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.267Please respect copyright.PENANA8ENgtLmHw7
267Please respect copyright.PENANAD7Hq4vIVZe
“Ya look like a sorry sort. More like a midget than a kid.”267Please respect copyright.PENANAjBYSBW2dtY
267Please respect copyright.PENANA4dWsUJ61UE
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.267Please respect copyright.PENANAjTW9Ygdg43
267Please respect copyright.PENANAdJN8OTc5ET
Besides, I had a verbal jab I needed to address.267Please respect copyright.PENANAUetgKQQXnE
267Please respect copyright.PENANAF8b4L5sxpc
“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.”267Please respect copyright.PENANAen2AS3rACx
267Please respect copyright.PENANAQKmfTU8QUc
“Y’know, that ain’t a bad idea.”267Please respect copyright.PENANAaQ3ulSkDlK
267Please respect copyright.PENANALdSCv9EKst
He did just as I suggested, laboriously lifting his laden helmet and setting it aside. 267Please respect copyright.PENANA8eVppZ4199
267Please respect copyright.PENANAOvVfkfbyft
“Well?”267Please respect copyright.PENANAXdFOCpwqFJ
267Please respect copyright.PENANAiQgWP8a1ak
“...It’s about what I expected. At least your facial hair looks clean.”267Please respect copyright.PENANAtrl97RkoFm
267Please respect copyright.PENANAVDVNjfdPtD
“Really? That thing’s messy all the time.”267Please respect copyright.PENANAfvk14EpMW8
267Please respect copyright.PENANAZAXlPQqFog
“Maybe exertion has a reverse effect. I’ve heard of things like that happening.”267Please respect copyright.PENANAlk0LmImpqe
267Please respect copyright.PENANABmRDbzdEi1
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.267Please respect copyright.PENANAeBOq5cPHIz
267Please respect copyright.PENANAZbpnEzAfkh
“I’m surprised either of us are still standing here. I didn’t even bleed from that fight.”267Please respect copyright.PENANAfUrZoHrhYQ
267Please respect copyright.PENANA2MQM0N7P6q
“I ain't bleedin’ either. But that bastard scratched my helmet. ‘Least he didn’t dent it.”267Please respect copyright.PENANADScYzbV0AC
267Please respect copyright.PENANA6vd0zvSZ4h
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.267Please respect copyright.PENANAQKwOR0i3gm
267Please respect copyright.PENANA0vkZJvYdyI
“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…”267Please respect copyright.PENANAiG5wWgI2UI
267Please respect copyright.PENANAe2ibXXt4cF
I tried to empathize with him, but my state inclined me to be backhanded.267Please respect copyright.PENANALD3B01qYph
267Please respect copyright.PENANAZlQBdhGqW2
“You only have yourself to blame. You and I could’ve left if we stopped caring about the letter.”267Please respect copyright.PENANAhFeYkqD0Hf
267Please respect copyright.PENANAr01a0K7QzP
He sighed and shrugged. That gesture indicated that he heard my point, but he still had a retort.267Please respect copyright.PENANA7vhzaKBUpp
267Please respect copyright.PENANA6mF4W87yU9
“C’mon, kid. We agreed on somethin’ back in that alleyway. ‘Specially in times like these, ya gotta keep yer word.”267Please respect copyright.PENANAHtbDpeDJd2
267Please respect copyright.PENANAGJP6HKkiDF
“...Yeah.”267Please respect copyright.PENANAVMr8uLmIRk
267Please respect copyright.PENANAeuLp4G8WLp
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–267Please respect copyright.PENANAdQJkA97oNQ
267Please respect copyright.PENANAVt6HpcfLPF
“It’s so stupid. I don’t like any of it”267Please respect copyright.PENANAaUCXZFXlEE
267Please respect copyright.PENANAD1x2VjZjke
“I ain’t liking any of this either.”267Please respect copyright.PENANAl8RFAt7lpB
267Please respect copyright.PENANAUIvTLuragt
“I know! I know you aren’t; you’d be a maniac if you did. But still”267Please respect copyright.PENANAAekNv6SaMY
267Please respect copyright.PENANAmqYvpxOHJl
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.267Please respect copyright.PENANAINDjW9h0EG
267Please respect copyright.PENANAYXLRlNSBYS
“I’ll tell ya what, though. I wanted no part of fighting for this damn Pillar.”267Please respect copyright.PENANA6YadjvxZ04
267Please respect copyright.PENANA9iKZo5lPoe
“Y-Yeah. That I agree with.”267Please respect copyright.PENANAnpahv03gw6
267Please respect copyright.PENANAXqjEVXEoqb
“It ain’t amountin’ to anything either, is it?”267Please respect copyright.PENANARkpv9tZhQW
267Please respect copyright.PENANAI2fNg05Sbu
“...?”267Please respect copyright.PENANAd7mwAWlrhB
267Please respect copyright.PENANASc80nNBXCc
At that, I had to tilt my head.267Please respect copyright.PENANAhXSkIS251M
267Please respect copyright.PENANAw2hEMNcseD
“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.”267Please respect copyright.PENANANFjTO8RMgT
267Please respect copyright.PENANArscUtIJ3fq
“...I guess yer right. But it doesn’t feel like it.”267Please respect copyright.PENANARGJ49zv49e
267Please respect copyright.PENANAsGTlN0Un4N
He adjusted his posture a little, rolling his shoulders and releasing a lengthy sigh.267Please respect copyright.PENANAMn3lGxjxAT
267Please respect copyright.PENANA9FKA08Q7Uc
“Dennis still ain’t here.”267Please respect copyright.PENANAeKDmnKlgPJ
267Please respect copyright.PENANA9n1WVVRo12
“...”267Please respect copyright.PENANAYKtQEBYbOM
267Please respect copyright.PENANA89VcJEFewi
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.267Please respect copyright.PENANA074TgP07ab
267Please respect copyright.PENANAME41a4jtiV
“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–”267Please respect copyright.PENANA03MTI3jDN9
267Please respect copyright.PENANAxa8nTWZ2cN
“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.”267Please respect copyright.PENANASOXPbgHd8X
267Please respect copyright.PENANAwgkxRa1q94
He scooched across the floor and sat with his front facing me, holding both his hands out to help himself explain.267Please respect copyright.PENANAlLVTMq76Te
267Please respect copyright.PENANAP59HIA3R7w
“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’.”267Please respect copyright.PENANAIr1cNujfFT
267Please respect copyright.PENANAsFvMkh1UD0
“--!? W-What!?”267Please respect copyright.PENANA5IR24Gbzff
267Please respect copyright.PENANAKahkoSXjWa
Such an analogy was one thing, but that extreme turn made it seem like a joke.267Please respect copyright.PENANAADVwpVsyvA
267Please respect copyright.PENANASvEBZWSYMp
“Hold on, Kenny. Ya gotta think about it more. Why would any sound man kill themselves cuz they didn’t eat an apple?”267Please respect copyright.PENANAECajDdxYse
267Please respect copyright.PENANABHxTEQDZUl
“...You aren’t pulling my leg, are you?”267Please respect copyright.PENANA6MBcayU4sf
267Please respect copyright.PENANAdou94f9zhA
“Do ya see my hands on ya? Nah, I’m serious, kid.”267Please respect copyright.PENANA51Pyrz5LI6
267Please respect copyright.PENANAMAmKR7tjaH
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. 267Please respect copyright.PENANAYtSqVdw7nV
267Please respect copyright.PENANARzlpX0bsPB
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.267Please respect copyright.PENANAchkRvAMtIl
267Please respect copyright.PENANAvaPAu6G5iM
That didn’t really work either, but the idea of a different Kenneth gave me what I was looking for.267Please respect copyright.PENANA8s9qe4nozu
267Please respect copyright.PENANA8pLyuujesx
“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.”267Please respect copyright.PENANA2Zuff6yCij
267Please respect copyright.PENANAKS3OpHjs2M
Juke nodded along, and I took it as an okay to continue.267Please respect copyright.PENANAxkAb4tX4Jd
267Please respect copyright.PENANAn0hYWpNaeY
“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.267Please respect copyright.PENANA4hVZBD6ysI
267Please respect copyright.PENANAu5ud0ReyRy
“...”267Please respect copyright.PENANAgAQHayaygs
267Please respect copyright.PENANARS6Koq7rfW
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.267Please respect copyright.PENANADaJnYkWXYc
267Please respect copyright.PENANA63MtFrkZXe
“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.”267Please respect copyright.PENANA3Ij5KktI35
267Please respect copyright.PENANAsyhjvULN1F
“I-I see…”267Please respect copyright.PENANAQp42eEaTdB
267Please respect copyright.PENANALpPregCH85
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.267Please respect copyright.PENANAqRgt8YDkwo
267Please respect copyright.PENANA8m9kUWUMWS
“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.”267Please respect copyright.PENANA9Egp9eSSdt
267Please respect copyright.PENANAzxZkm64wDa
“You don’t, ‘get?’”267Please respect copyright.PENANAfXjTZ5W7Cq
267Please respect copyright.PENANAlwTV27mpGP
“Y’know, when–”267Please respect copyright.PENANAFiu5KoNcbX
267Please respect copyright.PENANA4P0USkZmAD
“No no no, I understand you. I do.”267Please respect copyright.PENANAyk5rGb4JYI
267Please respect copyright.PENANAIKdOYApL9b
My muscles loosened a little. I felt awfully warm about the words I would spit.267Please respect copyright.PENANAIggRic5GsL
267Please respect copyright.PENANArAI3luaP4V
“I just know that feeling a little too well sometimes–”267Please respect copyright.PENANAXC22DzP0Q4
267Please respect copyright.PENANANZOVwG0icb
**SLAM**267Please respect copyright.PENANAffTIHs8Y1M
267Please respect copyright.PENANAM7H6GGjDOD
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.267Please respect copyright.PENANAtPQmf7K2LK
267Please respect copyright.PENANAjQxdz885SF
That is until I saw a head peer from the frame.267Please respect copyright.PENANAG01kmhd2Bm
267Please respect copyright.PENANAKeEosmqAzR
“Oh, thank goodness. You two are safe.”267Please respect copyright.PENANAfZXP2o4iKM
267Please respect copyright.PENANAsSF2wrCEjl
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.267Please respect copyright.PENANA1Jc83g3QAy
267Please respect copyright.PENANA5Zz06mSMit
“Phew. For a moment I thought I came at a bad time.”267Please respect copyright.PENANAcZBWZq0b6q
267Please respect copyright.PENANAdaFChCz3MQ
“M-Mister Dean.”267Please respect copyright.PENANAorf6zUTLjg
267Please respect copyright.PENANAT4j2fClK84
I decided to speak up, as the present situation was too absurd for silence.267Please respect copyright.PENANAbLHKTZMip6
267Please respect copyright.PENANAkVK6QRx7aH
“Yes, child?”267Please respect copyright.PENANAV1plTlhJ55
267Please respect copyright.PENANAQQlXUgBjtr
“Uh– well, first of all, are you alright?”267Please respect copyright.PENANAIvdXsIHmG1
267Please respect copyright.PENANACdMALgrvov
“Yes, quite alright. My shoulder is still in pain, but the bleeding stopped long ago. And again, I must thank you for releasing me.”267Please respect copyright.PENANAhwOz9cEF4s
267Please respect copyright.PENANAtJDpCZLINY
“R-Right.”267Please respect copyright.PENANAP3K96dcszU
267Please respect copyright.PENANA09kIvFxPWQ
I couldn’t think of anything else to say, and looking at Juke revealed he was in a similar boat.267Please respect copyright.PENANA95df0RRrLw
267Please respect copyright.PENANAdbZzod50CA
“But, enough about me. I came here bringing good news, and a friendly face.”267Please respect copyright.PENANAwiyVz0l5YV
267Please respect copyright.PENANA9ud4qZ2k4p
“--Please worry not about explaining it, Sir Dean. I wouldn’t want my duty as a leader stolen as such.”267Please respect copyright.PENANAqKFm0zQfS9
267Please respect copyright.PENANAIL79D7JnOU
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.267Please respect copyright.PENANAGAmlMfcUqm
267Please respect copyright.PENANAmnh1PU0tbN
“Hello, you two,” said Lola, “by the looks of things, your side was a complete success.”267Please respect copyright.PENANA6pXTiNv5N1
267Please respect copyright.PENANAyVgUdPPEzB
–
267Please respect copyright.PENANA8vWyTmcsDL
–
267Please respect copyright.PENANAJmoZTkLN3J
–
267Please respect copyright.PENANAINE83W7ppt
With the arrival of Lola came the confirmation I was desperately needing. We had won.267Please respect copyright.PENANAlgycCwjp9S
267Please respect copyright.PENANAsTqSNQJhX0
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.267Please respect copyright.PENANAeVvdHpElmW
267Please respect copyright.PENANA8e7LUdj8ji
“I was afraid of something like this,” the Dean explained, “but I couldn’t halt the mechanisms of this city because of premonition…”267Please respect copyright.PENANA5RVJ1fZ7Fy
267Please respect copyright.PENANA0AdSfMqThV
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.267Please respect copyright.PENANA7D7OTMZGLW
267Please respect copyright.PENANAu6d2zLcDY3
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–267Please respect copyright.PENANAYlkepgSANI
267Please respect copyright.PENANAqrRj8itIyE
“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.”267Please respect copyright.PENANAKe817e5Zzc
267Please respect copyright.PENANAy74GOYSUMz
“Haven’t you explained that already?”267Please respect copyright.PENANAGEa5KgBj01
267Please respect copyright.PENANAqzMoS8PTBj
“Yes, but… there is a slight problem we’ve run into.”267Please respect copyright.PENANAR8UYOVp0ca
267Please respect copyright.PENANAzSVdlwyVCS
“What’s that?”267Please respect copyright.PENANAqq4I2bE1wH
267Please respect copyright.PENANABgIENtrQdU
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.267Please respect copyright.PENANAWPxsFdgjHX
267Please respect copyright.PENANAwKzPwwY1uB
“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.”267Please respect copyright.PENANAqn5vlZw2XM
267Please respect copyright.PENANAetqqLyQDtJ
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:267Please respect copyright.PENANACo0fNvrCGP
267Please respect copyright.PENANAcLAEWRsiGM
“I know I wasn’t asked, but I think making a signal would be effective.”267Please respect copyright.PENANACL8Gpx1xMm
267Please respect copyright.PENANAmwgVtGkdy4
“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.”267Please respect copyright.PENANAoGdN3u099I
267Please respect copyright.PENANAiF0WWoMYCG
“...Ah, so that’s where you’re heading. But how will it be done?”267Please respect copyright.PENANAOLOUDIwElp
267Please respect copyright.PENANA2pYGfQaa6R
A smirk found itself on his face. He turned around and continued leading me.267Please respect copyright.PENANAhjG3DRuHRt
267Please respect copyright.PENANAO26KhMGhH3
“We have our methods. This place has been around too long for it not to.”267Please respect copyright.PENANAAzMV4x2LN1
267Please respect copyright.PENANARSPETwnV2U
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.267Please respect copyright.PENANAVAWvr7pP1R
267Please respect copyright.PENANAPtkONDeUl2
“Oh, goodness. And I was wondering why the office was so small.”267Please respect copyright.PENANA44baoF6dC2
267Please respect copyright.PENANAljhvsnC1oO
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.267Please respect copyright.PENANAw5u7xgScr2
267Please respect copyright.PENANAJ8MEjv76M3
“Here is your answer, Kenny,” Lola said, standing beside a stall. I peeped inside and–267Please respect copyright.PENANAMmy3E4ZKzl
267Please respect copyright.PENANAgh10cAfKvg
“GAH! W-Why is this here?”267Please respect copyright.PENANAkJkYdiqoms
267Please respect copyright.PENANAZBMBJpNkrk
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.267Please respect copyright.PENANABfSmwFcb2h
267Please respect copyright.PENANAw6LMdzr3ur
“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.”267Please respect copyright.PENANAyd4BaDS08C
267Please respect copyright.PENANAfUPOY5U2D5
“I wouldn’t call any curves ‘tight,’ but I guess when you’re as fast as these things, then they can be.” 267Please respect copyright.PENANAKnBgT1svtA
267Please respect copyright.PENANAce5nZzpG4O
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.267Please respect copyright.PENANAl78ggKJrnv
267Please respect copyright.PENANAlNta4TqsTV
“I think it likes you, child.”267Please respect copyright.PENANAMzLi5BTx3k
267Please respect copyright.PENANAU9Pl8t1u9t
“Please, call me Kenneth or Kenny, Mister Dean. And, uh, are you sure– certain?”267Please respect copyright.PENANAb5zyPm09q3
267Please respect copyright.PENANAvGgQUf2joC
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.267Please respect copyright.PENANAvb36BBqecN
267Please respect copyright.PENANAS8YjjB99pQ
And then, it leaned its head down even further and… sniffed my hair.267Please respect copyright.PENANAc527VvFyM9
267Please respect copyright.PENANAmTn2Goqr0W
“Hah?”267Please respect copyright.PENANAN9yC2mJZmw
267Please respect copyright.PENANARTXiUC3WPR
“I hear these animals love ta smell flowers. Ya do have that kind of aroma, so thats why it likes ya.”267Please respect copyright.PENANA74vOZJIs5h
267Please respect copyright.PENANAI1GW5TcKHN
“I… smell like flowers?”267Please respect copyright.PENANAxL7blq7T75
267Please respect copyright.PENANAr2O2fjFfGv
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.267Please respect copyright.PENANAaNplYs3qrl
267Please respect copyright.PENANApe0FHfJbxC
“Why am I just figuring this out !? I don’t smell– well, I don’t think I smell like flowers?”267Please respect copyright.PENANAN67GYg5GIw
267Please respect copyright.PENANAfDNBIJbVW9
I even sniffed my hands and arms to make sure, and nothing of the scent reminded me of flowers.267Please respect copyright.PENANAFv6azK1v8I
267Please respect copyright.PENANAskLPp3L3ZI
“Well, ya get used to the way ya smell to the point ya can’t tell. That’s just how yer nose works.”267Please respect copyright.PENANA287Zp8sZSj
267Please respect copyright.PENANAf8kWhxxKj1
“Really? I didn’t know that…”267Please respect copyright.PENANAsDL9ec6uRZ
267Please respect copyright.PENANAu8km0jJpLg
“Ahem, moving on–”267Please respect copyright.PENANARSCnY8u8Tt
267Please respect copyright.PENANAozEUxxCRog
Dave interjected with a cough. I turned my attention back to him, anticipating his oncoming words.267Please respect copyright.PENANALEjpW7JwuZ
267Please respect copyright.PENANABUxcixCuxC
“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.”267Please respect copyright.PENANAZUrKPJ4qUY
267Please respect copyright.PENANAmLbATELHbM
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:267Please respect copyright.PENANAdzOrUirHlI
267Please respect copyright.PENANAO30nVNKoMc
“May I know why I’m being told this?”267Please respect copyright.PENANAyLQCeAwyY1
267Please respect copyright.PENANAyT6V3Mt4D8
“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?”267Please respect copyright.PENANAxxuFGPWfty
267Please respect copyright.PENANAuvcEW9u0cb
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.267Please respect copyright.PENANAkzshNb2Y6v
267Please respect copyright.PENANAOaETn1VsW3
“But if you need to know why,” she continued, “it’s because we need your help in facilitating it.”267Please respect copyright.PENANAH1N7ykcN4K
267Please respect copyright.PENANAuWngjFgtP5
“My help, you say…”267Please respect copyright.PENANAI1MSpkbHmw
267Please respect copyright.PENANAsXELvhPILU
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.267Please respect copyright.PENANA5KaL6Sac3r
267Please respect copyright.PENANA7bbtif6q7l
“I’ve heard that you’re a prolific, experienced alchemist. At such a young age too no less–”267Please respect copyright.PENANAJoSBSF2P5A
267Please respect copyright.PENANApqOkcratAB
“Please, don’t mention it. I don’t want my achievements embellished, especially because of something like age.”267Please respect copyright.PENANALVZE8A4IgJ
267Please respect copyright.PENANALd66UnnKsw
“--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?”267Please respect copyright.PENANARWgN0MRXcP
267Please respect copyright.PENANAXqY1m1bHHJ
“...Energizing potions?”267Please respect copyright.PENANAez5hYXvxN3
267Please respect copyright.PENANA0BSgtyDS7i
I knew how to do that, naturally, but Lola was off the mark somewhat.267Please respect copyright.PENANA91W1uTfTwO
267Please respect copyright.PENANAuU5UhRPjPD
“Wouldn’t endurance be more useful? When you’re running both a marathon and a race, just finishing it is most important.”267Please respect copyright.PENANAkV8BfqFM80
267Please respect copyright.PENANAPyPObJcOzB
Lola had her eyes wide and her head slowly nodding.267Please respect copyright.PENANAv0KYL1PcE5
267Please respect copyright.PENANAGYnZSjlk3V
“You’re correct. Do you think you can do it?”267Please respect copyright.PENANAqHUEtHPdV9
267Please respect copyright.PENANASJcZFk0m78
“I definitely can. I can use some of the empty flasks in my bag. That is, if they aren’t broken.”267Please respect copyright.PENANArwe06IKEHR
267Please respect copyright.PENANA05BktOKvkO
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.267Please respect copyright.PENANAVimZ0J9RHY
267Please respect copyright.PENANADW0ljSvTJN
“T-There’re few good ones. One’s unopen, so ya can juts pour it out if ya hafta.”267Please respect copyright.PENANA8CkdsWmSxu
267Please respect copyright.PENANAaKWdEm9jwW
“Phew. That’s good. The potency wouldn’t be right if I was just using random cups.”267Please respect copyright.PENANAE29SmYhMdW
267Please respect copyright.PENANATLVkVVkOLg
I turned around and marched to the exit of the room. I stopped myself before leaving, because I noticed only my footsteps were echoing.267Please respect copyright.PENANABk7i7zsiZE
267Please respect copyright.PENANAwcoJQrYdgB
“Is something wrong?”267Please respect copyright.PENANAqMrqrnIhgd
267Please respect copyright.PENANAnkMurOZSy3
Lola and Dave looked at eachother. For being such well-spoken people, it was strange for them to fail finding the words. 267Please respect copyright.PENANAJX65EofGQR
267Please respect copyright.PENANACrE6NzgUvP
“Well, kid–”267Please respect copyright.PENANAem60LCSoyD
267Please respect copyright.PENANAKU20CoOq9L
Then Juke suddenly spoke out, and I diverted my attention to him.267Please respect copyright.PENANAZwGII1OrHC
267Please respect copyright.PENANAhsREcTZ9iw
“Ya just look a lot more comfortable than I’m used ta.”267Please respect copyright.PENANAIarI784gMC
267Please respect copyright.PENANAsozouV3zK7
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.267Please respect copyright.PENANA7A3J4X5Ial
267Please respect copyright.PENANAY3vywLsamZ
“Comfortable? I haven’t heard that one before.”267Please respect copyright.PENANAFeWZMTCpKC
267Please respect copyright.PENANAhSewmY3aDG
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.267Please respect copyright.PENANAqJsI4iQnEW
267Please respect copyright.PENANA0gtz4MrYcb
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.267Please respect copyright.PENANAqxtzPh4fps
267Please respect copyright.PENANA7XguSNzh2y
“...Comfortable.”267Please respect copyright.PENANAGCR92GzMRe
267Please respect copyright.PENANA6LMM3RJyKL
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.267Please respect copyright.PENANAm1Ea9ZVrls
267Please respect copyright.PENANA49JS53u9Cn
Yeah. When it came to alchemy, comfortable was just right.267Please respect copyright.PENANAns6oATDOCW
267Please respect copyright.PENANARmx1xLZpJ5
–
267Please respect copyright.PENANAa8Uzr9NwCo
–
267Please respect copyright.PENANAbqrdvet5rm
–
267Please respect copyright.PENANAhGXhAq5kOZ
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.267Please respect copyright.PENANALS0bDYpyXp
267Please respect copyright.PENANAs1GEVdQJGJ
Scratch that, I missed it even as I did it. 267Please respect copyright.PENANAACa4UnphRv
267Please respect copyright.PENANAxU6W5b5Jno
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.267Please respect copyright.PENANADzHdEmmj0W
267Please respect copyright.PENANA1xe11grYqf
“...A little bit here.”267Please respect copyright.PENANAO4CEJAMUtk
267Please respect copyright.PENANAuNHsyMWubq
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. 267Please respect copyright.PENANAhqlXVApqwg
267Please respect copyright.PENANAmx06t8Xo69
And it wasn’t until near completion that I realized what it was.267Please respect copyright.PENANAZGHMurrWfd
267Please respect copyright.PENANAAMCNYWq24t
“Of course. Goodness, how could I forget the most important part?”267Please respect copyright.PENANA01V7h2sXvu
267Please respect copyright.PENANAejjGX4mqD1
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.267Please respect copyright.PENANAxo1VNWPLjy
267Please respect copyright.PENANA6bP761VpBp
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.267Please respect copyright.PENANAYjImawIwSL
267Please respect copyright.PENANAeZnpmwfzTp
“No time to waste, though.”267Please respect copyright.PENANAUWAp80xNon
267Please respect copyright.PENANAYgWWMBqpKl
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.267Please respect copyright.PENANA5VFXq4Ohxj
267Please respect copyright.PENANAfjwQe6Krol
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.267Please respect copyright.PENANADzwfCciWrg
267Please respect copyright.PENANAvaedyP1SqG
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.267Please respect copyright.PENANAiatRiXxuu1
267Please respect copyright.PENANAXx4fZMDJuv
“...Crap.”267Please respect copyright.PENANAF8jwDIDhoA
267Please respect copyright.PENANA37dsKBpTmt
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.267Please respect copyright.PENANAFx6G9DBvTN
267Please respect copyright.PENANAMHWdXEPKb6
“Is there something you’re lookin’ for?”267Please respect copyright.PENANAYkjgZPJfED
267Please respect copyright.PENANAMqSsF0vrZj
Who was essentially the lunch lady noticed my plight.267Please respect copyright.PENANAHPz8a5NYBT
267Please respect copyright.PENANAvnrX7hejqB
“Yes. Um, do you happen to have anything with fat on it? And I mean raw fat.”267Please respect copyright.PENANAMxesU3f4I6
267Please respect copyright.PENANAqUkVmrUBWb
“Fat? Fat, hmm… well, there might be some in the trash.”267Please respect copyright.PENANAUxTs0jepdg
267Please respect copyright.PENANAyaHGftorqy
“Excuse me? Oh, sorry. Can I ask where the trash is?”267Please respect copyright.PENANAAaSeGQRlrq
267Please respect copyright.PENANAVyBbiZjsPG
“You sure can. It’s in one of those buckets right there.”267Please respect copyright.PENANATtCvuJDF1d
267Please respect copyright.PENANAUvJAGOc3kd
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.267Please respect copyright.PENANAP5esSHnWB0
267Please respect copyright.PENANA1wy7odSiOD
“M-May I ask, what kind of fat is in those?”267Please respect copyright.PENANAeydOj30Rs1
267Please respect copyright.PENANA16TXrEQjTE
And she responded with confirmation of my immediate fears.267Please respect copyright.PENANAq8z4I8vGRn
267Please respect copyright.PENANAJRzE3UbUQG
“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?”267Please respect copyright.PENANA7Y0t3iNIME
267Please respect copyright.PENANAc4Qifo9QTt
“Crazy indeed, ma’am.”267Please respect copyright.PENANAcwY90NtHNk
267Please respect copyright.PENANAHR4pG7JyMs
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.267Please respect copyright.PENANADYACQf0P4c
267Please respect copyright.PENANAuPjRq2fRT3
“Mind if I ask what you need fat for?”267Please respect copyright.PENANAqhh2z8FHHB
267Please respect copyright.PENANAB696lXJzsS
“Oh, yes. It’s for a potion I’m making, you see–”267Please respect copyright.PENANAb1hIWcDV3E
267Please respect copyright.PENANAVVzElTiN2Y
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.267Please respect copyright.PENANAncOXf4pz2F
267Please respect copyright.PENANAqZ6RzGZEym
“N-Nigel!?”267Please respect copyright.PENANAKAnG9kkNDd
267Please respect copyright.PENANAccXGz0gR2F
“Correct! I’m honored that you remember me. It’s swell to see you in good health, Kenny.”267Please respect copyright.PENANAFy1ku7xNuw
267Please respect copyright.PENANAJgAPFnACZp
“Y-You as well. Also, please, don’t sneak up on me like that.”267Please respect copyright.PENANA2cb0yDIZra
267Please respect copyright.PENANA6uORkWZg1y
He lightly shrugged in response. I clicked my tongue at his insouciant attitude but dropped my grudge quickly.267Please respect copyright.PENANAcnVhgwlPG9
267Please respect copyright.PENANA2sSGTzlH1j
“It’s good to see you healthy as well, Nigel. How was your time at the battle?”267Please respect copyright.PENANAamFieLR1U2
267Please respect copyright.PENANAGZlNl5WmBl
“Ah… well, first, let me offer you a hand.”267Please respect copyright.PENANAgjQH8moqJr
267Please respect copyright.PENANA7mY4El5mtA
“A hand,” I asked, confused as to what he insinuated.267Please respect copyright.PENANA5V688n0wT3
267Please respect copyright.PENANAxvpaRzMYSE
“You said you need fat for your potion, and I just so happen to have a knife.”267Please respect copyright.PENANATm7XGttpBb
267Please respect copyright.PENANA4vWcEKhNHX
He pulled the knife in question out of its sheath and headed towards the buckets, but not before tossing me something.267Please respect copyright.PENANANublMkMmA2
267Please respect copyright.PENANAmHyD0k8IDG
“Is this… a clamper?”267Please respect copyright.PENANAYQCD5QEvGF
267Please respect copyright.PENANAL5W9UiLN8C
“It is. I’m sure you know to put it over your nose, right? Anyway, let’s chat while we work.”267Please respect copyright.PENANAiBe77EkOUC
267Please respect copyright.PENANAGFTFZ57eYa
–
267Please respect copyright.PENANALfEcVKPp8t
–
267Please respect copyright.PENANAXbogdCNDxC
–
267Please respect copyright.PENANACwyW5KLAqH
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.
267Please respect copyright.PENANAEVAQ5Cp3O0
“So,” Nigel started as he made his cuts, “what is it that you asked me?”267Please respect copyright.PENANA4OloqLHlMO
267Please respect copyright.PENANA0DaIcQ0FTq
“That I asked you?”267Please respect copyright.PENANAhaW7fwL62U
267Please respect copyright.PENANAnX3ifDkPKZ
I thought about it, and it seemed to have slipped even my mind, but I remembered my earlier inquiry quickly.267Please respect copyright.PENANA85nGLZ1JHG
267Please respect copyright.PENANAA67gL0CXtH
“Right. It was about the battle. How was it? I mean, I know it was rough for everyone, but…”267Please respect copyright.PENANA02F1MirlyO
267Please respect copyright.PENANAs237OIpsMn
“Yeah, I know what you mean. I might as well tell you.”267Please respect copyright.PENANAKQwA3BO9Yn
267Please respect copyright.PENANAQFV6U4c8WP
He stopped rotating the meat on his knife and looked down at it.267Please respect copyright.PENANA7mt2XT0ND7
267Please respect copyright.PENANAqHPxAzTwSM
“...Was it, did you lose your friend?”267Please respect copyright.PENANAMSuu4bUJ4p
267Please respect copyright.PENANAM3uLJP6uV4
He jolted when I asked, raising his head with widened eyes.267Please respect copyright.PENANA0NjxRrlLGa
267Please respect copyright.PENANA2Tcw7b7lEc
“How did you–”267Please respect copyright.PENANAHWwEEDPZ7G
267Please respect copyright.PENANAVGwSvOj8gr
“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.”267Please respect copyright.PENANApBalY93k2l
267Please respect copyright.PENANAATC6xGW12b
“...Hah. You’re a sharp boy with a keen eye.” 267Please respect copyright.PENANAA0YjJwDxWR
267Please respect copyright.PENANABM19bmJ5kr
He continued cutting as he spoke.267Please respect copyright.PENANAwZt2Se6yMI
267Please respect copyright.PENANAA4t2YaW5um
“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.”267Please respect copyright.PENANAcHe1YoMhbS
267Please respect copyright.PENANAIB0NzVIIxS
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.267Please respect copyright.PENANAC30co8eGeS
267Please respect copyright.PENANAyoTk6L7UPV
“I’m, so sorry to hear that. He must’ve been a good friend.”267Please respect copyright.PENANASodKf2C0NG
267Please respect copyright.PENANA5r1SwZNzhU
“...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.”267Please respect copyright.PENANARplvWeCRl0
267Please respect copyright.PENANA0KcN9SMyaG
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.267Please respect copyright.PENANAeRfF5kdxJM
267Please respect copyright.PENANAE452AsXLtY
“You saw me at a bad time, truly. Sorry, I’ll continue helping.”267Please respect copyright.PENANAFvVemdTtMV
267Please respect copyright.PENANAInOxOf4iUW
“Don’t… don’t you worry about it.”267Please respect copyright.PENANAqgeKk3EW1X
267Please respect copyright.PENANA8tWt3SNwaF
“Enough about me. Tell me, how was it on your end?”267Please respect copyright.PENANAeU4r8kVvrR
267Please respect copyright.PENANAvgtvNW4FYi
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:267Please respect copyright.PENANA0ffWjdJsTm
267Please respect copyright.PENANAzEZBlBOLc7
“Is that really something you want to hear? Are all crowd members like this, just talking about unpleasant fights?”267Please respect copyright.PENANAbIBbMwW1ze
267Please respect copyright.PENANAy5dRwsSGpd
“That’s not fair of you. You asked first, right?”267Please respect copyright.PENANAfqnP1fcCZo
267Please respect copyright.PENANAYz7aT80EHv
“I… darn it, you got me there.”267Please respect copyright.PENANAVp0AuVxI6g
267Please respect copyright.PENANAMjlM0kpBMN
I continued peeling and let my mouth run.267Please respect copyright.PENANAB7tJn78GqR
267Please respect copyright.PENANAJKG2fkTqCf
“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.”267Please respect copyright.PENANA33ZxVI9hNl
267Please respect copyright.PENANAooWXjRjIxK
Though my right hand would be painfully sore in the morning.267Please respect copyright.PENANAfrcjwfeU2X
267Please respect copyright.PENANAGCFIqc73Gs
“Excellent to hear. You must be a proficient fighter for it to have gone so well.”267Please respect copyright.PENANAtxFMNOWv2i
267Please respect copyright.PENANAphSoKAHvtW
“Not really. I’m just somewhat competent with magic, and my partner had an incredibly useful endowment. We got lucky, that’s all.”267Please respect copyright.PENANA3rjkSvfrsl
267Please respect copyright.PENANARU1j7z5Q0R
“I don’t know about that, Kenny.”267Please respect copyright.PENANAwb9V4tQm9p
267Please respect copyright.PENANAre0vZU5GJL
I looked at him with pursed lips.267Please respect copyright.PENANAvp48trXxVN
267Please respect copyright.PENANAe1ozoUIGJk
“Why not?”267Please respect copyright.PENANAY9TWJzhNsB
267Please respect copyright.PENANAAfEanawwyu
“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.”267Please respect copyright.PENANA5sX6N2Z6ij
267Please respect copyright.PENANAvfaUx3mpo8
“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.”267Please respect copyright.PENANAR8hhzfgVM3
267Please respect copyright.PENANAs18vFD60ru
He raised and wagged his finger, going “tsk tsk” with his lips.267Please respect copyright.PENANArQUBd5k6tv
267Please respect copyright.PENANAixg8mEWJiI
“And who is it that managed to beat that enemy in the first place?”267Please respect copyright.PENANAHZ41CKlt6S
267Please respect copyright.PENANAlA1XxpYlyF
“--!”267Please respect copyright.PENANAHoE5RfyYev
267Please respect copyright.PENANAgT7RQRdIAM
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. 267Please respect copyright.PENANAUjiLdYT7RD
267Please respect copyright.PENANAnI3yR5igUP
“Did anything else happen?”267Please respect copyright.PENANAKcNjErGajp
267Please respect copyright.PENANACU7MBM2OhD
“Anything else? Well… Oh!”267Please respect copyright.PENANANMMzvFoa9x
I perked up and yelled all a sudden, startling Nigel and making him ask “What?”267Please respect copyright.PENANA2d357VqLQD
267Please respect copyright.PENANAklBSY5X7y3
“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.”267Please respect copyright.PENANAghpRTDkDSQ
267Please respect copyright.PENANAXYBBMUhPZf
“Some information? Would you like me to relay it while you make the potion?”267Please respect copyright.PENANAB59qeWAc76
267Please respect copyright.PENANAkcIQfQdFJf
“Uh…”267Please respect copyright.PENANAtsRwZisK77
267Please respect copyright.PENANA8rqQeYRcen
I hesitated, but when I realized how silly that was, I spoke.267Please respect copyright.PENANAwREUYQumaF
267Please respect copyright.PENANAkS1yjX7cBU
“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.”267Please respect copyright.PENANAtRYAIzkoOI
267Please respect copyright.PENANAWKN1KOAWcU
“...That is quite a concern. It means we need to confirm all our kills as well.”267Please respect copyright.PENANAKOgg9JL0RH
267Please respect copyright.PENANA3Ck60TDbTB
My face retracted and my eyes widened, shocked by our utter differences in derivatives from the information.267Please respect copyright.PENANAKdM18ZKQc2
267Please respect copyright.PENANAQ0pLXktFis
“Being together with just Juke must’ve been irritating.”267Please respect copyright.PENANAOdYwFiY0X3
267Please respect copyright.PENANAorFbjcNEem
“Hm? Why’s that? We were split into pairs, weren’t we?”267Please respect copyright.PENANA644K67zZaL
267Please respect copyright.PENANANTobqWC9lW
He tilted his head and raised his brow, which made me inclined to do the same.267Please respect copyright.PENANAr5s9yelmhc
267Please respect copyright.PENANA81uWSD52Po
“That’s precisely it. It was just you and Juke, meaning that you couldn’t work with your other partner, Rover, right?”267Please respect copyright.PENANAmqyTSgRBPM
267Please respect copyright.PENANASnZeGVSV1q
“...O-Oh.”267Please respect copyright.PENANAr4ST3KzxuN
267Please respect copyright.PENANAE7Sp7JHBo5
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.267Please respect copyright.PENANAjbp1pXSsfL
267Please respect copyright.PENANAAH54dcxpJD
“See, Rover and I– and Juke, I suppose –we had a falling out. She’s been evasivefor the most part, and we’re likewise.”267Please respect copyright.PENANANteMQGsMVw
267Please respect copyright.PENANA6kDarEWsK4
“I see… she’s been avoiding you? That makes a lot of sense.”267Please respect copyright.PENANA0OPB6qjmUN
267Please respect copyright.PENANAwNyJsCYUYY
I tilted my head at his assessment, as I couldn’t imagine how such a conclusion could be drawn.267Please respect copyright.PENANAntG9OTTq7s
267Please respect copyright.PENANA7XDIGDkNbd
“Make sense? How?”267Please respect copyright.PENANAm3infFwf3y
267Please respect copyright.PENANA1o8T3gNAdh
He adjusted his sitting posture by slacking his muscles and raising his legs, holding his arms over his knees.267Please respect copyright.PENANAEA7STZTBKN
267Please respect copyright.PENANAbJD1UKXFXK
“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–”267Please respect copyright.PENANARxA7JddUnB
267Please respect copyright.PENANADEDPzer57j
“Ah, so you were her partner? I figured.”267Please respect copyright.PENANABoBX6nDPma
267Please respect copyright.PENANAM273lWgKaA
Nigel looked surprised as I finished his retelling for him. I could tell he needed elaboration, so I handed it.267Please respect copyright.PENANAheaTeIWYqF
267Please respect copyright.PENANACzvg0M7tcq
“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.”267Please respect copyright.PENANAKkYuh62wv1
267Please respect copyright.PENANANmOihUFcLh
“So she still fought alone, eh?”267Please respect copyright.PENANALXBALPuqvP
267Please respect copyright.PENANAHRDvamCJWq
“...Yeah. She did. I heard she’s alive, though. I’m relieved.”267Please respect copyright.PENANAzDWirJlBcd
267Please respect copyright.PENANAoyPrI0ouig
“Relieved? How come?”267Please respect copyright.PENANAFvxBg56O9q
267Please respect copyright.PENANAbQzG6kNCwo
I jumped at his stupid question, contorting my face as if it offended me.267Please respect copyright.PENANAChtTH15fL4
267Please respect copyright.PENANALoQKtuC2iT
“You just said you fought. Ah, who am I kidding, I know what it is.”267Please respect copyright.PENANAWaRDmQ42cG
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He pulled his arms closer to his chest and continued peeling.267Please respect copyright.PENANAk0ngZA5ByG
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“You’re probably good friends with her.”267Please respect copyright.PENANARU9lUw7NW9
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“F-Friends? W-Well, I don’t know about–”267Please respect copyright.PENANAM94KQigbMA
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“You’re friends, man. Don’t kid yourself. You wouldn’t have given her that check if you weren’t.”267Please respect copyright.PENANAVcg20YbmkN
267Please respect copyright.PENANApYxlL0eVmK
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.267Please respect copyright.PENANALO6Vl7OjQz
267Please respect copyright.PENANAYWU5ujDko6
“I hear she’s hurt,” Nigel continued, snapping me out of my trance, “Hurt very badly.”267Please respect copyright.PENANA9KRqQ172PK
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“H-Hurt? What happened?”267Please respect copyright.PENANAI4YPI9malU
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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.”267Please respect copyright.PENANAT01rpWsPTt
267Please respect copyright.PENANAL9vxRB2He4
“That’s– that’s good to hear.”267Please respect copyright.PENANAPJowzR3JCV
267Please respect copyright.PENANA5PAOGJUcuD
“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.”267Please respect copyright.PENANAuTdbeqv8tK
267Please respect copyright.PENANAVUft260gvC
A moment later, he put down his knife and slapped a gelatinous mass of yellow onto the floor before me.267Please respect copyright.PENANA8LXTJCXpHt
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“Here’s all the fat I could get. Take this and make your potion, then give her a patch-up.”267Please respect copyright.PENANARDItr7TYwX
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“A patch-up… you mean, a healing potion?”267Please respect copyright.PENANAc4DMp3oiBv
267Please respect copyright.PENANA6KT01JoxSX
He shrugged.267Please respect copyright.PENANAUOKI5vuZEF
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“I’m not the alchemist, am I?”267Please respect copyright.PENANAqPrRKLfg4A
267Please respect copyright.PENANAJEv5AwdRpK
“...Yeah. Yeah, you aren’t.”267Please respect copyright.PENANAjrTox8DDW2
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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.267Please respect copyright.PENANABCcZidWdXQ
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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.267Please respect copyright.PENANAqbpuBBHmIr
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“Thank you, Nigel. Your help was invaluable.”267Please respect copyright.PENANAJYgUb5shU9
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“I told you, didn’t I? It’s my pleasure to be a good role model.”267Please respect copyright.PENANAwdUc7rW7BZ
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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. 267Please respect copyright.PENANAAreRTKB7pX
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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.267Please respect copyright.PENANA63G90gs0zQ
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–
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“...Role model.”267Please respect copyright.PENANARRfd69WnKQ
267Please respect copyright.PENANAPihkWlL54W
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.267Please respect copyright.PENANA12nazYUSA4
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“Who am I kidding, of course he noticed.”267Please respect copyright.PENANAquMzYjnSEV
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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.267Please respect copyright.PENANAiY3ffClODC
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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.”267Please respect copyright.PENANAA8CfpyN3Fa
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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.267Please respect copyright.PENANAwSa62v0yVW
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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.”267Please respect copyright.PENANAVPivG6U6eF
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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.267Please respect copyright.PENANAIb60mHRl07
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“...Not even my hands? Had to go straight for my legs?”267Please respect copyright.PENANAFhCTiNjYW5
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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.