This…isn’t my ceiling. I blink and feel a tinge of pain across my pain. So…this is reality. I’m probably in the nurse’s office.445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBglsy3s8Nd
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I swallow and exhale a long breath. Everything that has happened flashes through my head.
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Nao: “What happens now?”
445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyy1eSeoSsb
445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUdibeYTRAi
Alyson: “So you’re awake.”
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!445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNnyeSKbJxY
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I struggle through the pain and look to my right to see Alyson by my bed.
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Nao: “What are you doing here.”
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Alyson: “Is that a problem?”
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445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4EtcIVLsCa
Nao: “No, I’m just surprised.”
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Alyson: “…”
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Nao: “…”
445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH44OXSzUxV
445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMT5bOGBJ2i
Alyson: “So, explain yourself.”
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Nao: “Is it not obvious, Trevor beat me up.”
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445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2sJ6LDhrPM
Alyson: “…I mean before all of that.”
445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMeTavhi0pT
445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgbJKmpoZut
Nao: “I did the right thing, any humane person would do it.”
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445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA27ksexFeR
Alyson: “Those eyes didn’t look human to me.”
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445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOqJ4k46YXt
Nao: “…”
445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuBW59PcZ5O
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Nao: “Maybe not, but I couldn’t sit by and let them beat up my friends like that. If I…have to become a monster-”
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Alyson: “Don’t finish that. You don’t have to do that.”
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445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYy5nDrZ92s
I begin to retort but something is happening. Alyson’s general seriousness begins to crumble before my eyes.
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Nao: “What’s with you?”
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Alyson: “That’s my question!”
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Nao: “!”
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Alyson: “Don’t you realize that if you keep doing this you’ll get yourself killed! Stop trying to do things beyond your ability!”
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445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlXKALHFYk4
Nao: “…”
445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwXDmMkTUmX
Alyson: “I…don’t want to lose you too.”445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXgf95NVlmh
445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD2ypPfS0cQ
Tch.445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGmU4tXzWn9
445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa6yB2nDIax
Nao: “What do you want from me!?”
445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdfbfXVAZuL
445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOxfB1TTBic
Alyson: “!!”
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445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ42RWfAcw0z
Nao: “Should we just shut up and take our abuse? I don’t care whether it’s not within my ability, I rather try than live the rest of my life on my knees.”
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445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9ql7C3eMA9
Alyson: “…Nell and I won’t watch you burn up in the sun. Goodbye, Nao.”
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She cleans off her tears and leaves me alone in the room. No, not alone. I’m in a room full of broken bodies. Those of my friends and those of my enemies.
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Nao: “It’s too late to back out now.”
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*Sigh*
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Nao: “ So this is the cost of being the main character. I’ll know when this ends if the price was worth it.”445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡarK0QrvaI3
445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH0qGxJTvU4
Arc?445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7hhHK1Ku5o
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Arc: “Yes?”
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How’s my body?
445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7PQVfaUqsx
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Arc: “Healing well enough. Speaking of healing…”
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*Ding*445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfVgqLgQYn6
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Points: 6445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM6FVJ88gMU
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Arc: “You did well over 10 spells today.”
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445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJzOszNGool
Good, I need those points if I’m going to beat the King next time.
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*Door open*
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I look to the door and rushing to my side is the person I didn’t want to see. Not after what I almost did?
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Nell: “Nao, are you okay!”
445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO2d923It1u
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Nao: “I’m okay, mom. Sorry they had to call you from work.”
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445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ8Wva6IiZ8
She hugs me gently, enveloping me in her warmth. Something I need but don’t deserve. And as soon as I think that the warmth leaves and is replaced with dread.
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Nell: “You promised…”
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Nao: “Mom I-”
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445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡehGDmIfN6n
Before I could say anything she flicked my forehead hard enough to push my head back some. Knowing my mom, this is as bad as a slap.
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445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTVFC6R0lGt
Nell: “You broke your promise and got into fights. Even Alyson seems shaken by what she saw you do.”
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Nao: “But-”
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Nell: “Nao, you’ve been suspended from school for a month.”
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Nao: “!”
445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ7m4ShuUfA
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Nao: “What about those bullies?! Don’t tell me they get to go free!”
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445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡikGLIJ7fJa
Nell: “Nao, you beat one of them so bad that they might not make it.”
445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEv6qCA1TkJ
445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEra5YYEK86
Nao: “!!”
445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpSVcwLRxPb
445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcSaSfT2vXl
Nell: “What they did to you and your friends is unforgivable but that pales in comparison to you. You…might really be charged with murder.”
445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo0RcSd6ge7
445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXqqmX0PKRz
Nell: “Why didn’t you tell me…we could have done something….anything but this...”
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I couldn’t say anything…she’s right. I already killed 3 people and now this….
445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuhPa9bADrf
445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnVmARMQkFP
What am I becoming?
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Arc: “What’s necessary.”
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W-What?
445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMgH42RyyMB
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Nell: “Nao, despite everything you’ve done I forgive you for breaking that promise.”
445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6o4ON6Ry2h
445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ19aqHcokGU
Nao: “R-Really?”
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Nell: “Yes, because I also kept something from you. Our…living situation is not the best.”
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445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLnln0VrZKZ
Nao: “What do you mean?”
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Nell: “It means that I’m getting older and can’t be as productive as I once was. Income has been steadily declining along with work hours. I…can’t keep up and one day…we might lose the house.”
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445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjB4UXtnQRk
Nao: “Mom! Why didn’t you tell me? I could have helped or lessened your burden in some way. I would never have been as lazy as I was before if I knew.”
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Nell: “I didn’t want to further burden you. I assume that’s the same reason why you didn’t tell me.”
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Nao: “*Nod*”
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Nell: “We both made mistakes Nao. If we were more truthfully with each other then maybe we could have avoided this.”
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445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtkIhcuNJ38
Mom bows her head and I try desperately to stop her but she insisted.
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Nell: “I’m sorry for keeping this from you.”
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Nao: “Mom I…”
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I bow myself. As best I can in my situation.
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Nao: “I’m sorry too, for everything I’ve done and kept secret.”
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445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxqrRsSMIfS
We both bought our heads back and accepted the other’s apology.
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445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTHG1ClAAiR
Nell: “No matter what happens, we’ll be truthful and rely on each other more from now on. Promise me.”
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Nao: “I-”
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Nell: “Promise me.”
445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDZmux6rmlE
445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCVMxGLZQEO
Nao: “…Okay. I’ll tell you everything.”
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445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj3OokycoqN
Arc: “What are you doing?”
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445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgU7KYJccrS
You said we need more allies and the one person who’s been an ally to me all my life is right here. I never should have kept this a secret.
445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmbO9NL4lAR
445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv7DbOTO3Jt
Arc: “I don’t thin-”
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Nao: “Mom, I have something to show you. Can you draw the curtain?”
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Nell: “O-Okay.”
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445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCpUlVrftng
*Curtains close*
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Once she sat down I transformed the necklace into a book with a flash of light. I used minor illusion to be on the same show I did in front of the Black Listers.
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445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwI3QJhZhpM
Nao: “Mom, I’m a mage.”
445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSJTWbbXULv
445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKIhww1PAiF
I told her everything and this time I mean everything. I watched her eyes start with wonder and end with horror. The one thing I wanted to keep through all have this, is torn away right in front of me. And it’s done by my own hands.
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445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdKB5ovvJ2q
Nell: “I…need some time.”
445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKUY27SUF4u
445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAr3WfbOHBl
Mom leaves through the curtain and leaves me truly alone.
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445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1qynCRIcB6
Arc: “I tried to warn you. Now with your damaged mental state, you’ll be weaker going forward.”
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445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKN6PekXgD1
I tuned Arc out and sunk deeper into my bed. The harsh light bare down on me, burning away any comfort left.
445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhOKNEXuYol
445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7yYKmMAWnp
Time moved fast after that. After I was healed enough I was taken back home by mom. I assume the others went home in a similar way. When I got back home, it was colder. No one said a word as they went into their room.
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445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQDnh3ogVpy
In my own room, I just laid in bed staring at my ceiling. I was too bruised, tired, and depressed to work. Despite Arc’s protests, I refused to meditate or work out.
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445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpRXMzdDWs9
I just wanted to sleep it all away.
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*Ring*445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs9YMzNb1qa
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I turn my head to my phone on the desk. I consider ignoring it but I remember that there’s only 1 person that would call me.
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445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg7sedTW574
I sigh and transform my head into Alphon.
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445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ81A7Q5B4ya
Alyson: “Hey Alphon, I know this is sudden but would you like to come over?”
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…Are you serious?
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Nao: “S-Sure, what’s wrong?”
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Alyson: “I just…need some company. A lot happened today.”
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I can understand that, I suppose this can take my mind off of everything.
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445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡopJfoh765U
Nao: “Happy to help
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Alyson: “Thanks, I’ll send over my address. Knock and I’ll come get you.”
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Nao: “Cool, I’ll be there in 20 minutes.”
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Alyson: “Thanks…it’s nice to know your voice.”
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Nao: “…Same.”
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445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3fR8ug0ydT
I hang up and prepare myself for Alyson. Transforming, clothes, washing up, healing wounds, and mental prep.
445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDGRuEuYS6L
445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4dBhaesdUL
20 minutes from now, we’ll use each other to forget our problems. I have no problem with that.445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsT64Ap0uyo
