeLOnyFCmD
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“I’m not the alchemist, am I?”16Please respect copyright.PENANACJi88jvOwg
16Please respect copyright.PENANAiwQUND4U2a
“...Yeah. Yeah, you aren’t.”16Please respect copyright.PENANAE4Ve8gyMZn
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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.16Please respect copyright.PENANAjOb9iJ8sLS
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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.16Please respect copyright.PENANAmQGc1WYkL5
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“Thank you, Nigel. Your help was invaluable.”16Please respect copyright.PENANA7xwjFpJfuQ
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“I told you, didn’t I? It’s my pleasure to be a good role model.”16Please respect copyright.PENANAiVWGg2imhE
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It was impossible to suppress my smile. His cocky optimism– somehow, it was exactly what I needed to fortify my duct-taped prospects. 16Please respect copyright.PENANAQdjReUZvqc
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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.16Please respect copyright.PENANAEOBQcr20Vp
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–
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–
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–
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“...Role model.”16Please respect copyright.PENANAdchpGJHCpA
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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.16Please respect copyright.PENANAHyFOScHkqu
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“Who am I kidding, of course he noticed.”16Please respect copyright.PENANATBMQrIGwAI
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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.16Please respect copyright.PENANA9LOLZPlehF
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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.”16Please respect copyright.PENANAu94hN5sNBb
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He put the remaining meat back in the bin and closed the lid, moving his legs to the closest washer he knew.16Please respect copyright.PENANAjq589Hu8Al
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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.”16Please respect copyright.PENANA943bRCFeSs
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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.16Please respect copyright.PENANAYCYJBE69No
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“...Not even my hands? Had to go straight for my legs?”16Please respect copyright.PENANAGgItduQi8o
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He closed his eyes. It was all he could to stop the spill, the salty water that trickled for a mere colleague.