The earliest thing he could remember was the book. No, that wasn't quite it, but Kenneth had difficulty recalling. He gave himself a minute, and then it came to him clearly.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0yRrFLM0Jj
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGizr1c0fun
Kenneth remembered a building, a grand one in the middle of his home village. It was a church, the Church of the Buffalo. It was on an elevation of two-hundred feet and was five miles from the shore– hardly anything, he's come to realize. He remembered the town having abundant greenery and a gorgeous forest nearby. Of course, how could he forget the forest?196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqfQNs2uqhq
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUlv8RdKvq8
Kenneth was getting distracted. He sat by a boulder and took a breath.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQB0BiULbAZ
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvDZAs9Emhf
He had just turned three years old. Kenneth was about thirty-two inches tall, which was considerably short for his age. Kenneth was wearing a black robe, akin to that of the priest's. He was standing next to said priest, who was giving a speech Kenneth couldn't remember. After the speech, his head was doused in warm, relaxing water, and then the attendees of the ceremony clapped. Kenneth was just officially declared a toddler. It may seem silly, but his village was small, so ceremonies for the young were held like this quite often. It was Kenneth's third birthday, he remembered. He ran over to his father and mother, and that was the first memory Kenneth could retain of them. His father looked sick, his mother looked guilty.
From this point on, Kenneth could recall it effortlessly.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNO0dcQ1OYQ
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMQ3Nk89ecr
When Kenneth returned home, he was treated to a dish of kind words and a refreshing meal. He was only three, but he had such a big appetite already. His father was away from the table. Kenneth just sat with his mom.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoKWrd4Tw4Q
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCSXU15Jenj
"Happy birthday, Kenny."196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRpxzgOLiEF
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJuJonPoyYz
"Mm?" Kenny hummed with a slice of bread stuffed into his mouth. "Mm! Thank you!" Though it was hard to hear, her mother smiled. She was a nice lady, brown hair and green eyes. Kenneth loved her. He loved how her mother made great food. But Kenneth always thought that she looked too old to be his mom, maybe his grandmother.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7dKiUoEywT
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLov5VLwk4t
Dad came back to them. He had a glass bottle in his hand. He looked tired, but Kenneth was smiling vigorously at him. He still didn't change out of his church robes. He sat at the table, slamming his empty bottle on it. He stared at Kenneth's mother, and then at Kenneth. He burped and said, "Happy birthday boy," and passed out on the spot.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ32WYTf5tjQ
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZuAo5JIoT4
Those words were a lot coming from his father. Kenneth was told to rush to bed, and he did so cheerily. He did it so.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9SgLzODtLY
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMCyNnpDYFu
That was his first big day, his graduation from babyhood. Kenneth remembers it fondly.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzYBRRMSgrh
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXnfsREFGoJ
Then there was the other big day, maybe six, no, seven months later.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk6KQH9Ogyi
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjZ2Pwlsw9N
Customary to the tradition, Kenneth learned how to read and write now that he was a toddler. And he was quite good at it, he soon found. By this time, he was already writing cohesive sentences, and he read every bedtime story in the big folklore book in just a day. Kenneth loved to read, but he loved another thing more: the forest.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJXP9XOhUve
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEi4DWv7j5P
Kenneth's house was closest to the Blooming Biomes, a gorgeous forest near the village. Kenneth's room had a window placed perfectly for him to gawk at the forest. It wasn't a dense forest either, so he could see the magical plant life there too. Some of it moved, and some of it released spores, but Kenny marveled at it all the same. Kenneth loved looking at that forest so much that his dad forbade him from going to his room throughout the day. So Kenneth, the smart child that he was, went to the forest.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG9PrG09rdn
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJhZq1etQLC
His mother stopped him immediately during his first attempt. He couldn't even make it ten feet out the door. Kenneth protested, but his mother explained that the forest was "dangerous and filled with wild beasts." Kenneth didn't believe her, of course. Kenneth spent all day looking at that forest, and he knew wild beasts weren't there.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTDGu62PMcR
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLpVAGgEabt
On his second attempt, Kenneth made it past the rickety fence surrounding the house. His dad picked him up this time, and he fiercely slapped Kenneth. That was the first time that Kenneth could remember himself crying. His mother was furious, but his father apologized and hugged Kenny. Of course, Kenny was satisfied with that, but he was a smart child, and he knew he could get more out of it. So Kenneth tried to pressure his father to let him into the forest. His father almost slapped him again. Kenneth thought of it as progress.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTx98oSpEr7
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNNtox6XgSZ
Kenneth's third attempt was much more successful. His father caught him trying to jump out the window. Kenneth didn't account for the fall, and he plummeted with teary eyes, but his father was right there, frowning.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ126SG1qyOa
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUmkd5jYWm6
"What are you doing, you dumb brat?"196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjmcIEmrKU8
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPxRBK3cFBf
Kenneth began to tear up again. His father sighed. "Don't try this again, Kenneth," he simply said. And Kenneth obliged. For a week.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEci1m3OoVL
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3FnnI2I4kc
Kenneth's fourth attempt wasn't interrupted by anybody. He managed to do it, to finally do it; he was in the woods. Kenneth frolicked around and gazed at the scenery like a dumb drooling moron. He hugged the trees, tickled the flowers, and even pulled one out of its stock before he was hit with a spore that made him cough and wheeze. Kenneth decided against randomly pulling on plants. Kenneth ventured further into the forest, and he swore that it grew more and more beautiful with each step. Even the grass had a sparkly tint to it. Kenneth loved it. But something went awry.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡti40er48m9
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlMP2LAxlFf
Kenneth tripped on a large root he didn't see. He scraped his knee, but Kenneth managed to suppress his tears. His father's given him worse after all. He rested against the nearby tree. Though it hurt, once he raised his head from the wound, his joy washed the pain away. The forest was that majestic.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTuKNiBT2Uy
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQeDECofw6b
Then out came an animal. It wasn't very big. In fact, Kenneth thought it looked familiar. It was like one of the farm animals his neighbor kept around, but it had long curvy teeth coming from its mouth that pointed to the sky, and it had a lot of brown furs. It looked at Kenneth, and Kenneth smiled. And then Kenneth was forced to roll away.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvCjmEDEoTD
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPgnu65iEB4
The boar hit his snout on the tree, dazing the beast for just long enough for Kenneth to get on his feet and haul ass. But he tripped again on a different root. This time, Kenneth cried. The beast inched nearer and nearer and Kenneth's scratch grew to a disgusting flow of blood. Kenneth crawled away screaming but the beast kept approaching. Kenneth's pants became damp. But a miracle happened. The boar stepped forward and forward, and after hearing a snap of a branch, a great purple something emerged from the ground. It resembled the maw of a great dragon, but its eyes were missing and it was roughly the size of Kenneth himself. The boar stepped back in shock, but before it could make any distance, the boar's head had been bitten off. The maw retracted into the ground. Kenneth couldn't move. Ten minutes later he slowly crawled to the hole that was made. It wasn't a hole, he realized. It was a set of four large leaves, parallel and perpendicular to one another, and in the middle of these leaves were blue sparkles. Kenneth knew better than not to touch it. Kenneth smiled with glee, got up, and ran home.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjKfJChL2RR
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDRliGygZGt
Two things happened that day. Kenneth discovered mana, and Kenneth discovered magical plants. He was running back home excited, but a loud ruckus coming from the home prevented him from entering the front door. It was his mother and father. They were screaming and crying. Kenneth waited until they stopped, and it did when he heard a slap. He didn't know who it was from.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJht3t8WK3J
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAK4fyrSmfb
The next instance Kenneth cared to remember was when he turned four. Kenneth somehow hadn't been caught sneaking out into the woods, but something of his had been found. His mother was in his room, holding a notebook in her hand that Kenneth was all too familiar with. He turned to run away but was grabbed by the back of his shirt before he could.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrJnFEreCVf
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE0DrU2yFmB
"What is this, Kenny?"196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡky8Uscz7Xs
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ47NUvfUN6K
"Umm... it's a journal. I draw the plants I see outside in it."196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqYkr4B7I4j
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcLWvLXj3TY
Kenneth decided to tell his mom a half-truth. Maybe he could escape a beating that way, he thought. His mother opened the book and flipped straight to the crummy illustration of the purple plant that killed the boar.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtsF3RbWDpn
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlh3VFPvgt1
"What is this? Magical plant? Killed big bad boar? Kenneth, what have you been doing in your free time!?"196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4uIjAPsPXb
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLMXLIwIZ8l
It was no use avoiding it now. Kenneth told his mother that, for the past six months, he has been going into the Blooming Biome and studying the magical plant life there. As well as a kid his age could, anyway. Though Kenny expected to be slapped, that didn't happen.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSU77eZJGwi
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMvN0FQPZQT
"Christina, do you know what this means?"196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIG0sVWN2kj
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrHB3ADIagu
His father was at the door, crossing his arms. Kenneth was even more afraid now.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqm0Ygxa5zf
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3hiCECzTBP
"Magical plants, the brat loves this stuff."196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUOwP8gURUW
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz6MwrOd4Wn
Kenneth's mom nodded. Kenneth didn't understand what was going on, but the two of them were smiling and that had to be good.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBUqoKtlKhV
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCOxmkYOXie
It was.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡms4JFyy0kv
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwmfyBQaMkV
A week later, Kenneth's father presented him with what could best be described as a tome. Kenneth didn't ask where they got it, because he was having a hard time even lifting the thing. His father explained to him that it was a book of magical plants and alchemy. Kenneth had no idea what the second word meant but he didn't care. He just received a big new book to read.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0wdRoPnxxe
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoNOxZ91ySn
It took Kenneth a month to read the book. Another month was spent reading it again. Kenneth tried to sneak out again but his parents had been keeping an exceptionally watchful eye, so it was impossible. Kenneth didn't mind though, because this book was the greatest thing that has ever happened to him. He didn't know any of this 'alchemy' stuff, but the plants, oh the plants. He recognized the few he's seen in the woods, like the spore one, or the purple one, or the one that occasionally shoots out blazing beams of light, or the ones that make him vomit. But there were so, so many that Kenneth didn't know about, or could've even dreamt about. Most of them were at much higher elevations, but that was fine because King's Peak was easy to traverse anyway. He saw gorgeous illustrations resembling beasts more than plants, and each picture carried an ungodly amount of information. Uses, known habitats, behaviors if they had any, risks, stories of their discovery. Kenny spent all day in his room, just reading about this stuff, over and over. His parents had to take away the book for a week.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWYcb8xywI3
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8BwYWQJatz
During that week though Kenny managed to sneak out of the house. It seemed that all the time he spent in his room reading made his parent's security lax. He ventured into the forest with his journal, now filled with plagiarisation from the book both text and picture, and attempted to connect each plant he saw with an illustration. Now that he was older traveling the forest was much easier, and Kenneth learned to bring a weapon with him this time. He had a small hunting knife in a sheath in his pocket. He discovered that he could also use the knife to take some of the plants he saw with him, but he made sure they didn't shoot out any spores before he did. He kept the retrieved plants in his other pocket. It was fine for a while until his pants became wet. Not from himself this time, but from the plants. He took them out and they were all leaking a clear fluid. It was clear but it was sparkly, much like the rest of the forest. Kenneth didn't have any cup with him, so he improvised and took the knife out of its sheath and used that to store the liquid. He ran home, forsaking the plants and the knife, and snuck in.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdw0fkZUZ7W
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIH9xeGFBds
His parents still weren't home though. Kenneth usually wouldn't pay that any heed, but there was broken glass in the kitchen and small red liquid on the floor.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxVe7GQcl7m
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp0iA5XHONz
"..."196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIJ0MdX1jvz
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Kenneth ran upstairs.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj2HO6UQode
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjshWaHqe8B
Kenneth spent the next week experimenting with the liquid. He relocated it to a small glass cup and tested it out. He didn't want to taste it quite yet since he knew that was dangerous, but he did touch it. It felt cold, even after being in his room for so long. It amazed Kenneth. Kenneth then spent time putting different things into the cup. Grass, food, a few of his clothes, sometimes his own urine, metal, and by some miracle, fire. Nothing ever came of it though. It satisfied Kenneth for a while, but ultimately, he thought it was a dud. He kept the glass around. It made him feel nice.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn2zusEa7XP
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrRfFuKeRXE
In a month's time, something exciting happened to Kenneth. His birthday was just a few days away but before any celebration or presents, his father sat him down outside. This had never happened before, so it made Kenny die with anticipation.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfsW455OcsO
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrxmsKs0w0D
"So son, I hear you're really liking those magical plants, right?"196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡymy5ZnqlIv
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGFcyOVE6hA
Kenneth nodded his head rapidly.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqzTl7YDzhu
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdsTUJMpagl
"But you don't know anything about alchemy yet."196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVt14Yr8M7Y
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOFWEEE9hyy
Kenneth still didn't know what that word meant. His father puffed out his chest.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSHa2bXXBkZ
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEu1k6BSKUV
"Luckily for you, brat, I know exactly what alchemy is. But before that, I need to teach you what mana is."196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQj8YNEYsrs
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq5beIRATkL
That was when Kenneth's life began.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfWLTp6iLZN
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3ZPsMXHPp9
His father taught him the basics: how mana was the essence creatures manipulated to conjure objects and tinker with the world. Fire, water, earth, and wind would all be conjured, and in the right circumstances, they could be manipulated as well. His father also explained how combinations could occur but he glossed over it. His father told him alchemy was the mana manipulation of chemicals, magical or not, and that it took a very skilled user of mana to achieve success in alchemy.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNihX0uUZTK
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJrAwBMqE8i
It was all Kenneth needed to hear before constantly nagging his dad about lessons. His fifth birthday rolled around and his father had bought him a basic alchemy kit, consisting of flasks, cylinders, syringes, and dropper bottles. Kenneth was unbelievably grateful that he practically ignored the new clothes his mother had bought for him. It was a white shirt with a grayish-blue vest, and a nice pair of gloves to go with it. It was meant for his alchemy, his mother explained. Kenneth loved his parents dearly that day.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLhJxvvJG6X
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy8EXNXn0Yl
His lessons on mana manipulation were coming along steadily. Sometimes he would be beaten for failure, but Kenneth didn't care if it meant getting better. Three months passed, and after numerous bruises and fights between his parents later did Kenneth "graduate" from his father's lessons. The whole time though, Kenneth messed with alchemy, and really, he only needed his lessons for a few weeks. It mattered not though.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5MwPYTx0Ee
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU3WrfmBPGn
Kenneth was an auspicious child. He mastered basic alchemy like matter state manipulation and chemical changing, but to him, that was all just chemistry. No, what Kenneth really, really wanted to mess around with were the plants in the forest. His parents didn't care if he was out and about anymore, so Kenneth took advantage of it. What was probably his hundredth trip was taken with new knowledge, his new clothes, and a new passion.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtIk5S8U3F4
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNr7ARZA7Oa
Kenneth brought bags with him, as well as a flask and a syringe. He had a belt where he could hook the flask and syringe and a cork lid to make sure the flask was shut. He put plants in the bag and any leak was put straight into the flask. He regretted only bringing one. He wanted the purest sample possible, after all. He still did have that syringe though, and since it was going to be such a small sample, he knew it had to come from a special plant.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy7cmPoYxdH
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5eFWF4fePg
Kenneth smiled. He knew that there was a special plant here, alright. He ventured further into the forest until he found four familiar leaves. The sparkles from all that time ago were gone now, but that didn't deter him. He crouched down and stuck his syringe into the middle. And all of a sudden, out popped the purple plant.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡafaWBY4NEF
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVkKcfm45hn
But Kenneth was ready for it. He reached for his knife holstered on his belt and cut the stem effortlessly. The maw fell to the ground, motionless, and Kenneth stuck its syringe into it. He also decided to take the head and one leaf for good measure.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg1UgjtErlO
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWxAtLgC1cs
It was a haul, and Kenneth couldn't be happier. He returned home ready to tell his parents of his discoveries. That didn't happen quite like how it should've. His mom stepped outside as he was five feet away. Kenneth opened his mouth to say hi, but she looked at him with ferocity. It was a face Kenneth never knew her mother could make.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHr71zxRjPO
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ19ILOoB2Xl
"S-Sorry, Kenneth. I'm sorry, your dad is just..."196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyaPJ1glgB3
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1clBIZvvcH
Kenneth nodded and entered the home. His father was sitting at the table. His forehead was bleeding a little and his knuckles were bruised.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyrx1R0XmM3
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhed4dL08se
"Hey brat, what do you have over there?"196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt2iqqNZ7Aa
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdU0Likcwbe
"J-Just some plants, Dad..."196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkW2qMNRGB8
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKCqMo2VBTQ
"That's my boy. Hey, come over here."196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO32EH2Bru1
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡodRUy3GNCf
Kenneth gulped. He let go of the bag and waddled towards his father. What he got was a soft pat on his head. Kenneth blushed in surprise.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAFhCKRaIHO
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFJjYwLRWKW
"Keep doing that stuff, kid. I'm amazed by how much you love it. Don't worry about me and your mother, alright?"196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ86h5SKHEE8
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡahMTIOA2Sb
Kenneth's eyes sparkled, and he nodded with a smile. His love for his parents, though still burning, felt like it had been reignited.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdOaC4IEhtV
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1NIitvveMo
Kenneth went upstairs. His room was converted into a sort of miniature laboratory.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsi16jRSqKc
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡILlVWVkxNv
It was in that laboratory where Kenny would enhance his skills for the next two years. The time flew by fast. Astonishingly fast, but Kenneth's growth showed it. According to his father, Kenneth had already become a grade-four alchemist. Kenneth had no idea what that meant but it made him happy, and it drove him to keep improving.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGMHbgzr8Mi
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS3Eu0Q0LqS
Usually, Kenneth would follow the book. He learned the mixtures and followed the instructions listed there, and after hours of practice, the results he received were even better than what the book described. He managed to make a fertility potion to grow the newly planted tree in an instant. He managed to create a healing potion which, according to his mother, healed a boy's broken arm instantly. He managed to even reconnect one of the cut plants he brought back to the soil, and now a spore-bloom was in his backyard. His father punched him for it and removed it, since it was making him sneeze.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCbUArsRQni
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhhwE2dxeF9
But, after a while, Kenneth ran out of instructions to follow in the book, and he already perfected each and every recipe. He asked his parents for a new one but they claimed the books were "too expensive these days". Kenneth was upset but he didn't protest, he just thought of new things to do. A night in his laboratory made him realize just how potent his mana manipulation had become, so much so that he could do it without thinking. He thought maybe to learn proper spells, such as those related to the four core elements but decided against it. He decided on something new entirely.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ34O2LRh7fK
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRmPGKrSStF
What if, Kenny thought, he could manipulate the plants?196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvV3Ao02yP0
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ6OYMX3jI5
The next year Kenneth would learn to do just that. He mixed his alchemy and mana manipulation with the plants he would find in the wild. He made roots grow and shrivel just with mana, and he could even accelerate the growth and decay of plants. He soon learned to amplify the effects of the plants, such as how potent the spores were, or just how large and hot the light beams from the Light-Beam-Blossoms became. Ultimately though, he returned to alchemy, and that was because of one thing: the purple dragon-maw plant. He planted it back using one of his plant-revival potions but did it in a more remote location. The maw, for whatever reason, didn't react negatively to Kenneth. In fact, the maw begged for his attention. It would lick Kenneth from time to time, much like a dog did. Kenneth grew to cherish it.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡySRJgA9DfJ
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYNQ4OLm1DI
The plant itself seemed to be rare, as, according to the textbook, it was an "ancient species likely to be extinct." Obviously that wasn't the case, but Kenny didn't mind. That was because there were no alchemical procedures listed with the plant. All of it was free reign, like a sandbox, and Kenny took advantage of it. He mixed and matched substances and potions with the essence of the dragon-maw plant, all to varying degrees of effects. Sadly, Kenny burned through possible combinations too quickly. He had to leave the maw for the time being; he said his goodbyes.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ69YfxBJHvn
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgon668qFEd
Kenny returned to the forest again to gather more plants. This time he ventured deeper than ever, hoping to find a species he hadn't encountered yet. It didn't happen. Instead, Kenny found another boar, but it was smaller than last time, most likely a child. Kenny left it alone, afraid that it might hurt him, and continued to go deeper into the woods. He turned back once the sun began to set. On his way back though, Kenny found an interesting sight.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtrOYO9GyRp
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYQLIxAAcEL
"...It's dead."196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDfIdODVaec
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6zoEKdsthp
The boar was lying on the ground, not in one piece, but in several. Its insides, few in quantity, were sprawled around the grass. The boar was practically hollow. All that was inside of its skin were bones. But for whatever reason, a single part of the boar was left out completely untouched: its heart.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdcEGb2GTpc
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhf3XqyrLju
Kenny didn't know what overcame him, but he reached for that heart and put it in the bag. He ran straight to his room and took out the syringe containing the essence of the dragon-maw plant. He stuck it into the heart. Nothing happened until he used mana manipulation.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnZeqYekBes
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaGAZszbFOV
What he saw made Kenneth jump in ecstasy. The heart began to ooze the liquid, and beat.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO6emV1fJWg
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvUQm4jVwtL
A month passed and Kenneth continued to mess with the dragon-maw's substances. He inject it into other plants, even into a live pig at one point, and used varying levels of mana manipulation just to see what would happen. The pig oozed out the liquid, but was fine. As for the plants though, nothing happened. Kenneth came to the conclusion that only flesh and bone were affected by the ooze.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhppeakTISw
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXmarN2Khnk
Though that month was a blur, one day did really stick out to him. It was the day his mother entered his room.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFQDCRtOqi9
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNS4EN98dup
"Huh? Hello, mother! Is something the matter?"196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLrz53bj89P
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVx2TRPSDs1
"Oh? Not at all honey, not at all. I was just wondering what you were up to."196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU8QLLIwjvo
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5EOPpDv6RX
That was the first time she ever said that. It made Kenneth happy, so he explained his process and findings, how he used the ooze and injected it into organisms. He told her of the pig, and how–196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUIA2HAZGGt
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5UzSARe0tk
**THUD**196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVfg3JPwliZ
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQrHrX5Py4J
A fist flew right into Kenneth's stomach. He was launched to the wall and slowly slid down. He looked up at his mother, who was making a face of pure terror.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq3xxBhe7XX
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBpiWGwnUoT
"You, Kenny. Don't you ever, ever defile flesh with your crazy, stupid alchemy bullshit!"196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQK3nxU4a5F
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcuFKzhGRh0
And from there on, Kenny was disallowed to use living things.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsXN0ZqQotJ
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRNp3WqIVCw
Three months passed. Kenneth's focus returned to manipulating plants with mana. He quickly grew more and more efficient, to the point where hardly any nutrients from the soil were used to manipulate plants. His raw skill in mana manipulation grew, too. His father told him how splendid of a mage Kenneth could become, but Kenneth didn't care for that. Kenneth's greatest achievement was growing an entire tree in his backyard, just using his mana. The tree was nearly twice the size of any tree in the Blooming Biome, so it attracted a lot of attention from the neighbors, and Kenny got a good beating because of it. Kenny didn't care though, he was improving, he was growing better and better. But it didn't feel as fulfilling. He returned to alchemy and improved his potion-making abilities, and through connections with his father, he even managed to sell them to outsiders of the village. Having a sudden income was pleasant, but the process of making potions became repetitive.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5qGF7R3wqt
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFHgfsemIa0
Kenny had the itch to return to the dragon-maw. But it wouldn't amount to anything. After all, he had no flesh he could use.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJTeAgESFDo
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcgGAgM3bo5
That was until Kenny looked in the bathroom mirror.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR9E6ghxlBq
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmSwtKBy0aX
"..."196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg6LhxWPloi
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmKktgFjqZD
He almost couldn't believe it. Here in the present, recollecting, he couldn't believe he actually went through with it. He continued reminiscing.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtyxSglt8NH
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTOFRZ9Nt84
He used his body to test the effects. He started small of course, just a quarter of a syringe's worth of essence, and the effects were immediate. Kenny received a deal of discomfort, and his face scrunched terribly. But something worried him. Unlike the pig, the ooze never left his body.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOEFSVmwnOP
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDZykBVJJoU
His curiosity grew. He returned home that day, hoping to continue his fiddling in his room, but when he walked through that front door, he was met with a thrashed kitchen.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyBMb46V0EC
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMMa4P9yy2S
His mother was on the floor, sobbing. It was so distinct to him, that sobbing. The house had disappeared. The hallway, the broken kitchen, everything was gone. All he could see was his sobbing mother.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIrg4oXQ4bY
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp0MtDyD7RN
Kenny had no idea what to do, because now he wasn't playing with his plants. Now, he was in his home, and his mother was sobbing on the floor, and his mother was sobbing on the floor and Kenny had no idea why.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFW7s7Ag4Mh
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWTloTUqRlr
He scuttled upstairs and burst into his room. He rummaged frantically, glancing at potions and doing double-takes, making sure he would grab the right one. He eventually found a healing potion. Keny ran back down and offered it to her, wordlessly. His mother slapped it away, claiming that "she was fine" but Kenny knew it was a lie.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmOrPXaELmE
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTY4l0db2x0
And yet, Kenny believed it. He nodded at her assertation and simply walked back to his room. He lied down on his bed, and with a little trouble, fell asleep. Why did he do that?196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHOL6NbdmPD
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzfJfW8LR9Q
"..."196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBoQMyXBE3Z
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLNl5p7fSfJ
He returned to his experiments the next day. Kenneth had no interest experiencing such discomfort for results, so he changed his strategy. He drank some of the essence. It tasted like crap, so he spat it out. He tried mixing the essence with fruit and bread, but it tasted like crap so he spat it out. He was nearly out of options until his father brought home a bag of seeds. It was for the garden they were going to supposedly make. Kenneth found a new food item to try, so he injected the tiny seed with the essence– only a fraction of the syringe went in –and ate it.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVBQw4TWaGP
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCgiJObKorg
It tasted like nothing. He tried a few more, still, nothing. The dosage must've been too small he thought, but then he realized that didn't make sense. It didn't matter how small the dosage was, it was always going to taste the same. But he didn't taste anything, just the grimy seed.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡth4KqJOATq
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpmlrX5Zpnc
Kenny thought he made progress. He ate a few more for good measure, and waited.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7BxMQBqys9
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg7ZiNXZxqL
He concluded that nothing would happen once his ninth birthday rolled around, since it was four months later. His parents didn't bring him any gifts for this one. In fact, they weren't even at the house.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJcrnKeByLY
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP10EFDqw0n
"..."196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl7cQVBTkuA
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcsV8MWYUZK
Kenny didn't mind. He went back to the dragon-maw plant. The plant was excited to see him and repeated the same licking routine it had been doing for a long time. Kenneth was excited to see it too, of course. It became a great close friend of his.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDytQEGIk1x
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmxreAZ5Ewc
It was while caressing the plant that Kenneth noticed something strange about himself. For whatever reason, his shirt was bulging at his chest, and he felt something cold and hard rub against his right arm. He pulled back and stared at it. He couldn't believe his eyes. He pulled back his sleeve. Still, he was shocked. He took off his shirt and now Kenneth became worried.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvVODlf19Jv
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrMEMzWSowo
A bundle of roots about as thick as his father's arm was protruding from the left side of his chest. It wrapped around Kenny's right arm and stopped right above his hand.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2R9v4Eau2p
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡojkZU9PQfc
Kenny fainted.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt9DDVSOMLc
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv20d7vJzH6
Kenny woke up an hour later and the bundle of roots was still there. Kenny tried to move it with his other hand but it wouldn't budge. He tried ripping and tearing at it, but it just grew back. This tendril of wood was seemingly stuck with him now. Kenneth panicked and asked himself, "What could've caused this?" He kept asking this question to himself while flailing his arms, trying desperately to shake the wood off.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFV49KFA22F
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZpMss3cpHa
He thought of all the plants he'd been tinkering with until this day. Was this revenge? Was this way of getting back at him? He knew it was silly but he couldn't think of anything else. He almost fainted again until the striking image of the spore plant came to his mind, and all of a sudden, the tip of the tendril blossomed that very plant.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxIEsOWLl9T
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBTGgzU4cQL
"...What in the world?"196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9OSMiLcYTq
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpifdpdClgk
It was much smaller than the normal plant. Half the size, just about. Kenneth didn't understand how this was possible, but he kept messing with it. Next was the light beam plant, and it blossomed at half the size. Next was the dragon maw plant, then the poison one, then the one with the sparkly liquid, and all of them came out perfectly. Just at half the normal size.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKbDWIqscgy
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEpj4IBXpu7
"But how do I get rid of this tendril?"196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdMUDCIEdRx
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM4iMaGJ3yz
The utterance of the sentence made the tendril swiftly retract back into his chest. Somehow he didn't get any splinters.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAoKZ0zM9FL
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJYHikyQfDd
"Is that it? Do I just need to say tendril?"196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzoZCcT4cDP
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJQK09DzuBm
That didn't work, so Kenneth thought about bringing the tendril forth. It came out and wrapped around his right arm without him even uttering anything.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUeHGQD6hir
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdX3o7j5cSf
"So that's what it is..."196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgEv1WLVrJg
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡivCNHGQ073
Though Kenneth was skeptical, and frankly, disturbed, something about this was incredible. He jumped for joy and ran back home. He couldn't wait until he showed his parents.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHHXXKke8Ci
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY84DfbK64A
Sure, they might've been out when he awoke, but they had to be back by now. Kenny did pass out after all, didn't he? He ran to the front door and slammed it open. He was so excited he could barely see in front of him. He suddenly stopped, because he realized that if he showed a wooden tendril the size of his father's arm coming out of his chest, he was sure to see the priest or something. So he tiptoed in instead.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4dGzMYP0Me
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNotkNvy6VL
He heard some noise coming from the kitchen. How exciting! Even if he wasn't going to show them his tendril, he was sure that at the very least, he would receive a present. Kenneth turned the corner and entered the kitchen.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkeu8rtjSOl
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSZBse4hdzL
"..."196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡovnnVPUT2I
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIDEadvURsG
"Haaa... How do you like that? Can't give me shit and hell looking like that now, can you?196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3yb2PqaZJm
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVwuTm4K8U5
"..."196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrQ4hPcJjx3
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9v0nW4zWty
Kenny was sure, for a moment, that he was still passed out, because this made no sense. Of course, that had to be it. A tendril from his chest should've been a good enough indicator, but this practically confirmed it.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5ECFZD0cJE
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJU685KWhme
His mother was standing there with a knife in her hand. It was wet, and the liquid was dripping onto the floor, making a great big red puddle. Kenneth looked aside, and saw his father with his head laid down, and covered in that same red liquid.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr7bslNmSKi
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJBTCJ0deRA
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZnGrwjGrIX
"...Dad–"196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbBFMA2urAe
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqSao91ZSUY
"Huh?"196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSZTMnUYWj0
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqXrGqSi6zM
His mother turned around. When she saw Kenneth, she looked terrified. It made no sense. If she was terrified, then what was Kenneth supposed to feel?196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT7fkskYxof
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJyJuKTB2j0
His mother fell to the floor. She dropped the knife. She scurried away from the boy as if he was the one who killed the man she loved.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9K8zz2PdVb
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoYI2t1PIdJ
"K-Kenny! It isn't– it's not–"196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ69ZkIbu4hP
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrnUEikyV8Q
"...W-Why? Mom, why?"196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwQ2tWyOejj
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6kapEkbdNb
But her mother didn't respond. She began to cry, to wail. Kenny didn't understand why.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSDjczCKBV9
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJRyk8RLQTK
Kenny just didn't understand why.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs5K92dw4qC
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0WpnEQU0T8
Kenny yelled. He didn't know what was happening but the tendril stretched and pushed his mother against the wall. Kenny kept screaming and screaming, and then he too began to cry, and he kept crying all while the tendril held up his mother. Soon, a neighbor came by. Then another.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPAqBlIKPGN
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG96wOQh2dH
Mother was arrested that day.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvZvBk28eW4
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRHuZWQsEvc
–
–
–
Nobody questioned Kenny's strange new limb. Nobody had the heart to. "What kind of soulless bastard would ask him that now?" Stuff like that. It made sense.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGEGMyzcrPp
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfG0FbODDoN
He was back in the church. He sat alone, wearing his church garbs. It was the first time he wore something other than his mother's gift. He couldn't possibly imagine doing it now.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡojWXFNMvvf
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpniytjTuSE
Kenny's mother was under trial. The whole town and the priest served as the jury. At one point Kenny was asked to testify but he couldn't move a muscle. He just couldn't.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhZAKJrGcsi
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnTMOfMjoTD
It was a pitiful trial. Kenny's mother didn't utter anything, and in the end, she was sentenced to death. Kenny was forbidden to watch the execution, but he somehow weaseled his way in as he tends to.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkUF5WJ9RF3
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXZq0Sb3q10
His mother was hung with a rope around her neck. Kenny didn't know what to feel.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4ilw4nBZJ6
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4J3bxuBO0Y
Kenneth didn't know if he could anymore.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlebTUjOmwt
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRlckd5itMk
The trial didn't even last half the day. Her guilt was just that easy to tell. "But what did that mean for Kenny?" everyone asked. Of course, he was famous in the village. He served excellent potions and has made spectacles for the entire town to see. But nobody knew the type of person Kenny was.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCI1s0zavPR
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDejr5pLcQl
All the while, Kenny could do nothing but stare at the ground.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa0gzTcRr9G
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6gwMDx695g
A decision was eventually reached. A family with the surname "Somber" would take custody of the boy. Kenny was asked if he would've liked to keep his old surname but he didn't say anything.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9jqBHpe1dg
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgpUL2QiQ09
Kenny was taken to their home. Kenny didn't know what became of his old residence. He was fed at his new home, and he even had a little brother now.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZN5wsrsdiT
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuSFE9qc2Us
For the first month Kenny didn't leave the house. It was excused at the time but eventually, his talents were needed too much. So Kenny, who got his equipment back, returned to alchemy, potion brewing, and the selling of his potions. He did it as well as he ever did, but it was different this time. It was wrong. Sometimes now, Kenny would slip up and make faulty products, and those times he didn't receive a beating, just a scolding. Some part of him wished he did receive a beating though.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYLGLD8kf5U
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡViukKkjMrI
It went on for another month.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtJII9mPdYb
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQiKaHKezsR
Then another.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOqHD0qP59E
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbbuZUTh3sj
Then another.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsouuk92JL5
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo0ZXCTcQP4
Kenneth couldn't get the picture out of his head.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKoXiG359ey
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8KTCddC6W1
The blood. It was slathered on the knife as if she was going to apply it to bread. And she was just standing there. Kenny didn't see her face but he knew she was smiling. And then her face after. Why was she so scared? Why? Why?196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq7DjhKxokd
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcGOUHozNRs
Kenny couldn't get that image out of his mind.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZZnzguV8cC
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡweKrcCQbe2
The image of his mother, of her horrified face.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbSECIplCDh
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbRe0UH15Y4
Kenny didn't understand what compelled her. Why did she have to kill his father? Kenny didn't understand. He asked himself and he didn't have an answer.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFaBZeXO7ft
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx6fgZKgWVq
But of course he did. Kenny was a smart kid, he knew what it was all along.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAS5tO81kdg
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡncqew4mAm2
They hated each other, didn't they? The "why" didn't matter, because look at what it amounted to. And all the while, Kenny was out of the house or in his room, playing with his plants like they were toys. He was at peace. They were not.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCwBKSCoUMs
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhR0V2Cgs16
And Kenny reminded himself of this.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEluIqwKQpF
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZOVMRVKczH
Over and over.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPSiEFcSuqq
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrX9EltDmPf
Over and over.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxhqRC2OlzR
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAWgdJ5ITui
Over and over.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMCny0EUADY
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdwhWh2Y5GI
Over and over.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAN3ReBRrmq
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjpH17KNuhn
Over and over.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡao7wedakMM
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz0GvVUMtay
Over and over.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPMekisjznI
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsaR0Zw92Xj
Over and over.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa0i16Ttnlr
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡejTNTQIPrS
Over and over.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡewygwDW5lG
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCVAdt7cGyD
He left the house. He turned ten already, somehow, he couldn't fathom how but he didn't care. He returned to the dragon-maw. It was called a Viscous plant, he recalled. But he hated that name. It was Dragon-Maw and that was final.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp8GyPbFQYS
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBlTV4OPvKI
Dragon-maw was excited to see him. He licked Kenny's face and even ticked him with his snout. Kenny appreciated it but wasn't here for that. He took out his syringe and took a sample of Dragon-maw's essence.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX9DfIb37cZ
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcGZ7aYkTWk
–
–
–
Kenny received a present for his eleventh birthday. It was like a coat. A large puffy white one with brown outlining. But it also came with a stylish shirt and a pair of brown, skinny pants.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkco4h4nYtF
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsdG5dpPjqz
His new mother, Anabelle, said that the coat was there to compensate for the bulge whenever his tendril came out. Kenny smiled and thanked her. It had been a while since he'd done such a thing.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhbyej10s3W
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7zgf04Ct0B
After the pleasant event, Kenny returned to alchemy and mana manipulation. He hardly improved though. Kenny lost a lot more than his family during the incident. Kenny tried to stay in good touch with the whole village. He tried to put on smiles and talk politely, but all the words he and other spewed never sat right with Kenny. Nothing ever sat right.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiDb2r5V3YQ
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAjszVhmLxn
Then there was Dragon-Maw. Kenny saw him every day. Kenny used to love the greeting he received from the plant but he's stopped being licked altogether. Today in particular, Kenny received a face akin to disgust, though it was hard to tell because the plant lacked eyes.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8WFguvW2NX
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBTvu9zdCml
"What's the matter, Dragon-Maw?"196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX6gSquFzvH
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwoXXqw6Exb
The plant shook its head no. Kenny didn't really understand.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxGcPHBO1De
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbOGJZtgSFS
"Come on, I know it hurts but it's only for a little bit. Just let me–"196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5PjplfT3Mh
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ28mLTylCZc
Dragon-Maw opened his face and yelled at him. Kenny fell on his butt.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ18cbVVJDGp
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJH75S60dRC
"H-Hey, what do you think you're doing?"196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2J8DDnvpxk
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpNkSJaGjkx
He was getting agitated. Still, the plant continued to flail and yell. Kenny rushed in and tried to pin it down but he was knocked away. Kenny grew annoyed and used his tendril. He wrapped it around the maw and shut it tight.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHpILHQX1Cf
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz8QGZ39KSo
"If you keep resisting, I'll just knock you out."196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡumi2CeQwIG
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNYckeBYIVo
The plant resisted anyway, and thus, Kenny did good on his words. He took a quick sample and returned home.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZWBQVjHTDi
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeoOo8DRgU0
It seemed like Dragon-Maw's behavior wasn't the only strange thing today.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMWqOJWxtgC
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡctjARgA5o8
Anabelle approached Kenny before he entered the house. She carried him inside hurriedly. She asked Kenny to sit down and he did. He waited for a few minutes before she returned with a letter. Kenny was handed it and he began to read.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ04XfEzq3Gj
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe8E5SQkLQp
It was an invitation.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTuVfKtoVKA
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5UCSsO6O12
Somehow, a scout from a prestigious school of alchemists saw the things Kenny had been doing, and considering his incredibly young age, thought it fit to enroll him there. Apparently, tuition was free, but the school was an extensive journey away. It would take four months on a carriage.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfYQVbv28l9
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9weqkh0gYO
Kenny did not know how to react, nor did he know what to say. He politely told Anabelle that he'd consider it and returned to his room. He continued doing his regular alchemy business but the invitation continued to nag him. He sighed and put down the flask.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH5Xc869Pb0
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFNsV9xTKqz
"What am I supposed to do?"196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs8liMDyTA9
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI74ZdatZV7
It was a tempting offer. Kenny did love his plants, after all. Alchemy was profitable and enjoyable, and he was very skilled at mana manipulation. The selling of his potions probably caught the eye of the university. But why should he go? He was already exceptional in his field. He was fine here, wasn't he?196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNw7CB8HwP3
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2x8fg3wKfI
"..."196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqjqAiN2aqn
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡztiaugbm0Y
How long had it been since he did any experimenting? How long had it been since he went back to the Blooming Biome?196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMAqY6fQZoU
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzVF4I8vAQO
All of a sudden, Kenny's mind began to hurt. This is something he'd typically avoid thinking about. He sighed, thinking it was time to clear the haze in his mind.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXwlZ8ZeNtB
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLEQrZaQaWX
–
–
–
Dragon-Maw went missing.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRU8YRiiIoU
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Ru7wjDi35
The stationary plant went missing.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsA9SCqgYyM
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTrHdJPhWeH
He had no way of making a new one. The one in his tendril would simply produce blood– it was something he discovered months ago.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmwy4sQiFin
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwHbm54KLze
"..."196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFdanbUoNzp
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoEq3a7EZQW
Dragon-Maw went missing.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmCMGvwMj0W
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLbjIIvF0sD
Kenny asked, though he already knew. He fell to his knees.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPZVO13TPSX
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7JQAilo8Qy
"...Why?"196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxp7yHdBOLj
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2gdmjMTBrq
Didn't he see his face? That terrified face of disgust?196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8MjeDwGE9n
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡetoaHJ6FoW
And still, Kenny took his essence.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRyhpHVbxNh
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9JCBfKLvfW
Of course he would leave.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4PwFFbyrJr
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6vlZujtPdI
And Kenny wouldn't let himself forget that.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXI9g1ygkRk
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8epvBvjpRR
–
–
–
Seven months passed since Dragon-Maw went missing. Kenny didn't move much since then. He grew a little bit of belly fat. It relieved him.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7xYgfoO4vD
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9fAXWAXGB4
Kenny was still doing what he did best, brewing potions for the village. That's all he ever did, people say, just stay holed up in his room and do alchemy. It wasn't a lie, but sometimes, Kenny felt like he wasn't even doing that–196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv288N7Mh69
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPKdwB0PKax
**Knock knock**
A sudden noise. It was likely Anabelle. She usually visited to bring him food.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcV2gmifmpZ
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5BsSRTk6p9
"Kenny. Come out here."196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNuhMGN3fh4
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2lvR8nqhhF
But that was a man's voice who just spoke. He stood up and begrudgingly opened the door. His wrist was taken and he was pulled.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqtilYMW0sO
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkXh7sXlrV7
"W-Woah!"196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9vE2c1CWKU
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsFvh9D3Jdq
"Come on, this is no way for an eleven-year-old to behave!"196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡufukqdoyQP
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgKeX2bT5EQ
Kenny couldn't resist. The pull jangled his body to the point of nearly fainting.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWDA7T3trkS
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3YU83bS99J
"Just look at you. Sheesh, I'm surprised you at least have your normal haircut."196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpAFhDswTWE
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwLqsw2Q554
Shortcut red hair. And yellow eyes. Kenny remembered how distinct it was from his mother.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1PdleTST3l
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Fyqbm60Dr
"Now go out, you dumb kid!"196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5rJ41jZm3V
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlKtDrfsp9K
And then Kenny was shoved out of the house. He slowly rubbed his head and got up.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbATILmZzG8
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbsmGq8Axqr
The sun was bright outside. Kenny had a hard time seeing so he covered his eyes. He tried to re-enter the building but his turning of the doorknob was met with a kick at the door. He'd rather not get hurt, so he decided to just roam the village.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLVfBOKTXu7
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡztesMlP3Ip
It was... strange though. Not because something truly strange was happening, but because the mood was different. People were out and about, doing their work, and children were playing and having fun.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUJi43XGZLn
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ17k7sTM1Q
Kenny didn't get it.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5PAGk3h5gp
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJIfitCBuQj
Don't they understand that it had only been a year since an incident? Why were they all so cheery?196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEan6PTVMH7
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE4wxPVrogT
"Ah, Kenny! Look at you!" A random woman said with a gleeful smile on her face, "You're finally outside, about damn time you recluse! Hahaha!"196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3aFkV1JIAQ
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz1P28n0RWE
"I... whaa?"196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Pw8KjkuYA
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVcOU5hWYwh
Kenny couldn't formulate a sentence. The woman just waved at him and went away. Kenny didn't understand. Why was she so... rude to him? Didn't she understand that his parents died? That his plant was gone and that he was all alone?196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfxHNYJ12h5
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3QiWzit3aI
"..."196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe1Vd9zVRmu
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqVQ6c2p3dn
Something truly was strange. In the seven months that he stayed indoors, this town had changed.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9hVlQxQqWm
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfgeb8nmOIM
He didn't like that. But still he kept wandering. He didn't know what else to do. He watched as the kids played and as the adults chattered about this and that. Kenny was confused. He didn't understand it at all.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKfFjYMxSoK
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWRUiwO6nIZ
"Ah, it's Uncle Kenny!"196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdppnn7grPx
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡocm8cEvFgH
Uncle? Kenny turned around and a little girl was there grinning ear to ear. Kenny was much taller than her, she was probably something like six–196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmceaT8tRM5
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1fi7GQYBb2
"Huh?"196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡatxWwlmCE9
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHNJAkVRLGF
Kenny suddenly felt her arms wrap around his back. Her cheeks were against Kenny's belly.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcUCcgyxSXP
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnKkRAsDyIz
"I'm so glad you're finally out. We all missed you."196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrWyvoCg36C
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJVc5v3IWOe
The girl let go. Kenny couldn't speak.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRLYatzZrMp
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWRkZ4kldHY
"Oh, and um, thank you so much for making that one potion for Mommy! She's so much better now!"196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7mGFvaApma
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUFjQgS8GWg
"Uh... sure?"196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEUR6RobeI1
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7KXaH3cFNA
The girl bowed and ran away, and kept playing games with the other kids.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR5uTkV8dLu
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ12NJKpaWwT
"..."196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡClzJZiTpUv
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4KWSecnsAc
No, Kenny couldn't still.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEXtDkuYFmH
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxrSVckRvs4
He still didn't know what was going on.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvdbYM2EoO8
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLo8vias6nU
So he kept wandering. The same sight as before, but this time, someone he knew stopped him.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBTWsDCcGRE
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwUR6ir8Pm0
"...Big Brother."196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa3cFoElKIN
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtGACOOglwc
It was the kid, Jackson. The kid that was supposed to be Kenny's new little brother.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDbM15spYwn
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ55ylPhs3Dx
The kid looked upset. Of course, that's the look. That's the look that I should be getting, Kenny thought. They're still dead, and the plant is gone, and he's still alive, and nobody should ever forget that, Kenny thought.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFkLxKRaTVN
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLT45bPfJJo
But then he smiled.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNf6RtjVIh7
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgvpgrJCjkJ
"Look at you. You finally moved on?"196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnxKXY4jqJe
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0pC6haxkJ0
Jackson reached out a hand. Kenny didn't understand at all. So he just swiped it away.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6JiYp9mhIG
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd3eow1NfoJ
"N-No, move on? Move on? What the hell are you talking about, 'move on?'"196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5ORMjMX7F5
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdlYjOQYXjt
Jackson just sighed, but Kenny didn't stop.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVcbzhHkl7Q
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1rXMowMHXG
"D-Don't you get it? Does nobody else get it? My parents died! I drove my plant away! Am I– am I the only one who cares? And– and its–"196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc5EZH4tdRG
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG9W8SM8386
"Listen, Kenny, I don't want to hurt your feelings, but it's been a long time now, hasn't it?"196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhyy1UhND1V
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO7iAAvH0aS
A year and a half, right? Is that really long?196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡON32zB2VX3
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHEhVU47L3X
"I get it, it hurts. And I'm not saying you should be all cheery. But for a whole seven months, you stayed indoors, and it was the plant that drove you that far?"196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlXePMx2s9b
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsHfrs1Zm8x
"W-What? Huh?"196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzaQaOjbU1U
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoRuGsLTwM2
Kenny didn't understand. No, this made no sense.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3VO1pg2ujS
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDwAxwPO5XR
This was insulting.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk6WLWQjHpp
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoi4ELWOs9r
This was just insulting now.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxZUwsaELlL
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxfEq3SJ7BR
But Kenny didn't have a chance to accuse Jackson of that.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9TcKUuP3hF
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEvUSVdc5vK
"What in the world is going on inside your head to make you so hung up over it?"196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqXc9O1rtZm
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVaPyz5o71k
"..."196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWB5zPkgBvH
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZWVkTwjBBy
And then something shattered in him.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj5KZSS9uLE
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAFtcFlxDAj
What was making him so hung up?196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR0mQz9IGEJ
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCAOTB2LYlO
Why, that's obvious, isn't it? It's so obvious that Kenny didn't feel the need to say it out loud. But Jackson was looking at him like he needed to say something. Kenny couldn't though, because Kenny knew that it was too obvious. Yet Jackon kept that gaze up, and kept pestering him with that look, and–
**SLAM!**196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk56AKG6hq6
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfwtkZhLL3b
"...Huh?"196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8zTxIXn5ty
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0RbCnDkI6h
And then Kenny was smacked on the head. But it wasn't like the other times. This one was soft.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqTc0Us750G
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Fume1DNh9
"L-Listen, Kenny..."196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHgsgaJjRs3
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMREvXdO6Ql
He looked up. Jackson was looking sad.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfRb5U1R6xi
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ64VxV6iIWd
"Don't tell me that you think... you're to blame, right?"196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaSrTlNhSj4
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡERpHD1yeck
"..."196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCyBwnCFrqg
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyqPWALIQtU
It was the first time Kenny cried since the incident.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ42k6IFHFAs
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3BMYUCSfSV
–
–
–
He had a talk, to say the least. Kenny grew better. He had a difficult time talking to others, and despite the discussion, his feelings for the incident and himself didn't go away entirely.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4LUbJdKyD7
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa5Zde71Qfc
But Kenny was fine. He turned twelve, and he was about to board a carriage. Yes, he accepted that offer. Transportation wasn't free, and despite Kenny's insistence on paying for it himself, a carriage was in front of him while his coin sack was completely full.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaFQmYoWqxr
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC6O2NVzyeI
Kenny turned to those saying goodbye. It was practically the whole village, but Anabelle and Jackson were at the front. Kenny swore he was going to cry again, but he held himself back. He was wearing the clothes Anabelle gifted him. His snow white jacket with brown buttons and outlining, his complementary light-brown pants. It did make the environment a bit toasty though.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFcf8iPzdcP
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡErdMJiLUtE
None of that was important. What was important right now was that he was hugging Anabelle and Jackson. What was important right now was that he was boarding the carriage and waving goodbye to his village. His home.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEmMj367nN7
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrf29G06t2L
He was going to ascend King's Peak. It sounded a little crazy to him, but it was really happening. Kenny brought the tome and his equipment with him. He couldn't believe that a simple set of gifts got him this far.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeNqcmiEKpZ
196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSB6ZwKMFOr
He wasn't perfect, no, but now he was ready. He was ready to go somewhere new and finally make some progress.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOn2jxlyS3x
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Kenneth Buffalo Chambers. That's who he was.196Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ67aUSTDaLp
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That's what he remembered. All of that. Not all of his questions were answered, but he was glad he remembered that much. He got up from the rock and scratched his head. He wished that he remembered how exactly it came to this, though. Kenny was in a rocky field. His carriage was totaled, the horses were missing, and his driver was dead on the ground.
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