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.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU3C9FAVD37
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“Ya look like a sorry sort. More like a midget than a kid.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmuM4UeosXB
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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.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLbkcQr5reY
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Besides, I had a verbal jab I needed to address.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMDmVs3cgZL
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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.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV1N9kE1UVc
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“Y’know, that ain’t a bad idea.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP1ga1G2LZu
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He did just as I suggested, laboriously lifting his laden helmet and setting it aside. 119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcm470ZXKVt
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“Well?”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAGPTnjPQpF
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“...It’s about what I expected. At least your facial hair looks clean.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS0MADChZLL
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“Really? That thing’s messy all the time.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeJMJHwLY37
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“Maybe exertion has a reverse effect. I’ve heard of things like that happening.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡafzRTTvWCr
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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.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbA4ZY7cmnT
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“I’m surprised either of us are still standing here. I didn’t even bleed from that fight.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVERDR1f849
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“I ain't bleedin’ either. But that bastard scratched my helmet. ‘Least he didn’t dent it.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwSFOKAxlNG
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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.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzvtH8p3uPL
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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…”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiPKQhe7ydM
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I tried to empathize with him, but my state inclined me to be backhanded.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡolkpkIGQqF
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“You only have yourself to blame. You and I could’ve left if we stopped caring about the letter.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH3Z3WDjGwX
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He sighed and shrugged. That gesture indicated that he heard my point, but he still had a retort.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl2kaSESMs4
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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.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7uTtR7Asd0
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“...Yeah.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlxebJfse6H
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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–119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDOpf3oATxc
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“It’s so stupid. I don’t like any of it”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuqC31lF3y9
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“I ain’t liking any of this either.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡozqhSdKW9F
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“I know! I know you aren’t; you’d be a maniac if you did. But still”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9CWrMQ4waF
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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.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡms1GEpZHub
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“I’ll tell ya what, though. I wanted no part of fighting for this damn Pillar.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBmnIFfoG1w
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“Y-Yeah. That I agree with.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQKFRdywmUg
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“It ain’t amountin’ to anything either, is it?”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpFoS2cQkaE
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“...?”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWKcqWwMQtY
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At that, I had to tilt my head.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡssWVYsROSv
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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.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRK2kBPV5Qm
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“...I guess yer right. But it doesn’t feel like it.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmkmE0k3Mev
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He adjusted his posture a little, rolling his shoulders and releasing a lengthy sigh.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYH6K5jpB9j
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“Dennis still ain’t here.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4v1a2Y8s1r
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“...”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTvoCBIuEbZ
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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.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXjroyin6F4
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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–”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc6bfrUl7Hb
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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.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLSxxYu9m9i
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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.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcejN9mVlGT
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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’.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ01jVD6pCMj
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“--!? W-What!?”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwtDwMNrvfM
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Such an analogy was one thing, but that extreme turn made it seem like a joke.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAXjtLZhLsz
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“Hold on, Kenny. Ya gotta think about it more. Why would any sound man kill themselves cuz they didn’t eat an apple?”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMZ7ciF9rBi
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“...You aren’t pulling my leg, are you?”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxD0Tf0gnss
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“Do ya see my hands on ya? Nah, I’m serious, kid.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8nDWW88EDB
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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. 119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWecOPHbTlF
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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.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmcUpTka2tC
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That didn’t really work either, but the idea of a different Kenneth gave me what I was looking for.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvsOuwQhS1Z
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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.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDJDRg7ncCr
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Juke nodded along, and I took it as an okay to continue.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGOg2X3qiDJ
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“It’s like the shape of a grant. Because you said that the apple meant something, that apple became a symbol. Because you made the terms that this apple’s consumption is correlated with your life, you’re putting stock into it. You’re giving it something greater than sentimental value; you’re making it a wager. Either I’m good enough to eat this apple, or I’m not good enough to live.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiwwPJ3s0EO
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“...”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4UYnOiaj4l
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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.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIdlwzvpsgP
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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.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpHOT4WtTMH
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“I-I see…”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVuyf3m1msV
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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.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqZ7KhWHu6q
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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.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnp4aiF2go9
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“You don’t, ‘get?’”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5SlQJ9di6L
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“Y’know, when–”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8jmwE4WAiE
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“No no no, I understand you. I do.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfPbXhhm4Ij
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My muscles loosened a little. I felt awfully warm about the words I would spit.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiH8WbdJwTy
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“I just know that feeling a little too well sometimes–”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ32CNMh1JXt
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**SLAM**119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7hn8lI8nW9
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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.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqpR6oJrM9S
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That is until I saw a head peer from the frame.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDUj1mtFU7t
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“Oh, thank goodness. You two are safe.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpIaEz8hh9L
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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.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxTkaYMD8RM
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“Phew. For a moment I thought I came at a bad time.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAtrMKIR5Cx
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“M-Mister Dean.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvWbK2OhZIm
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I decided to speak up, as the present situation was too absurd for silence.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdzKIfdTUmw
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“Yes, child?”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH9NnvMEQay
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“Uh– well, first of all, are you alright?”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw9EWGSUbMP
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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.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX3Gn0il5vN
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“R-Right.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDsG6qj1DSv
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I couldn’t think of anything else to say, and looking at Juke revealed he was in a similar boat.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPaX1UwvVG3
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“But, enough about me. I came here bringing good news, and a friendly face.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2KkZT6xU9i
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“--Please worry not about explaining it, Sir Dean. I wouldn’t want my duty as a leader stolen as such.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe2mExwy3Ts
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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.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7oZ9svHCHU
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“Hello, you two,” said Lola, “by the looks of things, your side was a complete success.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj2tv9zbtxp
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–
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With the arrival of Lola came the confirmation I was desperately needing. We had won.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzVrAvLMYQc
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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.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXeh4rn15Tq
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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…”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq5xbaTv7ST
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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.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0wB3WTTAA3
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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–119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7g261JKwwd
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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.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz5o0oxDd3v
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“Haven’t you explained that already?”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6GfKF2FZdl
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“Yes, but… there is a slight problem we’ve run into.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9y4hyg2HJG
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“What’s that?”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbUEUvkElue
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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.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmPnINnNdAv
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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.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8V82dkkuQL
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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:119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡypxqjBUHQy
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“I know I wasn’t asked, but I think making a signal would be effective.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm3npLikf99
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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.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡINylYOVOb7
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“...Ah, so that’s where you’re heading. But how will it be done?”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6t5cHRKmLu
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A smirk found itself on his face. He turned around and continued leading me.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs1WBSGmp94
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“We have our methods. This place has been around too long for it not to.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc7oSh6hPut
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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.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHUiJV90hd8
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“Oh, goodness. And I was wondering why the office was so small.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVoC9u7V9zD
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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.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWrzb2rao6H
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“Here is your answer, Kenny,” Lola said, standing beside a stall. I peeped inside and–119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeKzbNi74gS
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“GAH! W-Why is this here?”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvpArChY59w
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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.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaihC7f3QgP
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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.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD2HpN0NuaA
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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.” 119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZf1Dvfa2oC
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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.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmA3EbQopV6
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“I think it likes you, child.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzBfrVOsIrY
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“Please, call me Kenneth or Kenny, Mister Dean. And, uh, are you sure– certain?”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEnQpscogdC
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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.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPUIVjPrVTg
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And then, it leaned its head down even further and… sniffed my hair.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNncPtaAX1K
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“Hah?”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoXSUaQq5A1
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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.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkTo7iEV9MI
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“I… smell like flowers?”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡahN9kJbm5i
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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.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqt9ThsiICc
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“Why am I just figuring this out !? I don’t smell– well, I don’t think I smell like flowers?”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYa2wu0wfWq
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I even sniffed my hands and arms to make sure, and nothing of the scent reminded me of flowers.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2ZmUUdCoBL
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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.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5KGeGN76mO
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“Really? I didn’t know that…”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQe751RgsUZ
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“Ahem, moving on–”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKNBtaqCw0s
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Dave interjected with a cough. I turned my attention back to him, anticipating his oncoming words.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkuXGRzADct
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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.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrOXDvJRmEq
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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:119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTj8vmaec7p
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“May I know why I’m being told this?”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuQOxioY7om
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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?”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4czOgIgKGK
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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.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZuNRCW6Paf
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“But if you need to know why,” she continued, “it’s because we need your help in facilitating it.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMKkGjNe5hU
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“My help, you say…”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQsdSGlnnzf
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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.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMQrVDwJEp1
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“I’ve heard that you’re a prolific, experienced alchemist. At such a young age too no less–”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSUkhZJ70xP
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“Please, don’t mention it. I don’t want my achievements embellished, especially because of something like age.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVOeWNjbtpR
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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?”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTuXQKm0iGy
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“...Energizing potions?”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5dTxOJ8Lqs
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I knew how to do that, naturally, but Lola was off the mark somewhat.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDanpQjvRNI
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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.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmTjFo5crkG
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Lola had her eyes wide and her head slowly nodding.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6kiAWTnIJP
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“You’re correct. Do you think you can do it?”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡazAG5suYSY
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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.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3BvbfQvQRk
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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.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmcsEaGElGB
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“T-There’re few good ones. One’s unopen, so ya can juts pour it out if ya hafta.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwjP3fhxw6D
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“Phew. That’s good. The potency wouldn’t be right if I was just using random cups.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjqD4HFPTrB
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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.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ25d1BOhgGo
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“Is something wrong?”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuQkqpRZIGs
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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. 119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaz31QHr6Ym
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“Well, kid–”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYvc2ZFMhat
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Then Juke suddenly spoke out, and I diverted my attention to him.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj3fmFsFb9S
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“Ya just look a lot more comfortable than I’m used ta.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3T7TpcCO6s
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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.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0IDlBnbbyS
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“Comfortable? I haven’t heard that one before.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLj79oqhBTF
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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.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNbQtVdudBP
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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.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4b8QGGv9wZ
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“...Comfortable.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcKT6GNFLAc
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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.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsqkC3xofFB
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Yeah. When it came to alchemy, comfortable was just right.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf9NAMZ2O6y
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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.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXYn3Yc6qXd
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Scratch that, I missed it even as I did it. 119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa1qZhUXHwx
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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.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMi7Uf3Iglc
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“...A little bit here.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbRkVSnasHf
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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. 119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGckxskicqQ
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And it wasn’t until near completion that I realized what it was.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOqfqZhkDHj
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“Of course. Goodness, how could I forget the most important part?”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH3OpI20kIu
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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.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVjzLHKE4QZ
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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.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlqkiWPOZyf
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“No time to waste, though.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOk2kBXcZ9L
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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.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnJrJC00ENw
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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.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnbFxAGX0DP
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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.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEh92kMysfv
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“...Crap.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRYDMsoXphe
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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.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlv7chU6pRh
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“Is there something you’re lookin’ for?”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQa6MxzCfCT
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Who was essentially the lunch lady noticed my plight.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxBn0kAV7Cy
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“Yes. Um, do you happen to have anything with fat on it? And I mean raw fat.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfmqQlrz3Ge
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“Fat? Fat, hmm… well, there might be some in the trash.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvoArrlVTMM
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“Excuse me? Oh, sorry. Can I ask where the trash is?”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg3SOujs9Gf
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“You sure can. It’s in one of those buckets right there.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfp4xFVOH9l
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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.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAOJJkF9BCz
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“M-May I ask, what kind of fat is in those?”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu0GpwOVnyw
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And she responded with confirmation of my immediate fears.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡolhkzrzjaZ
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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?”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeY4XJAQFsG
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“Crazy indeed, ma’am.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmSSZIQTXHu
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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.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgsV1acXwIj
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“Mind if I ask what you need fat for?”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtjyLd1jmhG
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“Oh, yes. It’s for a potion I’m making, you see–”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcrI5DBMuaB
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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.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeMyBzBB0jo
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“N-Nigel!?”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Hfr5CIgyh
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“Correct! I’m honored that you remember me. It’s swell to see you in good health, Kenny.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡziRvkpWdZ3
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“Y-You as well. Also, please, don’t sneak up on me like that.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcZE1wdybOw
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He lightly shrugged in response. I clicked my tongue at his insouciant attitude but dropped my grudge quickly.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs1YejdrMUN
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“It’s good to see you healthy as well, Nigel. How was your time at the battle?”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFoIbgpKWiH
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“Ah… well, first, let me offer you a hand.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4I1bwXS1O5
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“A hand,” I asked, confused as to what he insinuated.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVCQUztnInC
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“You said you need fat for your potion, and I just so happen to have a knife.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcujcl1GAw6
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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.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCVk2txBLX9
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“Is this… a clamper?”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPIclr6y1nW
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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.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDYguEKz05s
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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?”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE5lqpVlD23
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“That I asked you?”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr1BJcP0OCt
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I thought about it, and it seemed to have slipped even my mind, but I remembered my earlier inquiry quickly.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7P8yZibbTa
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“Right. It was about the battle. How was it? I mean, I know it was rough for everyone, but…”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDKI4ndNe0C
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“Yeah, I know what you mean. I might as well tell you.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDSzF37w0Jq
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He stopped rotating the meat on his knife and looked down at it.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB4kWAqyALC
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“...Was it, did you lose your friend?”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKEfl0yTLRG
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He jolted when I asked, raising his head with widened eyes.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvgO99Dt2it
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“How did you–”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlCqtEH1c4Q
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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.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMWS16jmYYI
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“...Hah. You’re a sharp boy with a keen eye.” 119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI98CATK2c3
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He continued cutting as he spoke.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoeSQEXS3n2
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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.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUB96kySKvQ
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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.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhS6hbhNpD5
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“I’m, so sorry to hear that. He must’ve been a good friend.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3L0dLTdCsQ
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“...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.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgHR5GcO9X6
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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.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg6Hv0nsNWs
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“You saw me at a bad time, truly. Sorry, I’ll continue helping.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡur0ATVB15l
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“Don’t… don’t you worry about it.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuNhhqosjwD
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“Enough about me. Tell me, how was it on your end?”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGyw7Ltz6uG
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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:119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAuiD8Y6Ao9
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“Is that really something you want to hear? Are all crowd members like this, just talking about unpleasant fights?”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQMngaEMIME
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“That’s not fair of you. You asked first, right?”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTzKdZyGAFw
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“I… darn it, you got me there.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmUCsnrhVKb
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I continued peeling and let my mouth run.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDFgJrpDnhA
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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.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzPF4eeMmqP
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Though my right hand would be painfully sore in the morning.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmPzFhrwUGo
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“Excellent to hear. You must be a proficient fighter for it to have gone so well.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHc8KTS3Qq0
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“Not really. I’m just somewhat competent with magic, and my partner had an incredibly useful endowment. We got lucky, that’s all.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHtl6si2W5S
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“I don’t know about that, Kenny.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4gBihn8L72
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I looked at him with pursed lips.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUkXVhCrrjE
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“Why not?”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf1rT5aHYxe
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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.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXI2yGQ3m8v
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“That’s… an interesting way of looking at it. But I’m not convinced. I mean, we even ran into an opponent we already beat.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyYktDNukKF
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He raised and wagged his finger, going “tsk tsk” with his lips.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Jtq5uJz5q
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“And who is it that managed to beat that enemy in the first place?”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpPPuTxuc2T
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“--!”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4m3WNVbwQy
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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. 119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq9cFCSSsOf
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“Did anything else happen?”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4Mhm1xf27m
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“Anything else? Well… Oh!”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeoN7g8cM14
I perked up and yelled all a sudden, startling Nigel and making him ask “What?”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAjSizNId5K
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“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.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡupHl3jB2QQ
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“Some information? Would you like me to relay it while you make the potion?”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoO0TU2Btgp
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“Uh…”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzxG6N0TTez
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I hesitated, but when I realized how silly that was, I spoke.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfvMteSFEPf
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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.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTi2MVXaVmz
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“...That is quite a concern. It means we need to confirm all our kills as well.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkdW39j7sop
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My face retracted and my eyes widened, shocked by our utter differences in derivatives from the information.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4tXxMBS69a
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“Being together with just Juke must’ve been irritating.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8g2Eb7CSIA
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“Hm? Why’s that? We were split into pairs, weren’t we?”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡph6me5TfCI
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He tilted his head and raised his brow, which made me inclined to do the same.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLrEQlAYLVX
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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?”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ44GKGEZn3t
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“...O-Oh.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2unXojNzwi
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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.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt5krujjYVX
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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.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhdT0GVBjVr
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“I see… she’s been avoiding you? That makes a lot of sense.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJBXixa0reu
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I tilted my head at his assessment, as I couldn’t imagine how such a conclusion could be drawn.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1dNK93NmLG
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“Make sense? How?”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhbCZnhEHNC
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He adjusted his sitting posture by slacking his muscles and raising his legs, holding his arms over his knees.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk6r9pAI9YY
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“When Damon died, I had to make a quick adjustment. My intuition told me to stick to our agreed formation, and I was advised by a buddy there to group up with her. I did, and we spoke for a minute, but when–”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMn7SDpHV5m
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“Ah, so you were her partner? I figured.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm7ZE96comF
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Nigel looked surprised as I finished his retelling for him. I could tell he needed elaboration, so I handed it.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmOmDX7O0JD
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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.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5KZr9cLBf0
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“So she still fought alone, eh?”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ61YQzXYYiT
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“...Yeah. She did. I heard she’s alive, though. I’m relieved.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZYF1TWe60J
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“Relieved? How come?”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjvySbMjM12
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I jumped at his stupid question, contorting my face as if it offended me.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnZlINA5tpM
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“You just said you fought. Ah, who am I kidding, I know what it is.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzj90f9TksV
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He pulled his arms closer to his chest and continued peeling.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx6EOPJriQu
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“You’re probably good friends with her.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRB5Zb7gvrS
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“F-Friends? W-Well, I don’t know about–”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe9o8yOvSzV
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“You’re friends, man. Don’t kid yourself. You wouldn’t have given her that check if you weren’t.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzfKscYgpMG
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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.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzSHT2OwR92
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“I hear she’s hurt,” Nigel continued, snapping me out of my trance, “Hurt very badly.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDTq30fTAYh
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“H-Hurt? What happened?”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbllsaNzUX3
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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.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzuJGM95vgP
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“That’s– that’s good to hear.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLjMXYEkaQq
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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.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtmX3QyBvOq
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A moment later, he put down his knife and slapped a gelatinous mass of yellow onto the floor before me.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFZIiawQAH5
119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6rq2PFlSZ7
“Here’s all the fat I could get. Take this and make your potion, then give her a patch-up.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcZN60tGjAF
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“A patch-up… you mean, a healing potion?”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB907Ncd6k1
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He shrugged.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZM3zTeA2O7
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“I’m not the alchemist, am I?”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO9cAGwxjhW
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“...Yeah. Yeah, you aren’t.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0waW9uwQea
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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.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhjVdHOLnSq
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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.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh79XBkBMMn
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“Thank you, Nigel. Your help was invaluable.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8t6CLjHR53
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“I told you, didn’t I? It’s my pleasure to be a good role model.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4hVtyA7Rb0
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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. 119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsCi403EpHz
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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.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsmmQrE9jYA
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–
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–
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–
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“...Role model.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlaj4VrYpeR
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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.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmT3KMaZIwq
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“Who am I kidding, of course he noticed.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡljSEeOkaDd
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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.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyUMn19x9ks
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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.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoAObqLFOGM
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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.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmG4t9WERZw
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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.”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuq0foHCsXQ
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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.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHO6pW5xuqc
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“...Not even my hands? Had to go straight for my legs?”119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIziPBo2XVh
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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.
