Chapter Theme Music: Karliene ~ Elven World ~ (Nature Angels)136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGsnOZalp0t
<09/03/2011 - 14:05 | Dairy Queen, Marietta, GA, USA>
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About a month passed since I started back up in school again. I was more or less right in my predictions for what September would bring in terms of average temperatures; isolated nights of upper fifties scattered throughout the periods. I didn't get very much time with Lumina for that reason, but ever since we reunited again, my heart has given me a new source of power, of hope and faith that everything will get better as the next winter draws near.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVAem9aTFx4
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So today was special for me. Even though I decided not to go to my dad's house for the weekend, I was celebrating the moment of a full cold day; a day in which the temperature for telepathy was viable from morning to night with no interruptions. Perhaps it was the fall winds coming in; I only focused on how excited I was to spend another full weekend day with Lumina in tow. With no homework to touch, we aimlessly found random things to do, following my long and distant walk into the nearby town.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwtSohhBXcw
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Since Lumina had been nagging me about her desire to taste the ice cream, I found myself walking into an ice-cream shop without having planned it earlier. As soon as I opened the glass door, bell chimes above us rang on, alerting the staff of another customer.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHximoKcUO4
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"Hello and welcome!" The seller behind the counter was excited as usual, though I could never figure out if he cared this much about his job, or if he was simply paid to act it out.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡymHa5tNtCJ
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I can't deny feeling some extra excitement at what I was doing here. I've been inside of stores and shops before, but normally with one of my parents. Coming here with Lumina when it's just us somehow made everything feel livelier. It's comforting to hang out with her like this. I don't have to passively try hiding her existence, nor do I need to cover up my delays when speaking to people, caused by of my attention on Lumina.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzdB8sU235N
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"Yes!" Lumina cheered with a cute arm dance. "I knew daring you to walk around outside your gated community would play off. I've always wondered what Dairy Queen taste like."136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI3oPE5PtjN
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As if! Lumina's never wondered what Dairy Queen tasted like. She's only saying so now to get me to buy something for her. Since she's still so cute, I can't resist giving in to her implied demands. Without much delay, I placed my order, being the only customer who had not ordered yet. "One vanilla scoop please." Vanilla is all I'm willing to try, since I knew from childhood that I didn't like any other flavors.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRYhvpcGwWT
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"I'm gonna level with you Lumina. I'm not sure if I'll be able to enjoy this. It's been two years since I've had anything that tasted sweet. I don't really like the taste of sugary foods anymore, not since the day I threw up two glazed doughnuts from a Quick Trip. I never understood how or why it happened, but I'll become nauseous again if I have too much of any direct sugar. Maybe that day was my body's way of naturally rejecting it or something."136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2QjsmYLuQP
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"You and your excuses. I should be able to taste the same thing you are tasting, even if you find them to be different. So hook me up!"136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3tAe6SJ5Wo
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"Two dollars please."136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZm6pxKai23
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I've never seen Lumina this excited to try ice cream before. I wanted to tease her about it, since it's the behavior only little kids exhibit, but I don't think she would understand my context anyway. After paying what little saved allowance I had, I finally received the prized cone in hand. I decided to step away from the counter so that I could try enjoying my food in peace. I didn't take a seat, but the seller wasn't looking away from me either, which was a bit creepy. Thank god for the power of private telepathy.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbTijVrmQZs
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"Let's go already! Take a bite! Try a lick!"136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZcC9Eud5Dj
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"Alright already, calm down!" I inhaled strongly before I scooped my tongue into the cream like a shovel, letting the material melt into my mouth for maximum effect. "Hm..." It was going to take a few seconds to know what this even tasted like, since my taste buds sometimes delay what to send out. As soon as I finally registered its flavor, Lumina started reacting to it instantly.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM3REsgFfQE
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"Well it's... It's..."136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ7RrMBdGuK
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"Unpleasant!" Lumina and I both spoke on top of each other, uniting our evaluation of this so called, iced cream! I couldn't help but make a slightly disgusted face from the flavor now stuck in my mouth.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtf4QFSdh5w
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"You know, it's actually rare that you and I would agree on something with the way something tastes. Then again, I wasn't making excuses before. My body has been rejecting foods like this if I eat large enough quantities of it. For that reason, it's changed the very way I smell and taste anything that's supposed to be sweet. Instead, I've been craving more salty or cheesy snacks."136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6DH8HrKJwG
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"Well I don't really like your salty snacks... But this ice cream is nothing to get excited about. Man, that just killed the mood. This whole date is ruined."136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc0CJ3E4fbE
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"Oh, don't get all melodramatic! You can't taste it because this kind of food is so dull and bland. Even I used to like sweet things, but ice cream has always tasted this way, even when I used to be able to eat more of it. It was more like a refreshing cold meal than something for flavor... Still—" I wasn't about to defend the slop inside this scoop either, but if Lumina got her hopes crushed that badly, then it's her fault anyway.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwaV1h4BNVj
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"It's literally as bland as air! No, even the air tastes better than that."136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH8V9VVwl5w
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"Whatever... I think I just lost my appetite." I turned around, tossing my cone aside into the trash while making my way for the exit, and heard the seller complain about something on my way out.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyUuP6lCexc
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"Hey! Don't you like your ice cream?"136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPojtcIdnW3
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I stopped before heading back outside, just so that I could answer the nosey employee. "No. I can always get something better from anywhere else."136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0lPcDWlUjw
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As soon as I walked out without another word, I heard Lumina holding back a laugh. "Wow! You're so mean sometimes. That cone could have meant the world to that guy!"136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAKOpatbyW3
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"Yeah right." I could hear her snicker now as I called her bluff. "It's just ice cream. That guy can go cry about it if he cares that much." With the fresh air and roads around me, I wasn't too disappointed by all of this. The moment felt ever more relaxing that I got to taste something horrible, because I tasted something horrible with Lumina.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRB2cxhIxOO
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"Well now we both know that we don't like ice cream. So, where should we hit next?"136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdlL0Ll77DP
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"You do realize that we're on a walk, right? I can also consider this a date too, but I don't have any more money Lumina. That cone basically just emptied out my allowance from chores already. And without money, we can't just go out to eat at random."136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKrmaNX6HV9
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"Aaaawh! Come on Reed!"136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgjZ2USE3iV
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For a girl who doesn't need to eat, she sure wants me to treat her to all these fancy dinners. "One day, when I have a job, we'll look into it."
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