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.416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCTtEtSf968
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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?”
416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd7kuuKLVtm
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Alyson: “So you’re awake.”
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!416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2JWhzAMpf7
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I struggle through the pain and look to my right to see Alyson by my bed.
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Nao: “What are you doing here.”
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Alyson: “Is that a problem?”
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Nao: “No, I’m just surprised.”
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Alyson: “…”
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Nao: “…”
416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRI6mA0KXfu
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Alyson: “So, explain yourself.”
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Nao: “Is it not obvious, Trevor beat me up.”
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Alyson: “…I mean before all of that.”
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Nao: “I did the right thing, any humane person would do it.”
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416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCwBLZslcMZ
Alyson: “Those eyes didn’t look human to me.”
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Nao: “…”
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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-”
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416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8rL9mb2XgT
Alyson: “Don’t finish that. You don’t have to do that.”
416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKaIHfzxcw0
416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQkpvFhvCmL
I begin to retort but something is happening. Alyson’s general seriousness begins to crumble before my eyes.
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Nao: “What’s with you?”
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Alyson: “That’s my question!”
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Nao: “!”
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416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOKi1n39Xj0
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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416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp0RwkwREkk
Nao: “…”
416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqDqENuJmn8
Alyson: “I…don’t want to lose you too.”416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOysk1ZESUW
416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSZAGWleJ71
Tch.416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrY5IdV128N
416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjiwOuHZ89Z
Nao: “What do you want from me!?”
416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2hyeSJ7MAC
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Alyson: “!!”
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416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgolBNYfwKW
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.”
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Alyson: “…Nell and I won’t watch you burn up in the sun. Goodbye, Nao.”
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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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Nao: “It’s too late to back out now.”
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*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.”416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCKcmuHgrm6
416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX7jYqPK0xq
Arc?416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF49ZitiEzE
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Arc: “Yes?”
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How’s my body?
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Arc: “Healing well enough. Speaking of healing…”
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*Ding*416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqfhAohPoUo
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Points: 6416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ6gIBehYHY
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Arc: “You did well over 10 spells today.”
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416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfMcoaP5LwQ
Good, I need those points if I’m going to beat the King next time.
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416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMkeveBNdhC
*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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Nell: “Nao, are you okay!”
416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgy8IjjPFgZ
416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkhDJltaq3S
Nao: “I’m okay, mom. Sorry they had to call you from work.”
416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwdYbJV5wCy
416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIsabBLwgTW
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.
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Nell: “You promised…”
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Nao: “Mom I-”
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416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3yPAHbmOT4
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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416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhb9dfQ64en
Nell: “You broke your promise and got into fights. Even Alyson seems shaken by what she saw you do.”
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Nao: “But-”
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Nell: “Nao, you’ve been suspended from school for a month.”
416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIYudyApDwK
416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUhccgoTB7P
Nao: “!”
416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGULEdWc2Gp
416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLI79kMwS6j
Nao: “What about those bullies?! Don’t tell me they get to go free!”
416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiHGbdRyYNt
416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOgyGhT2UKO
Nell: “Nao, you beat one of them so bad that they might not make it.”
416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBVBzvc8gdj
416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp3nnwNndS3
Nao: “!!”
416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsCS9bhKQd3
416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqw9KYWRbSN
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.”
416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9WM9qvNR5f
416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡubPS5k7Feq
Nell: “Why didn’t you tell me…we could have done something….anything but this...”
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416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnGaqjTphBF
I couldn’t say anything…she’s right. I already killed 3 people and now this….
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416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA5Z5o1tgEe
What am I becoming?
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Arc: “What’s necessary.”
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W-What?
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416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqL0JRIDrIv
Nell: “Nao, despite everything you’ve done I forgive you for breaking that promise.”
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416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg92ZAdQSRz
Nao: “R-Really?”
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416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTN1QDiwjrC
Nell: “Yes, because I also kept something from you. Our…living situation is not the best.”
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416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlP0rmISRcc
Nao: “What do you mean?”
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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.”
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416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYeGI8KkRRx
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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416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeJJ2AV5YnI
Nell: “I didn’t want to further burden you. I assume that’s the same reason why you didn’t tell me.”
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416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBFtW9TpdLx
Nao: “*Nod*”
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416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1ETjhgraDQ
Nell: “We both made mistakes Nao. If we were more truthfully with each other then maybe we could have avoided this.”
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416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbBKHiHVrnM
Mom bows her head and I try desperately to stop her but she insisted.
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416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNpUoZjbxen
Nell: “I’m sorry for keeping this from you.”
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416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrT1FYVXkB4
Nao: “Mom I…”
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I bow myself. As best I can in my situation.
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416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbqZRdPLoqT
Nao: “I’m sorry too, for everything I’ve done and kept secret.”
416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNiHZ9cA4AE
416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPCxXEH1FJq
We both bought our heads back and accepted the other’s apology.
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416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6ddQsDmdNW
Nell: “No matter what happens, we’ll be truthful and rely on each other more from now on. Promise me.”
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Nao: “I-”
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416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK2vGYupR2B
Nell: “Promise me.”
416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3C9btvH3Nw
416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu1GpfAUJ4A
Nao: “…Okay. I’ll tell you everything.”
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416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6fgwe2TJNg
Arc: “What are you doing?”
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416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo7LSCNSaZF
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.
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416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP65qiJc7EP
Arc: “I don’t thin-”
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Nao: “Mom, I have something to show you. Can you draw the curtain?”
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Nell: “O-Okay.”
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416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvA8q2v2OMJ
*Curtains close*
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416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQFHVGXDCYc
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.
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416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoeEifpfJob
Nao: “Mom, I’m a mage.”
416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCsCSHnV6iv
416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ910udtarXN
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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416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9ENQJOwohN
Nell: “I…need some time.”
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416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXlk4xlEp71
Mom leaves through the curtain and leaves me truly alone.
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416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwxsyuU14gH
Arc: “I tried to warn you. Now with your damaged mental state, you’ll be weaker going forward.”
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416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDOaOHf8MqY
I tuned Arc out and sunk deeper into my bed. The harsh light bare down on me, burning away any comfort left.
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416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtY96wp0uXM
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.
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416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPUGBkww5b5
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.
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416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaFUPVnzmCR
I just wanted to sleep it all away.
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*Ring*416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu2wth6Cpip
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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.
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416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxc7r34poM5
I sigh and transform my head into Alphon.
416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPod5eeFAvh
416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcsTQI4yeNh
Alyson: “Hey Alphon, I know this is sudden but would you like to come over?”
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416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdl326nYhCn
…Are you serious?
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Nao: “S-Sure, what’s wrong?”
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416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVQdXxacQKK
Alyson: “I just…need some company. A lot happened today.”
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I can understand that, I suppose this can take my mind off of everything.
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416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlIKcksNqSn
Nao: “Happy to help
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416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTyGczSDNAY
Alyson: “Thanks, I’ll send over my address. Knock and I’ll come get you.”
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Nao: “Cool, I’ll be there in 20 minutes.”
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Alyson: “Thanks…it’s nice to know your voice.”
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416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUA5EAMeUe9
Nao: “…Same.”
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416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyAoEDVtcYM
I hang up and prepare myself for Alyson. Transforming, clothes, washing up, healing wounds, and mental prep.
416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEIfTZG015f
416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡExVp1BqdWM
20 minutes from now, we’ll use each other to forget our problems. I have no problem with that.416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx5rSxXYc7E
