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.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVzt50m2hkj
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“Ya look like a sorry sort. More like a midget than a kid.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFlhuPAejLo
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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.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvTd7VLYQ2G
80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPycxLvuDrM
Besides, I had a verbal jab I needed to address.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgxaEGjIJzC
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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.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUVOlvih4NR
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“Y’know, that ain’t a bad idea.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlehKNXKHwf
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He did just as I suggested, laboriously lifting his laden helmet and setting it aside. 80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgndhv9ZxtX
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“Well?”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ94UEznfbQa
80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡufwHWVUBnE
“...It’s about what I expected. At least your facial hair looks clean.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyzFvLl5QRD
80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZD9borbbdG
“Really? That thing’s messy all the time.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfWzp5Ccmzn
80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4Gx9Awnads
“Maybe exertion has a reverse effect. I’ve heard of things like that happening.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCSDuoY9JcL
80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ5Z6zgYilg
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.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg1iChI0FbJ
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“I’m surprised either of us are still standing here. I didn’t even bleed from that fight.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmhyvxPbsCK
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“I ain't bleedin’ either. But that bastard scratched my helmet. ‘Least he didn’t dent it.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFK9wFREVna
80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWAIg0pNw4W
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.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQs4ifOWIB5
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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…”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMQzoDpkhIk
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I tried to empathize with him, but my state inclined me to be backhanded.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLRcm9cttVY
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“You only have yourself to blame. You and I could’ve left if we stopped caring about the letter.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVcyTBuvwSI
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He sighed and shrugged. That gesture indicated that he heard my point, but he still had a retort.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH8ESNYLZsM
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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.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmT8HTIvIQx
80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEdgRQZhHNC
“...Yeah.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXZzusvgn88
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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–80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0iAPEiDIOB
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“It’s so stupid. I don’t like any of it”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaooFwii1gm
80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3cLeE8t0jp
“I ain’t liking any of this either.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRcZd5z8oqW
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“I know! I know you aren’t; you’d be a maniac if you did. But still”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjwCM5doHIb
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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.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcqz5MXSMgt
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“I’ll tell ya what, though. I wanted no part of fighting for this damn Pillar.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZgHSAGcrn8
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“Y-Yeah. That I agree with.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK96hgmzcFw
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“It ain’t amountin’ to anything either, is it?”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3HizTPbfeN
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“...?”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQNOJ8pmeax
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At that, I had to tilt my head.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvBiCXEj3r5
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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.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3VDuiZIQno
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“...I guess yer right. But it doesn’t feel like it.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkDs01GUjDW
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He adjusted his posture a little, rolling his shoulders and releasing a lengthy sigh.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9RzacVWwPa
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“Dennis still ain’t here.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdLRAAZzVnY
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“...”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡic21i8jk6X
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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.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZEY1UQWiOv
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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–”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Rg0d4FTV3
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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.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkvMmRHMRvm
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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.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp1vzfBsdnZ
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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’.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj0SsWgTtFl
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“--!? W-What!?”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhLlouON0Wr
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Such an analogy was one thing, but that extreme turn made it seem like a joke.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD6B0C91Xek
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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?”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXVvJpjsDA4
80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnl5kxoWTpK
“...You aren’t pulling my leg, are you?”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLHfGDS36QG
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“Do ya see my hands on ya? Nah, I’m serious, kid.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTcVltTbXVx
80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSL3JmHED5i
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. 80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyKvkh18x1Q
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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.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg61ywmRrwk
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That didn’t really work either, but the idea of a different Kenneth gave me what I was looking for.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEo3mHDsizr
80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ40F5dg9v3D
“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.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFwYsbHy5eU
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Juke nodded along, and I took it as an okay to continue.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡArKXhsRdKf
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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.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoAqaEOIauy
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“...”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgvaxuYi5ls
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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.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLwoL6aBNu9
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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.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyS3DBIFg1f
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“I-I see…”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡur2Tobv4Dv
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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.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdjkXryUej1
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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.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj48Qb245hs
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“You don’t, ‘get?’”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmDXEcn9NMK
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“Y’know, when–”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq73I7VidlA
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“No no no, I understand you. I do.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ99BQHuuLsx
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My muscles loosened a little. I felt awfully warm about the words I would spit.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZgZrcEcfxT
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“I just know that feeling a little too well sometimes–”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8ipZjZDklq
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**SLAM**80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh6hKiUBFHC
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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.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1QqLowb8WA
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That is until I saw a head peer from the frame.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEGFzqCxp2u
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“Oh, thank goodness. You two are safe.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF4A8QoFNPg
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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.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ962Cqy7Ivv
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“Phew. For a moment I thought I came at a bad time.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhbFI44KX4l
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“M-Mister Dean.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjgDei2SchV
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I decided to speak up, as the present situation was too absurd for silence.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPjowEFB9Kh
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“Yes, child?”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGC2hLULybb
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“Uh– well, first of all, are you alright?”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTDsnW3yIz8
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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.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡANv8STxfmd
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“R-Right.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpKe0WHmt0c
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I couldn’t think of anything else to say, and looking at Juke revealed he was in a similar boat.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtlBGCmd21z
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“But, enough about me. I came here bringing good news, and a friendly face.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpTelIMBQLC
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“--Please worry not about explaining it, Sir Dean. I wouldn’t want my duty as a leader stolen as such.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKH3nFf1Wtc
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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.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvLmHRMo0fe
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“Hello, you two,” said Lola, “by the looks of things, your side was a complete success.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi3RN0AMH9s
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–
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–
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–
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With the arrival of Lola came the confirmation I was desperately needing. We had won.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBzHhdCUheh
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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.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3YEoFZ3XfX
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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…”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡit8LBifa4S
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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.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJEH59Bcssh
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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–80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm235YGc5Bs
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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.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlkmZszum2J
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“Haven’t you explained that already?”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwHQwaIWgHl
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“Yes, but… there is a slight problem we’ve run into.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzPKWZtubUY
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“What’s that?”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzir06ilwym
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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.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoohZFJSKzI
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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.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzt9gX5VvTK
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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:80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4veyWSfRwh
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“I know I wasn’t asked, but I think making a signal would be effective.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7hG9Nc2qJC
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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.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡezDKCO5bmO
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“...Ah, so that’s where you’re heading. But how will it be done?”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsQXMWclSYT
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A smirk found itself on his face. He turned around and continued leading me.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkyNtF9qf7z
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“We have our methods. This place has been around too long for it not to.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1dm3ot0GuW
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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.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE8uaW1MSMO
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“Oh, goodness. And I was wondering why the office was so small.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGf8E5P0UdG
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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.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnUBtXb7waH
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“Here is your answer, Kenny,” Lola said, standing beside a stall. I peeped inside and–80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8K5FD0yNjz
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“GAH! W-Why is this here?”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡasdbzRu8Ko
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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.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdhgRLTXJHr
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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.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdV3PdfFWx0
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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.” 80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2h5Puo30e2
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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.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmyVgEUp46R
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“I think it likes you, child.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJNzaP4AlUH
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“Please, call me Kenneth or Kenny, Mister Dean. And, uh, are you sure– certain?”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrxjI3gOS1l
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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.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvm8UuAMMzZ
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And then, it leaned its head down even further and… sniffed my hair.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfsJ5XYCrHQ
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“Hah?”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMYVu4tLhxu
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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.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ80wVcC3GR5
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“I… smell like flowers?”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhOQpI0ZDxl
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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.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbFjtIAK2AQ
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“Why am I just figuring this out !? I don’t smell– well, I don’t think I smell like flowers?”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡelVzMH1e9v
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I even sniffed my hands and arms to make sure, and nothing of the scent reminded me of flowers.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuWJAyD5J56
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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.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe07IpoPqfo
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“Really? I didn’t know that…”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqIccqYAsFA
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“Ahem, moving on–”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEN47iV4SQ2
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Dave interjected with a cough. I turned my attention back to him, anticipating his oncoming words.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi7lubCbpg0
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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.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQXHe0BjX1V
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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:80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh3r2FnJVX7
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“May I know why I’m being told this?”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8HNkS7WTKg
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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?”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhHlxpHYp7r
80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4foXTJLgMe
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.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYaXpsSR4Qi
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“But if you need to know why,” she continued, “it’s because we need your help in facilitating it.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg34WCqox1E
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“My help, you say…”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0TDAXgOIWh
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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.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLRzFIhYFld
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“I’ve heard that you’re a prolific, experienced alchemist. At such a young age too no less–”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9ZcsAI8U6j
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“Please, don’t mention it. I don’t want my achievements embellished, especially because of something like age.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBdVhFiSdQV
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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?”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwpbo8JUUlZ
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“...Energizing potions?”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAkUByFzDv6
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I knew how to do that, naturally, but Lola was off the mark somewhat.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVTAdTv7rGw
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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.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVPsBJveREv
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Lola had her eyes wide and her head slowly nodding.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡolJ7Y0Knix
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“You’re correct. Do you think you can do it?”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBbWnMHCybi
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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.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsfksy2udAs
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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.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTHjQvffc9R
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“T-There’re few good ones. One’s unopen, so ya can juts pour it out if ya hafta.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMAYj3zwFYx
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“Phew. That’s good. The potency wouldn’t be right if I was just using random cups.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6GzMnZUqc5
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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.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtChlOdm15q
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“Is something wrong?”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO4ImvmADmT
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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. 80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHJ7voOyWi0
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“Well, kid–”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8aOp5zuXjW
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Then Juke suddenly spoke out, and I diverted my attention to him.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXlJi8RO8Hr
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“Ya just look a lot more comfortable than I’m used ta.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4oIMxQY1gW
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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.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx42xqK9TkS
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“Comfortable? I haven’t heard that one before.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgRt3jHvZfJ
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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.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7lTrBLoA9S
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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.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNbaVSQwf0Q
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“...Comfortable.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxaXUC1HSdp
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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.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBCc5ealT0F
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Yeah. When it came to alchemy, comfortable was just right.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJKWuXKDjSA
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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.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs6qaZepr6g
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Scratch that, I missed it even as I did it. 80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4xIsVQxI1g
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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.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCwrbnny4vS
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“...A little bit here.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyNmvobK6Ae
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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. 80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTlFf0eSNzT
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And it wasn’t until near completion that I realized what it was.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMRP01O116G
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“Of course. Goodness, how could I forget the most important part?”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhBrYJMsoEh
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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.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjjRwehDzg9
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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.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSmzfvZikyP
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“No time to waste, though.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYdZMh9QcL6
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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.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjWf3cupzce
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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.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfkWjO9l7mQ
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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.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIYPAJkccls
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“...Crap.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRWZ1jBWnVR
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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.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpc69sJT7B3
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“Is there something you’re lookin’ for?”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMvtALTWGB2
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Who was essentially the lunch lady noticed my plight.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUlP8UDY5vU
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“Yes. Um, do you happen to have anything with fat on it? And I mean raw fat.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA7tuKmltkt
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“Fat? Fat, hmm… well, there might be some in the trash.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMdIK1N0o3A
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“Excuse me? Oh, sorry. Can I ask where the trash is?”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc7vhIuTyWJ
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“You sure can. It’s in one of those buckets right there.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsBfhlPrwk5
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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.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1CtOXbKB9w
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“M-May I ask, what kind of fat is in those?”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCMc5dymRJe
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And she responded with confirmation of my immediate fears.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO4B30ecndU
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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?”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHcyVKz37O5
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“Crazy indeed, ma’am.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyje97SAsW1
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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.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPd5KFSQbFG
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“Mind if I ask what you need fat for?”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPI8kyDUFp1
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“Oh, yes. It’s for a potion I’m making, you see–”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYGlYhwYMZ8
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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.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSsqdhACjBE
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“N-Nigel!?”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoFzeZm42dh
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“Correct! I’m honored that you remember me. It’s swell to see you in good health, Kenny.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7dg9iJduPO
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“Y-You as well. Also, please, don’t sneak up on me like that.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3DsowIi0xn
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He lightly shrugged in response. I clicked my tongue at his insouciant attitude but dropped my grudge quickly.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0Xl2jYdsng
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“It’s good to see you healthy as well, Nigel. How was your time at the battle?”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx04LeAg8AN
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“Ah… well, first, let me offer you a hand.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwOgLu55SHK
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“A hand,” I asked, confused as to what he insinuated.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXC5JHxUfQ5
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“You said you need fat for your potion, and I just so happen to have a knife.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7eVGMETEud
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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.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv6pgLop9rm
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“Is this… a clamper?”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfWjAFGCWtS
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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.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv4oriM9cJn
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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?”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPh5Shg3AP4
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“That I asked you?”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡukMpU7OaFL
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I thought about it, and it seemed to have slipped even my mind, but I remembered my earlier inquiry quickly.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY28x4yKzZ0
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“Right. It was about the battle. How was it? I mean, I know it was rough for everyone, but…”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWpG1ry7wzP
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“Yeah, I know what you mean. I might as well tell you.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5skWUgFU73
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He stopped rotating the meat on his knife and looked down at it.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiG3SabXNfF
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“...Was it, did you lose your friend?”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡukt2YaxV1x
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He jolted when I asked, raising his head with widened eyes.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXuCvzj95rJ
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“How did you–”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAt1AdQpYy5
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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.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpGzKnrASmP
80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAFDiJWbNEA
“...Hah. You’re a sharp boy with a keen eye.” 80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi5ZYeGMKzP
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He continued cutting as he spoke.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu0WuUphxaU
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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.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡysVhLMHSFs
80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLbBK5NJpWY
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.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjZ3cJHAVnA
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“I’m, so sorry to hear that. He must’ve been a good friend.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3UGPSu4cmO
80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0BYVtQgbAZ
“...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.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSRu8eR582V
80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaiaYF1rAMx
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.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtbzDoMlJe0
80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡACfAVXbw86
“You saw me at a bad time, truly. Sorry, I’ll continue helping.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEc5ZiVkuGQ
80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpaz75dZTdF
“Don’t… don’t you worry about it.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ65Z2kTXb0l
80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrlMXUXwrBY
“Enough about me. Tell me, how was it on your end?”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4tfQJFJst1
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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:80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSRKuuqEX5L
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“Is that really something you want to hear? Are all crowd members like this, just talking about unpleasant fights?”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3xyYMPDsHx
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“That’s not fair of you. You asked first, right?”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzp1BhH5h2l
80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfOzrgFxIg4
“I… darn it, you got me there.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeoeEZ8cFc2
80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7MZUAT7Ini
I continued peeling and let my mouth run.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNoNdwJ741L
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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.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWCNB7QVVUU
80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHyFrXhFkiT
Though my right hand would be painfully sore in the morning.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGfBHhHroHw
80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJszrnN26jI
“Excellent to hear. You must be a proficient fighter for it to have gone so well.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrsYthnJuUG
80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFS6vCCr43O
“Not really. I’m just somewhat competent with magic, and my partner had an incredibly useful endowment. We got lucky, that’s all.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMRKqfkEjDq
80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr7Xf9QdB5p
“I don’t know about that, Kenny.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLt5kodTMpj
80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5Etcni5yya
I looked at him with pursed lips.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhkPUpxv9M5
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“Why not?”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9METt0Zq1m
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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.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcnSY3GxsxX
80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgpTbmV6KNm
“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.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPj9YSTuk4D
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He raised and wagged his finger, going “tsk tsk” with his lips.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHcBZh9tVr1
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“And who is it that managed to beat that enemy in the first place?”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPWMDTfxixf
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“--!”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4PF1TLssR2
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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. 80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ69PQl1L4ZX
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“Did anything else happen?”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYtoX2lwA0S
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“Anything else? Well… Oh!”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYPx35ctAIp
I perked up and yelled all a sudden, startling Nigel and making him ask “What?”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7NaSt6y4E1
80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS0ZzuUAEUU
“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.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1fdlRsQsUk
80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTk1RNfSLgZ
“Some information? Would you like me to relay it while you make the potion?”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaJNgBVDyWh
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“Uh…”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqffYW5kLzy
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I hesitated, but when I realized how silly that was, I spoke.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDh9A81a4Z3
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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.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGH2iyGg9IP
80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡusvrbN6HKF
“...That is quite a concern. It means we need to confirm all our kills as well.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLfBtVtunHz
80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqOXfyrGD8I
My face retracted and my eyes widened, shocked by our utter differences in derivatives from the information.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTUyXklJUBX
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“Being together with just Juke must’ve been irritating.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9dZg7abXXu
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“Hm? Why’s that? We were split into pairs, weren’t we?”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAkXGrbyjlq
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He tilted his head and raised his brow, which made me inclined to do the same.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAh82CbRT25
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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?”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ68YU3bGeug
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“...O-Oh.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDsgigcbCGE
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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.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOKV3bZ0zuj
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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.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaDmOzaMyGS
80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvvnjOGbhPK
“I see… she’s been avoiding you? That makes a lot of sense.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA2WuIbJpmV
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I tilted my head at his assessment, as I couldn’t imagine how such a conclusion could be drawn.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaDbJ66EoMC
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“Make sense? How?”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIV5orl7bF8
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He adjusted his sitting posture by slacking his muscles and raising his legs, holding his arms over his knees.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxOamgcNjQc
80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwmyTCb0Nvd
“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–”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu60Gbp9oRw
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“Ah, so you were her partner? I figured.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYdzHHBDQWf
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Nigel looked surprised as I finished his retelling for him. I could tell he needed elaboration, so I handed it.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvp4i40DXrU
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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.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3L2mFarwXU
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“So she still fought alone, eh?”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH7uN8LpBs9
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“...Yeah. She did. I heard she’s alive, though. I’m relieved.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeae7KVr8ep
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“Relieved? How come?”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrntFc5vbqn
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I jumped at his stupid question, contorting my face as if it offended me.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpbpSXkhnBC
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“You just said you fought. Ah, who am I kidding, I know what it is.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn0IvpyZtV4
80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1hmww1yrwy
He pulled his arms closer to his chest and continued peeling.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBQ2VhKz5wP
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“You’re probably good friends with her.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP9uupnQzZY
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“F-Friends? W-Well, I don’t know about–”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv8T0D2NGYh
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“You’re friends, man. Don’t kid yourself. You wouldn’t have given her that check if you weren’t.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhFkd6tMmRk
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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.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHvWGrDhd3s
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“I hear she’s hurt,” Nigel continued, snapping me out of my trance, “Hurt very badly.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAtliBel7bW
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“H-Hurt? What happened?”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaQegTV20yI
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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.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4GXY3H9ppv
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“That’s– that’s good to hear.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUp5SZl2nEB
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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.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrn573NSdoO
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A moment later, he put down his knife and slapped a gelatinous mass of yellow onto the floor before me.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGxpO0BU6nl
80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiZ4GKE7KQ5
“Here’s all the fat I could get. Take this and make your potion, then give her a patch-up.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3vW7naK9bz
80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmuBRv08Iny
“A patch-up… you mean, a healing potion?”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡowe7nBIZiY
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He shrugged.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCMxvUZl407
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“I’m not the alchemist, am I?”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKzpq7isFWI
80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiNgtJOhv3D
“...Yeah. Yeah, you aren’t.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJdEJSiLAnK
80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWEdHdk280x
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.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjFzuABKZhY
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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.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoykA0hGLEv
80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbMN16bRXrq
“Thank you, Nigel. Your help was invaluable.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuwvojBgdcy
80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbz7sTVyLUz
“I told you, didn’t I? It’s my pleasure to be a good role model.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5Adh0UHUy9
80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMoh55UimkR
It was impossible to suppress my smile. His cocky optimism– somehow, it was exactly what I needed to fortify my duct-taped prospects. 80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnxgamKhUwi
80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiz9MjPjoqJ
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.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtEfvtvsp2O
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–
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“...Role model.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn2QHA1TFev
80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTWJUX5gzu6
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.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyUhjTrVBIV
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“Who am I kidding, of course he noticed.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzIdZJLG01p
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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.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCtJkdLsVp3
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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.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuiMyX8usWH
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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.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVsara5wDvO
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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.”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSVryzIc6tn
80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFaPxT5t4tF
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.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWfasiGAKc3
80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwO6vMqBwXO
“...Not even my hands? Had to go straight for my legs?”80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0LAJ3Bjxmt
80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy3cweYNKBv
He closed his eyes. It was all he could to stop the spill, the salty water that trickled for a mere colleague.
