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.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkIA9n8ikRy
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“Ya look like a sorry sort. More like a midget than a kid.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqqa1c1Tihs
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Juke joined me in my resting. The both of us eyed the door, keeping careful watch for any sudden enemies. It probably wasn’t the best course of action, I realized, as that dean was likely to get in trouble. But he was out of sight, and thus, for the time being, out of mind.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBjd3squ4EG
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Besides, I had a verbal jab I needed to address.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY6eaS4sAN6
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“There are thousands of better ways to say I have a sullen or exhausted face. Take your helmet off; I’m certain you aren’t faring any better.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0zPbn7POhJ
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“Y’know, that ain’t a bad idea.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGpAxS7UEl7
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He did just as I suggested, laboriously lifting his laden helmet and setting it aside. 140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCtMrTBF6jL
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“Well?”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKVE0xf7muF
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“...It’s about what I expected. At least your facial hair looks clean.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7bmwX0rVtY
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“Really? That thing’s messy all the time.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8WMGrYf1Ap
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“Maybe exertion has a reverse effect. I’ve heard of things like that happening.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ5Da4xpc2a
140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡceuqSj9UNA
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.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpZKObiAg3j
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“I’m surprised either of us are still standing here. I didn’t even bleed from that fight.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMb13am4SzO
140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdx9TASQfdg
“I ain't bleedin’ either. But that bastard scratched my helmet. ‘Least he didn’t dent it.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXInvQVwxMD
140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOXb1dD8vuj
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.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhpMHSVHihD
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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…”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡffb3FtYqGJ
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I tried to empathize with him, but my state inclined me to be backhanded.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwMSdUTg1V6
140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ21gzp5NlXN
“You only have yourself to blame. You and I could’ve left if we stopped caring about the letter.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡavqlWmXXQt
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He sighed and shrugged. That gesture indicated that he heard my point, but he still had a retort.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7QLEa73haV
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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.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUGRLYAcJyD
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“...Yeah.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Wnvzows7U
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Though I had my frustrations, he was right. I was convinced, not just by Juke, but by my own distorted feelings to go back and fight. I was as to blame as he was. Still–140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnJ1GnDzWMZ
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“It’s so stupid. I don’t like any of it”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg1UEEe0bUC
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“I ain’t liking any of this either.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOF2PL6S1rp
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“I know! I know you aren’t; you’d be a maniac if you did. But still”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQCUGOsCGW4
140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡudkMfkChLu
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.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsqeX4pVKAY
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“I’ll tell ya what, though. I wanted no part of fighting for this damn Pillar.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV6gNgYjTkt
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“Y-Yeah. That I agree with.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9P2R1cDr8t
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“It ain’t amountin’ to anything either, is it?”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvBrUJrRmHz
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“...?”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrKgxdw4BOn
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At that, I had to tilt my head.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuVKomQzTpE
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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.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6dgAcLG1fm
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“...I guess yer right. But it doesn’t feel like it.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIcB0TExPBT
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He adjusted his posture a little, rolling his shoulders and releasing a lengthy sigh.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDJeuOW1R0s
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“Dennis still ain’t here.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW0Ss2Gh2I6
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“...”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHCzTiTdN98
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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.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiOs7uMvsit
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“I don’t really get it. I mean, I understand wanting to help an acquaintance, but you make it out as if he’s a lifelong friend–”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbB4SvO4yWZ
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“I get what yer sayin’ kid. Ya ain’t entirely wrong, but it’s more complicated than that. I know ya well enough to make it click. Gimme a second.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbUTCKGDoM8
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He scooched across the floor and sat with his front facing me, holding both his hands out to help himself explain.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaFsZUH9qRl
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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’.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5iWDv8GmCG
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“--!? W-What!?”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS8DVWpSwLu
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Such an analogy was one thing, but that extreme turn made it seem like a joke.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfowGU3vEE8
140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9OUMNBsXu0
“Hold on, Kenny. Ya gotta think about it more. Why would any sound man kill themselves cuz they didn’t eat an apple?”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKMyVhZbDpl
140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDnceg73Sz9
“...You aren’t pulling my leg, are you?”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS7daIqsb80
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“Do ya see my hands on ya? Nah, I’m serious, kid.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHLp9GItJv7
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Though I still had my eyebrows raised, I did what was told of me. I pinched my chin and stared at the ceiling, wracking my brain and hoping an answer would fall for me to grab. It didn’t come to me very easily, and I looked at Juke with a slight plea in my eyes. He read it immediately and urged me to keep thinking. 140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXeXa78yQsw
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I sighed. At the same time though, I figured it was a good use of time, and I knew that playing by his rules would make me understand him better. So I ruminated away. I thought of it from Juke’s perspective at first and realized that wouldn’t lead me anywhere. Then I thought about it regarding recent events– aside from the fighting, that argument we had came up, and a shudder from my shoulders urged me to stop that train of thought. Then, taking how he said it would click for me into account, I thought about it as if I was the Kenneth Juke knew.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSSbZRK9KrV
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That didn’t really work either, but the idea of a different Kenneth gave me what I was looking for.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUDrpHz3F5d
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“If you’d kill yourself over an apple… that must mean it has a lot of sentimental value. But it isn’t just a sentiment that makes it that way.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs1tKrYsZKj
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Juke nodded along, and I took it as an okay to continue.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡayNjm5Pd8S
140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF0QRqHHGDH
“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.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFn4eFnprpr
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“...”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWR2IuVuQDP
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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.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQK6yFy18JD
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“Ya ain’t wrong, but I wouldn’t call it a wager. It’s more like a checklist. One that ya just have to fill.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjgHVC9MxlC
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“I-I see…”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIzBgbDGRoP
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My analogy must have gone too off the rails. Or maybe I wasn’t thinking like Juke enough. Either way, the side effect of going on such a thought train made itself prominent. The sparks of my earlier declaration rekindled, and I grew proud– but only slightly –for making it to this top floor.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7m932MDxXp
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“Seein’ Dennis safe n’ sound is one of those checks. I got a few other ones, but they’re too private to tell ya. And others, I don’t really get.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCntg2XaoF8
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“You don’t, ‘get?’”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhYJi9QQoWx
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“Y’know, when–”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJNqfeGSqcf
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“No no no, I understand you. I do.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ4lKq9oav6
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My muscles loosened a little. I felt awfully warm about the words I would spit.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUUiLlIrBPi
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“I just know that feeling a little too well sometimes–”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVnJWasLine
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**SLAM**140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9zunbJr55e
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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.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvG8mboOlj7
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That is until I saw a head peer from the frame.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE2u1LwaQ4W
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“Oh, thank goodness. You two are safe.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhJBQIZbP9H
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The head belonged to the dean of the Pillar. He waltzed in haphazardly taking little steps and checking every inch of the room. When his eyes landed on the Bringer, he squeled for a moment, but quieted down once he noticed all the blood.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTo8zaTsWWT
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“Phew. For a moment I thought I came at a bad time.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOjJUX0U1kD
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“M-Mister Dean.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvNJ85TtiX9
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I decided to speak up, as the present situation was too absurd for silence.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQaFWuP425E
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“Yes, child?”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9spolXCT0R
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“Uh– well, first of all, are you alright?”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ7bNyq2RVN
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“Yes, quite alright. My shoulder is still in pain, but the bleeding stopped long ago. And again, I must thank you for releasing me.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZHRePhMR1j
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“R-Right.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAXBdg0LMa7
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I couldn’t think of anything else to say, and looking at Juke revealed he was in a similar boat.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyGlsmKz3Qx
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“But, enough about me. I came here bringing good news, and a friendly face.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVHZZQAwwxm
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“--Please worry not about explaining it, Sir Dean. I wouldn’t want my duty as a leader stolen as such.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv4YpFj5AQO
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From behind the Dean came a soft voice. A voice of confidence and care, a voice I’ve grown fond of over the past day. And seeing the holder of that voice cross the threshold made me retract my tendril, and put a hand on my chest in relief.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSkTHBNqrs9
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“Hello, you two,” said Lola, “by the looks of things, your side was a complete success.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP14k6Mkim0
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–
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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.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNYZwSlPi8X
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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.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnbJg8tnN9Y
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“I was afraid of something like this,” the Dean explained, “but I couldn’t halt the mechanisms of this city because of premonition…”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmSlSsi3hxJ
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Either way, we had what I was assured was an invaluable asset. I didn’t see how in the moment, but as I was taken to the answer, Lola elucidated me about the status.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3FHfw2z0YU
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A majority of the crowd hunkered town at the top. One floor with wide windows served as an excellent watch tower, and ranged specialists were tasked with observing the parameters. The floors above were converted into restrooms or hospital rooms. A few crowd members ventured to the lower floors to gather all the food and water available, of which there was a grand amount. It made sense, as all of those supplies belonged to the Bringers beforehand. Half a dozen of the healthiest and uninjured watched the first floor and the surrounding city, both defending from infiltrators and–140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ737IZyeNw
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“They’re looking for recruits. If fighters see that we have the most important building under control, they’re more likely to join the effort.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2II935JF1x
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“Haven’t you explained that already?”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEn7RDDZNDi
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“Yes, but… there is a slight problem we’ve run into.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg4TteeUXqZ
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“What’s that?”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnQH7KBavG7
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Lola turned around and crossed her arms. She nudged her head to Dave who was beside her, and with a sigh, he stepped forth and spoke.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmAZL2ofBc6
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“Everything is done in two ways here. Either letters or signals. Old man Jackson was always responsible for the latter. We do not have Jackson anymore, so unless we make a lot of noise, we can only commune with letters.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHJuJQi6mVA
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I realized the implications immediately. Even if fighters were available, everyone was in hiding. Nobody knew the state of the central Pillar, and I doubted that the crowd’s existence was well-known either. But then I remembered the prowling Pars and Dave from yesterday and asked:140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrHnvZmusl6
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“I know I wasn’t asked, but I think making a signal would be effective.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjheli2N3Z3
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“We thought so too. But we don’t want mages to waste their mana on mere fireworks, so we thought of something better. Since Hard-Bringer miraculously hasn’t set the city ablaze, it’s very quiet out.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtYZQxWB6Cd
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“...Ah, so that’s where you’re heading. But how will it be done?”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMiRZPybbGB
140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡltvbw7Krx2
A smirk found itself on his face. He turned around and continued leading me.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKR4jmwxy8N
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“We have our methods. This place has been around too long for it not to.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRWsouihGXr
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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.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYyfr7jxxBT
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“Oh, goodness. And I was wondering why the office was so small.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTdbu5qenez
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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.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBuPNQZoYEL
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“Here is your answer, Kenny,” Lola said, standing beside a stall. I peeped inside and–140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMalwu9m6JV
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“GAH! W-Why is this here?”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZJZL2L4Lws
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A creature resided within the stall. One with reins around its beak, and one with a stature I’ve seen deceased more often than alive. The Communication City’s signature raptor.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPYZkvMpEDX
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“It’s the Dean’s private delivery bird. It’s specially trained to traverse the city walls, as its tight curves and winding streets are difficult for the average one.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjUEfHzai49
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“I wouldn’t call any curves ‘tight,’ but I guess when you’re as fast as these things, then they can be.” 140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡenrfmSSFR0
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The raptor leaned its head over the gated fence, staring at me with wide, occasionally blinking eyes. I didn’t know what to do. I was never in close proximity to one, and I never had one look at me like I was some kind of puzzle.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3kZ8Qmcmlv
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“I think it likes you, child.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGRaJ8TjJzm
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“Please, call me Kenneth or Kenny, Mister Dean. And, uh, are you sure– certain?”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfUFUOgqecT
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The Raptor’s gaze grew more intense. It appeared that he was trying to see into my soul, and I felt like an ant under its wide eyes.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj4X3XLlW52
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And then, it leaned its head down even further and… sniffed my hair.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQrGUw0EwTp
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“Hah?”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6fYeg9Z1ze
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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.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAed9bmmywT
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“I… smell like flowers?”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQcrAIh6G0o
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I looked around the room for an answer, and everybody present nodded simultaneously. I was completely taken aback, more because of the shock than anything else.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLNVG3fUKHC
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“Why am I just figuring this out !? I don’t smell– well, I don’t think I smell like flowers?”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdMsAKVcpRq
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I even sniffed my hands and arms to make sure, and nothing of the scent reminded me of flowers.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQhQMAEFh1F
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“Well, ya get used to the way ya smell to the point ya can’t tell. That’s just how yer nose works.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsMeR1hQN1z
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“Really? I didn’t know that…”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNjGxsvdmuZ
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“Ahem, moving on–”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhsjWzSuaaw
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Dave interjected with a cough. I turned my attention back to him, anticipating his oncoming words.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzpUEEKvwh2
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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.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWT4Ta08vYl
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I understood what he was saying. I even agreed with it. Though shaky, it was a great and efficient plan with the resources we had. What clogged my throat, however, wasn’t the plan itself, but the subtle insinuation of telling me this plan. So, I had to ask:140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDxOlRSCa5C
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“May I know why I’m being told this?”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEBSx5gJBll
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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?”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnHzEzLcAo9
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Lola seized all my worries immediately, causing me to let out a happy sigh. I wasn’t even bothered by her mentioning of me being a child, as I welcomed this discrimination just this once.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1CdHT8dNpe
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“But if you need to know why,” she continued, “it’s because we need your help in facilitating it.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy0ghuRHQ1T
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“My help, you say…”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0aMBGlSQia
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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.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzBQPiQ1F8H
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“I’ve heard that you’re a prolific, experienced alchemist. At such a young age too no less–”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh22gWrwuuz
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“Please, don’t mention it. I don’t want my achievements embellished, especially because of something like age.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMxEQ4nBBuA
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“--Anyhow, your skills are most needed. A single raptor can’t traverse every corner of this city without some help, so I was wondering: do you happen to know how to make energizing potions?”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEMMa7iO0SQ
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“...Energizing potions?”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFeaQuBLO8i
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I knew how to do that, naturally, but Lola was off the mark somewhat.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb5QEIsbZiQ
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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.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnoAFvURw9r
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Lola had her eyes wide and her head slowly nodding.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH9PpGlfq6n
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“You’re correct. Do you think you can do it?”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEu2tdEyHn4
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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.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnkcEMp1u17
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I turned my head at Juke and stoutly narrowed my eyes. He didn’t notice until a few seconds passed, and he jolted when he saw me.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBqDEuhwZQp
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“T-There’re few good ones. One’s unopen, so ya can juts pour it out if ya hafta.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFYUcq1tjIm
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“Phew. That’s good. The potency wouldn’t be right if I was just using random cups.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmASqRAR25m
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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.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqYgto7FWgP
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“Is something wrong?”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3xWapb30Nh
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Lola and Dave looked at eachother. For being such well-spoken people, it was strange for them to fail finding the words. 140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMks5gf9vUS
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“Well, kid–”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj7ycjDfQkD
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Then Juke suddenly spoke out, and I diverted my attention to him.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ72SNyYrU86
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“Ya just look a lot more comfortable than I’m used ta.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmHLlkahmyV
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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.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBK0VvDOWak
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“Comfortable? I haven’t heard that one before.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqFT2mROAnA
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Whether it was good or not, I didn’t care. I had a special duty to perform, and that duty took prescedence. Before leaving the room, I asked Lola where supplies were stored, and once I was told I began moseying through the Dean’s room.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU9NP6B0R3g
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Their perplexed looks didn’t slip by me. I had never seen such a face before, but I knew what it was. I knew it because I’ve made it, albeit a much harsher version. It was the face of a witness to the breaking of boundaries, the erasure of an image of the person one knows. I wasn’t bothered by it– If anything, being looked at that in that way was oddly relieving. But I still couldn’t stand it.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEc38k9oSjw
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“...Comfortable.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqhyATxQe4K
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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.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡphA3tyaWo3
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Yeah. When it came to alchemy, comfortable was just right.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPAf53lvfdL
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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.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2mceK5RcjB
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Scratch that, I missed it even as I did it. 140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs5NX1uad1r
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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.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbZ3t7XeghI
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“...A little bit here.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ53WUtHo8Cr
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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. 140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuUWI8by7oB
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And it wasn’t until near completion that I realized what it was.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCULOcN04W1
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“Of course. Goodness, how could I forget the most important part?”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhO5gMf9v07
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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.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBIcU9mcdyt
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I sighed and rubbed my head. I knew that I didn’t look hard enough, but having to descend to another floor to pick up something I already should have was a complete hassle.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsGM2Cna4G4
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“No time to waste, though.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzmY3AiD8yZ
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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.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0eJDuxHObO
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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.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGRfzXnqlg8
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I walked through, waved at those who waved at me, waltzed to the mock-up kitchen organized by a couple of members, and inspected. Indeed, I found out that I did not figure it out once I got there.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxBsTgZK4qN
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“...Crap.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpsEAlhioEU
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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.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5lndq0uLGr
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“Is there something you’re lookin’ for?”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfrFCd6ycK7
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Who was essentially the lunch lady noticed my plight.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQLHu2l6jUq
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“Yes. Um, do you happen to have anything with fat on it? And I mean raw fat.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvSty41ZAMo
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“Fat? Fat, hmm… well, there might be some in the trash.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvuTscRnq8G
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“Excuse me? Oh, sorry. Can I ask where the trash is?”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Mc1L3bMUA
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“You sure can. It’s in one of those buckets right there.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnoV9lwr7f6
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She pointed with a spoon to the corner of the floor. In that corner, small, lidded buckets were clustered together. They looked to be made of wood. But, those details aside, what I noticed was how nobody was within ten meters of them.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5YOBtLbXjV
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“M-May I ask, what kind of fat is in those?”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8TzrRvxYJn
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And she responded with confirmation of my immediate fears.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYiP4Bw0sCC
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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?”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVpBpLvHvTU
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“Crazy indeed, ma’am.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9E6JkNP1t5
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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.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsoK6TiDk21
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“Mind if I ask what you need fat for?”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgaIWFhhLEo
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“Oh, yes. It’s for a potion I’m making, you see–”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnQGlO2PxM1
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I cut my sentence short because, unlike the feminine voice of the lunch lady, the one I heard had the sound of a gentleman. What’s more, I recognized its timbre.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4VqzZymuhm
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“N-Nigel!?”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaJK4DzJWiW
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“Correct! I’m honored that you remember me. It’s swell to see you in good health, Kenny.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNxFvvWXPBo
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“Y-You as well. Also, please, don’t sneak up on me like that.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKL1WPHy6L0
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He lightly shrugged in response. I clicked my tongue at his insouciant attitude but dropped my grudge quickly.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmwwILz5xP1
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“It’s good to see you healthy as well, Nigel. How was your time at the battle?”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLmniFCgh7U
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“Ah… well, first, let me offer you a hand.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwdmSRLQtfd
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“A hand,” I asked, confused as to what he insinuated.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAArcubqSfx
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“You said you need fat for your potion, and I just so happen to have a knife.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDxn2aFFSqC
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He pulled the knife in question out of its sheath and headed towards the buckets, but not before tossing me something.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxlyWyMS00a
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“Is this… a clamper?”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzXYfKPpJPx
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“It is. I’m sure you know to put it over your nose, right? Anyway, let’s chat while we work.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ94BB8mzM1k
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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.
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“So,” Nigel started as he made his cuts, “what is it that you asked me?”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡamivGzIxI7
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“That I asked you?”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM2Zhg5yFlj
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I thought about it, and it seemed to have slipped even my mind, but I remembered my earlier inquiry quickly.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFSMsCukuJ0
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“Right. It was about the battle. How was it? I mean, I know it was rough for everyone, but…”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPCej7p9EDO
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“Yeah, I know what you mean. I might as well tell you.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHC47vwEpIO
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He stopped rotating the meat on his knife and looked down at it.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWWfFobpMns
140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHmqmRhCstD
“...Was it, did you lose your friend?”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDfBDdqNE5n
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He jolted when I asked, raising his head with widened eyes.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9tRtmx0asX
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“How did you–”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3r3gmDz3Ex
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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.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjUP3Gf1I5h
140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡswGIQZXfk8
“...Hah. You’re a sharp boy with a keen eye.” 140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxZZgaWQjwA
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He continued cutting as he spoke.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwTFV5xjfWV
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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.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNMDli52o1R
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He looked at his hand. I stopped my own cutting, and my limbs twitched, urging me to reach out and do something. But the only thing I could muster was a few consoling words.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzjk6gDmMw1
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“I’m, so sorry to hear that. He must’ve been a good friend.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPofDJJrJeC
140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSmRoQGEnVu
“...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.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT86r61TAPb
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He said those words. He said those words coolly, without wavering hands or trembling lips. His cutting paused, and his eyes seemed to stare off into nowhere, but I couldn’t read anything from his profile. A part of it relieved me, and another made me want to scamper away.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlhLlbkgdtl
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“You saw me at a bad time, truly. Sorry, I’ll continue helping.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXCiala0ZSG
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“Don’t… don’t you worry about it.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs65b3B2Fs4
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“Enough about me. Tell me, how was it on your end?”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPVJzud32u9
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His switching of the topic was decisive, so I decided to halt my scary thinking. I sighed and paused my motions, reaching for stored memories I preferred to forget. However, the deeper I dug, I had to wonder:140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwM4eV65YjV
140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSYNDx5MY6x
“Is that really something you want to hear? Are all crowd members like this, just talking about unpleasant fights?”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXZ0W3257l5
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“That’s not fair of you. You asked first, right?”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfBn9GYLXfm
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“I… darn it, you got me there.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjiNw6pdtpl
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I continued peeling and let my mouth run.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLPxJEPAVlb
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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.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1sLtTuo5xA
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Though my right hand would be painfully sore in the morning.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXlNtr27owW
140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvjoC7902ra
“Excellent to hear. You must be a proficient fighter for it to have gone so well.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKcL7Z0lv14
140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEQzFXItIbj
“Not really. I’m just somewhat competent with magic, and my partner had an incredibly useful endowment. We got lucky, that’s all.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqG93PmWZXv
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“I don’t know about that, Kenny.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfg8Cz4lTgh
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I looked at him with pursed lips.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh0SXMGX4PF
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“Why not?”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwS7eCIPk11
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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.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5ORgdB3FVe
140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMEkyLVbZtl
“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.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhzNJ5Mg7OI
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He raised and wagged his finger, going “tsk tsk” with his lips.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8DfMzzX7uO
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“And who is it that managed to beat that enemy in the first place?”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAqJVo1Z69U
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“--!”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Rt2QYFUjy
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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. 140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3M1IzyBN0A
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“Did anything else happen?”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡce62EGVKNc
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“Anything else? Well… Oh!”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBkvMyEoque
I perked up and yelled all a sudden, startling Nigel and making him ask “What?”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcLLJT01GQt
140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8pB0ykcdll
“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.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡecDiIeewyK
140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3kAxuC9jgJ
“Some information? Would you like me to relay it while you make the potion?”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo4vRfIRw20
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“Uh…”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEIHOIw6KoW
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I hesitated, but when I realized how silly that was, I spoke.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtmvTpGi760
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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.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡisvahTq7kH
140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxbakj7Z1Mu
“...That is quite a concern. It means we need to confirm all our kills as well.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDm8bCKHLE3
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My face retracted and my eyes widened, shocked by our utter differences in derivatives from the information.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDQaSptmTbn
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“Being together with just Juke must’ve been irritating.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4jvtxAlkKM
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“Hm? Why’s that? We were split into pairs, weren’t we?”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYFTuDggPMm
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He tilted his head and raised his brow, which made me inclined to do the same.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0xSLbiC5ba
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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?”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ96gm1wWEI9
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“...O-Oh.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRFJqefzZ3j
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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.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPHPnE8y1nc
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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.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu0QIVyT1cx
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“I see… she’s been avoiding you? That makes a lot of sense.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyke18Jlway
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I tilted my head at his assessment, as I couldn’t imagine how such a conclusion could be drawn.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlADO1PzV2c
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“Make sense? How?”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLxf5ol9RaE
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He adjusted his sitting posture by slacking his muscles and raising his legs, holding his arms over his knees.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmtLzd2VDRd
140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1tUOr2OWSs
“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–”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGmPmqoT3z5
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“Ah, so you were her partner? I figured.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE3mVtM3hPE
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Nigel looked surprised as I finished his retelling for him. I could tell he needed elaboration, so I handed it.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtEQBAbolWg
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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.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpG2sbKphJC
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“So she still fought alone, eh?”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt3BNb92tpU
140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6hQIGQAVyU
“...Yeah. She did. I heard she’s alive, though. I’m relieved.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCubMiF6a8D
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“Relieved? How come?”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYmuX6QcwJG
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I jumped at his stupid question, contorting my face as if it offended me.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5XWfBBVj6i
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“You just said you fought. Ah, who am I kidding, I know what it is.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVhbobaWh5W
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He pulled his arms closer to his chest and continued peeling.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4OREr8Pv9Y
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“You’re probably good friends with her.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsGcwU0svTm
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“F-Friends? W-Well, I don’t know about–”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP6EH2GUpVA
140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJA7Ouu8PKM
“You’re friends, man. Don’t kid yourself. You wouldn’t have given her that check if you weren’t.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjSOlIVosXG
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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.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqzAuXLKGby
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“I hear she’s hurt,” Nigel continued, snapping me out of my trance, “Hurt very badly.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxf8Mw4XjQ9
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“H-Hurt? What happened?”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1q0nvnOiRl
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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.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlrMec65ubk
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“That’s– that’s good to hear.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaxFC2UPeRL
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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.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOESBxX6wcp
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A moment later, he put down his knife and slapped a gelatinous mass of yellow onto the floor before me.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrKoFjLGjld
140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgCmTbr25iu
“Here’s all the fat I could get. Take this and make your potion, then give her a patch-up.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0sw3CNhcnJ
140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ533l1GXm5s
“A patch-up… you mean, a healing potion?”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ87CduN54vh
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He shrugged.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡat5o9ZEp2m
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“I’m not the alchemist, am I?”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNNTCtCGbcV
140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAeup31yS4C
“...Yeah. Yeah, you aren’t.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVoRiH8Qxt3
140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBpBcftzoEs
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.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjuNs2YUmnf
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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.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUoGLdQSehC
140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIec5PCVbi7
“Thank you, Nigel. Your help was invaluable.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSX08E3bivK
140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOgt4CS0LSc
“I told you, didn’t I? It’s my pleasure to be a good role model.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTts1wxXkeM
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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. 140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFdbvVwJO8y
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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.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnIu2bvFZKq
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–
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–
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–
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“...Role model.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZLx9vPfvDr
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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.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnWY8bGia0D
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“Who am I kidding, of course he noticed.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDXQrvxhrti
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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.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBXbmCIp3ww
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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.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAJku4Sn02O
140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX1TO9GFXRx
He put the remaining meat back in the bin and closed the lid, moving his legs to the closest washer he knew.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg7byZg3zN9
140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAINFhR1DOF
“You would’ve been too much, Damon. I can’t handle all that empty praise. All that talk of being a moral guy.”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5fCmqUN2lr
140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSTqrFoDb23
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.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9ebWoDGBHU
140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM0UEIrcRxu
“...Not even my hands? Had to go straight for my legs?”140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfhI1yRF2OO
140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZEe2gcbiYp
He closed his eyes. It was all he could to stop the spill, the salty water that trickled for a mere colleague.
