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.414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkJEhERd4QB
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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?”
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfOirXDD9ri
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Alyson: “So you’re awake.”
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!414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡieN6ZyfeKe
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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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414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS7EoSKfKMY
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: “…”
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKIvYmVGZeU
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdL5ONXwOTP
Alyson: “So, explain yourself.”
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414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwz4xxTLM9h
Nao: “Is it not obvious, Trevor beat me up.”
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414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrbCECm8PqD
Alyson: “…I mean before all of that.”
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414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRKcK8yzvZI
Nao: “I did the right thing, any humane person would do it.”
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ691SFdrmWp
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡslg1qHMmN5
Alyson: “Those eyes didn’t look human to me.”
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414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAanns4peHZ
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-”
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1K20BzMBJJ
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeWmYigbN4e
Alyson: “Don’t finish that. You don’t have to do that.”
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ4aZBgNv0l
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYJj9fnBAlz
I begin to retort but something is happening. Alyson’s general seriousness begins to crumble before my eyes.
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEM5hE5Jtdl
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLb2GGtJH3l
Nao: “What’s with you?”
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Alyson: “That’s my question!”
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Nao: “!”
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414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ688YYufWWD
Alyson: “Don’t you realize that if you keep doing this you’ll get yourself killed! Stop trying to do things beyond your ability!”
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIdHLpo0qQe
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAcKsmKbrp1
Nao: “…”
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFMhN5HxJrP
Alyson: “I…don’t want to lose you too.”414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdfADfDb45Z
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIg2xC2XZlX
Tch.414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1fTvu30UcT
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Nao: “What do you want from me!?”
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeT0YC4eZy1
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZyyxxxADHx
Alyson: “!!”
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuaCmyZ7RmE
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeK8yDTs9zZ
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.”
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7Wjp3M6ezU
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz7A1QxuFsS
Alyson: “…Nell and I won’t watch you burn up in the sun. Goodbye, Nao.”
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5hDolyjKMV
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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414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEMN40G0YSJ
Nao: “It’s too late to back out now.”
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414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡINBm1dAKkI
*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.”414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWgh8afK0Vl
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0G81LLalpi
Arc?414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXDQm37PRII
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Arc: “Yes?”
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414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxQ11elwLn5
How’s my body?
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9xYpQbHhOE
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2RUH9IzyXL
Arc: “Healing well enough. Speaking of healing…”
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*Ding*414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAfBTnare3Z
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Points: 6414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ48m10T2mY1
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Arc: “You did well over 10 spells today.”
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414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡomck2Dca5J
Good, I need those points if I’m going to beat the King next time.
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414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHJ5kuAbIhq
*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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414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHbpQe4pkF2
Nell: “Nao, are you okay!”
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdK0fMfhSs1
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKH95YkFr9A
Nao: “I’m okay, mom. Sorry they had to call you from work.”
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvbZiStjWre
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPo7P6fqOlb
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.
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD0nclCNoul
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9w5CTUmD0d
Nell: “You promised…”
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ42zOIC0ejU
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4yfHMU9Z5C
Nao: “Mom I-”
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrAeUaBT1CG
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtMCwQFn5jj
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.
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWEB7ISXYO4
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU7GYPvNsvX
Nell: “You broke your promise and got into fights. Even Alyson seems shaken by what she saw you do.”
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414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKJHphbbTDz
Nao: “But-”
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414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOdaLEufCBa
Nell: “Nao, you’ve been suspended from school for a month.”
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuTeWR3TtbZ
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5JosU32OSN
Nao: “!”
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5xzhnZ9dyl
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmaUjDiNExA
Nao: “What about those bullies?! Don’t tell me they get to go free!”
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHDO8WlsY0x
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEAicCsX1Pu
Nell: “Nao, you beat one of them so bad that they might not make it.”
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNlMtSO3Tvq
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPLJzwcfnrc
Nao: “!!”
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu3D1ChmrRf
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqgyrJhxi3j
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.”
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEphgEFCDGS
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNiJROx5Ovx
Nell: “Why didn’t you tell me…we could have done something….anything but this...”
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdfrdy3yH5F
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡouOF2IGkDD
I couldn’t say anything…she’s right. I already killed 3 people and now this….
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414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUBggnwVYVF
What am I becoming?
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Arc: “What’s necessary.”
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414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpuYeztSZma
W-What?
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeTv22u4c4z
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7lFgQsSdpz
Nell: “Nao, despite everything you’ve done I forgive you for breaking that promise.”
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414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTCHFXd0zIJ
Nao: “R-Really?”
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkHmtq3tnsZ
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6deo3QuSxC
Nell: “Yes, because I also kept something from you. Our…living situation is not the best.”
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414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYwmltroO9u
Nao: “What do you mean?”
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414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3aRlkP1BOe
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.”
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWlTbfwdnPT
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmvzzPNLDNL
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.”
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhKxS3b2N2Y
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlehSzqY3ep
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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414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjJAyZ5vLIj
Nao: “*Nod*”
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414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6oDt17MZuJ
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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414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlFynSAxvn9
Mom bows her head and I try desperately to stop her but she insisted.
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414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWSftrou9Lp
Nell: “I’m sorry for keeping this from you.”
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV9ScuBOKjx
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdP3CqXYE6U
Nao: “Mom I…”
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414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk88tNl3u1S
I bow myself. As best I can in my situation.
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMMMJVQxEGu
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhh7gMqyG7q
Nao: “I’m sorry too, for everything I’ve done and kept secret.”
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZlcUGh5O3W
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXbRsdwp9Ki
We both bought our heads back and accepted the other’s apology.
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414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi2oUyJYtYm
Nell: “No matter what happens, we’ll be truthful and rely on each other more from now on. Promise me.”
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414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsLhVDauboz
Nao: “I-”
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414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Gv0wNrJoe
Nell: “Promise me.”
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7d6hhoCl2s
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOhAlhnkKYa
Nao: “…Okay. I’ll tell you everything.”
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYfY2xxPbwH
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxEr0kpuUAC
Arc: “What are you doing?”
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxEuqbMp9s8
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD2Su1QmROe
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.
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡambmSxTxWz
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMdIZKVrIoQ
Arc: “I don’t thin-”
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414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrctKxhJF74
Nao: “Mom, I have something to show you. Can you draw the curtain?”
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414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsWSQM8nUHR
Nell: “O-Okay.”
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlQA3u5GBZC
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhYPh0Bi11I
*Curtains close*
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414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaykhhd1VE4
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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414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡON73O3OCO5
Nao: “Mom, I’m a mage.”
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTXwH2hEwoC
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3k2ttlL2h2
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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414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyKZnQkju1Z
Nell: “I…need some time.”
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414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdUSEhLCwTD
Mom leaves through the curtain and leaves me truly alone.
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7gSntdNHPG
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ159nNNEUyu
Arc: “I tried to warn you. Now with your damaged mental state, you’ll be weaker going forward.”
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPhcD4VvTfA
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡABYN0dbHCS
I tuned Arc out and sunk deeper into my bed. The harsh light bare down on me, burning away any comfort left.
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0oDgaZORAy
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg4mpeqVB9g
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.
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTzonJLaWRa
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡToPALmmvHS
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.
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5XJ8bJimAh
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9iZ7lvMWc2
I just wanted to sleep it all away.
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*Ring*414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡij92VJ7HJe
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgTSqUgtEmc
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.
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc7TZCZt2eM
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrofruINx6h
I sigh and transform my head into Alphon.
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjmy27Eag2A
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFRjM1SpXH7
Alyson: “Hey Alphon, I know this is sudden but would you like to come over?”
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgxJVMbcIcY
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuxZgFOw5PT
…Are you serious?
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC2GvWi9tWs
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXPfWYhAKsG
Nao: “S-Sure, what’s wrong?”
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzYC8Z0pL3I
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLZNWNjn23L
Alyson: “I just…need some company. A lot happened today.”
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7LSjtBF2Dp
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡez64thv5PP
I can understand that, I suppose this can take my mind off of everything.
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh7oxNsqvuK
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoXqtdowEq5
Nao: “Happy to help
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpinW4A0aRe
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡelm9LZvhY2
Alyson: “Thanks, I’ll send over my address. Knock and I’ll come get you.”
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414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgg6waj64T0
Nao: “Cool, I’ll be there in 20 minutes.”
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr83DcOuzVk
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmWppr8ZvD6
Alyson: “Thanks…it’s nice to know your voice.”
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKaSjNqmZdR
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2eP5vMpEz8
Nao: “…Same.”
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL6QLmdKtMY
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc1mL4PF6fI
I hang up and prepare myself for Alyson. Transforming, clothes, washing up, healing wounds, and mental prep.
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnTeHIDK8K1
414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqec0LJWazI
20 minutes from now, we’ll use each other to forget our problems. I have no problem with that.414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYZAb2o4BbJ
