This…isn’t my ceiling. I blink and feel a tinge of pain across my pain. So…this is reality. I’m probably in the nurse’s office.485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡarIkzs7bsI
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I swallow and exhale a long breath. Everything that has happened flashes through my head.
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Nao: “What happens now?”
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr70UlylUDZ
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjljNqmh1mL
Alyson: “So you’re awake.”
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!485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkUe3i83Dfc
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPN96zsXDws
I struggle through the pain and look to my right to see Alyson by my bed.
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoLzXieQjcI
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ4y2CKhKoA
Nao: “What are you doing here.”
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485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI1Vn7E9A1Y
Alyson: “Is that a problem?”
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOVZJw0zzYK
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHh5F9EFZnJ
Nao: “No, I’m just surprised.”
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCc1s5X3bCq
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Alyson: “…”
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485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl9W5L901ae
Nao: “…”
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGcysXJ9GiB
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGK8CbYyNmW
Alyson: “So, explain yourself.”
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485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKwEAXy65Qv
Nao: “Is it not obvious, Trevor beat me up.”
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC3jnUShtrt
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN8umpSSmgK
Alyson: “…I mean before all of that.”
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485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAGyUUml34P
Nao: “I did the right thing, any humane person would do it.”
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485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy1ahRT0WR8
Alyson: “Those eyes didn’t look human to me.”
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485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQVAI9n2pcZ
Nao: “…”
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzLk6nsCWs6
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGqmf2PwQQe
Nao: “Maybe not, but I couldn’t sit by and let them beat up my friends like that. If I…have to become a monster-”
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu3bIZpl3Al
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5nJQfn1HIH
Alyson: “Don’t finish that. You don’t have to do that.”
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbHi5KRg69E
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTJ1pdjRhIc
I begin to retort but something is happening. Alyson’s general seriousness begins to crumble before my eyes.
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485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcyP43VzHOm
Nao: “What’s with you?”
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485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNHQgfwcWnm
Alyson: “That’s my question!”
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Nao: “!”
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ779wQN7YMP
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3V92abUXNV
Alyson: “Don’t you realize that if you keep doing this you’ll get yourself killed! Stop trying to do things beyond your ability!”
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485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUMtc95FjWc
Nao: “…”
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG08zwGcnSP
Alyson: “I…don’t want to lose you too.”485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJHnrdYLAOF
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoNvXEYZOjw
Tch.485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNjTqw4Z4Lb
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa4o8AZTKHb
Nao: “What do you want from me!?”
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHpMJYiHxhc
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡseCsZpd33a
Alyson: “!!”
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485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxzMbdkBK2F
Nao: “Should we just shut up and take our abuse? I don’t care whether it’s not within my ability, I rather try than live the rest of my life on my knees.”
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNOsrH7rquh
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkkOYsDfcR8
Alyson: “…Nell and I won’t watch you burn up in the sun. Goodbye, Nao.”
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHBCzVEfxoN
She cleans off her tears and leaves me alone in the room. No, not alone. I’m in a room full of broken bodies. Those of my friends and those of my enemies.
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485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDzJPAOxUvi
Nao: “It’s too late to back out now.”
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9TYOy7XdnD
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL08sxvfBYK
*Sigh*
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Nao: “ So this is the cost of being the main character. I’ll know when this ends if the price was worth it.”485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡomAHe873ou
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE6bUjMn5AZ
Arc?485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ38YwC6DKd5
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuGGkt6Qi3v
Arc: “Yes?”
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485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnNreOmp1bd
How’s my body?
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcCHqdbt4pr
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡulGqDbdjMm
Arc: “Healing well enough. Speaking of healing…”
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1MjK0fKQxd
*Ding*485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡndOz0lL1aT
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2vwyohU4D3
Points: 6485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu6D0ku9GSy
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Arc: “You did well over 10 spells today.”
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485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjIhlye5CsM
Good, I need those points if I’m going to beat the King next time.
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485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeaz2uInCeh
*Door open*
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I look to the door and rushing to my side is the person I didn’t want to see. Not after what I almost did?
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485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLFonxWZ3oQ
Nell: “Nao, are you okay!”
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz8zf4VTcvR
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdHPieuftdm
Nao: “I’m okay, mom. Sorry they had to call you from work.”
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMLknV5my0I
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlFCImyaxH5
She hugs me gently, enveloping me in her warmth. Something I need but don’t deserve. And as soon as I think that the warmth leaves and is replaced with dread.
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡssRKgwMxeL
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMKoP0Jn503
Nell: “You promised…”
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485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6AkGG4gKOF
Nao: “Mom I-”
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485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG6yrbZFHIe
Before I could say anything she flicked my forehead hard enough to push my head back some. Knowing my mom, this is as bad as a slap.
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485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFlMr49LyD5
Nell: “You broke your promise and got into fights. Even Alyson seems shaken by what she saw you do.”
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485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsBPKtUacbj
Nao: “But-”
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485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4I0RtVqRbc
Nell: “Nao, you’ve been suspended from school for a month.”
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVRsmckOYiS
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjQ8HueUIgl
Nao: “!”
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4HMBDEau4y
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEkAsYx5WWn
Nao: “What about those bullies?! Don’t tell me they get to go free!”
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485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFPVmTKGKh0
Nell: “Nao, you beat one of them so bad that they might not make it.”
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6x9uBRguqJ
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJY2hfqv3GD
Nao: “!!”
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9kMEvb1NMo
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG4PrSLFjL0
Nell: “What they did to you and your friends is unforgivable but that pales in comparison to you. You…might really be charged with murder.”
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk1jhRpt0cE
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr91D672LYn
Nell: “Why didn’t you tell me…we could have done something….anything but this...”
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVaR5NA6eRV
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ567oZoEIKN
I couldn’t say anything…she’s right. I already killed 3 people and now this….
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485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkqAntmtZan
What am I becoming?
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Arc: “What’s necessary.”
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W-What?
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6jRETdRw82
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdmjf1Vn6ns
Nell: “Nao, despite everything you’ve done I forgive you for breaking that promise.”
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOhzX3VhIcO
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTXIMfhswuH
Nao: “R-Really?”
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485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuJlG6gSdHx
Nell: “Yes, because I also kept something from you. Our…living situation is not the best.”
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485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIxTqB6DeyN
Nao: “What do you mean?”
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485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCSRszj9sEA
Nell: “It means that I’m getting older and can’t be as productive as I once was. Income has been steadily declining along with work hours. I…can’t keep up and one day…we might lose the house.”
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbxUrsi9YRJ
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3dTNkqCCNW
Nao: “Mom! Why didn’t you tell me? I could have helped or lessened your burden in some way. I would never have been as lazy as I was before if I knew.”
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485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnV9XSOyPGw
Nell: “I didn’t want to further burden you. I assume that’s the same reason why you didn’t tell me.”
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbIUArnjUzc
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ74jwDfn92k
Nao: “*Nod*”
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485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpO4AGVKP18
Nell: “We both made mistakes Nao. If we were more truthfully with each other then maybe we could have avoided this.”
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6WuxxekBYv
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjcBV2AxuVW
Mom bows her head and I try desperately to stop her but she insisted.
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ1k5maUUA9
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHJFs4hJto6
Nell: “I’m sorry for keeping this from you.”
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcwo839QyNY
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOTj5bqEKZw
Nao: “Mom I…”
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485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡckMOhEP5X5
I bow myself. As best I can in my situation.
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485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ93DDG0vZVZ
Nao: “I’m sorry too, for everything I’ve done and kept secret.”
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJaEWGfdvkC
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTUEPcOwWan
We both bought our heads back and accepted the other’s apology.
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLKCTbnyOcg
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDUhE8ZMvYI
Nell: “No matter what happens, we’ll be truthful and rely on each other more from now on. Promise me.”
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485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuIziZGshH5
Nao: “I-”
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp9HokeeJtN
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡELnNIPx7GS
Nell: “Promise me.”
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlT4GtxYLCj
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBCG6QCUM9z
Nao: “…Okay. I’ll tell you everything.”
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485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaLds1pY8zr
Arc: “What are you doing?”
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpRb3zhbWwy
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjHPs94tMKw
You said we need more allies and the one person who’s been an ally to me all my life is right here. I never should have kept this a secret.
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoz3Z7Z0qe1
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFkBAiUN03z
Arc: “I don’t thin-”
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485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsgwDhW28xP
Nao: “Mom, I have something to show you. Can you draw the curtain?”
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485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgqAZMUsxK4
Nell: “O-Okay.”
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡphIWQcsPiQ
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnir3c1gBYw
*Curtains close*
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485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3m80F1yxiw
Once she sat down I transformed the necklace into a book with a flash of light. I used minor illusion to be on the same show I did in front of the Black Listers.
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5PoQtfSohO
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz6M3o0RAIH
Nao: “Mom, I’m a mage.”
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy2n5gim7K2
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡozAVsK9Gq9
I told her everything and this time I mean everything. I watched her eyes start with wonder and end with horror. The one thing I wanted to keep through all have this, is torn away right in front of me. And it’s done by my own hands.
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485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9SBxo1MlBK
Nell: “I…need some time.”
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbvV9CDGyKZ
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoPLNXw0swA
Mom leaves through the curtain and leaves me truly alone.
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485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHsQJCzrOC6
Arc: “I tried to warn you. Now with your damaged mental state, you’ll be weaker going forward.”
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485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtNl8J6bZLb
I tuned Arc out and sunk deeper into my bed. The harsh light bare down on me, burning away any comfort left.
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOUKyynMwDF
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAfO5lEQzgF
Time moved fast after that. After I was healed enough I was taken back home by mom. I assume the others went home in a similar way. When I got back home, it was colder. No one said a word as they went into their room.
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsLHhFR4cG3
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPcRbSh8F6v
In my own room, I just laid in bed staring at my ceiling. I was too bruised, tired, and depressed to work. Despite Arc’s protests, I refused to meditate or work out.
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0beWSIUrDR
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvlPBRVEDTI
I just wanted to sleep it all away.
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*Ring*485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0psuVzfzq9
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkHpVr8osXa
I turn my head to my phone on the desk. I consider ignoring it but I remember that there’s only 1 person that would call me.
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC5ZulCFYRa
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeDvrAZwIGe
I sigh and transform my head into Alphon.
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ87JoZV2VAk
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhMEYPqLlKr
Alyson: “Hey Alphon, I know this is sudden but would you like to come over?”
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEnGuhNGun7
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡelRp7wHPYe
…Are you serious?
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485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMvW6iEIvVo
Nao: “S-Sure, what’s wrong?”
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485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvHa0IiRfLK
Alyson: “I just…need some company. A lot happened today.”
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485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDNdsgWnT32
I can understand that, I suppose this can take my mind off of everything.
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485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxOpzcKzSGf
Nao: “Happy to help
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7iEIen8sIc
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnUGyeloC8U
Alyson: “Thanks, I’ll send over my address. Knock and I’ll come get you.”
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485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡopssqaLk3d
Nao: “Cool, I’ll be there in 20 minutes.”
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485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡod9pNjPpZ1
Alyson: “Thanks…it’s nice to know your voice.”
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Nao: “…Same.”
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485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI3Acr2xNX1
I hang up and prepare myself for Alyson. Transforming, clothes, washing up, healing wounds, and mental prep.
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6AI19SG4Zr
485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiO5Q9jAB6m
20 minutes from now, we’ll use each other to forget our problems. I have no problem with that.485Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZa1OxWLk5Q
