As thunder crashed outside and the hailstones began to fall, Tanya she winced at the thought of dealing with this weather. Gascoigne saw the look on her face, and decided to speak up. "You know, I would not be a very good host if I let you leave in the middle of this storm," he said. "Why don't you stay the night?"285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQFn2YuS9N5
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At this point two things are going through Tanya's mind. First, It would be rude to impose like that. And of course, I don't want to go back to sleeping on the streets. Eventually Tanya decided  to take him up on his offer. "Sure, I would love to!"285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9hoSkSvwQu
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The next morning Tanya awoke to a most delicious smell. "Pancakes?" she identified. 285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOUZm7xbPZT
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Tanya's mouth was drooling with anticipation as she got out of bed. Downstairs Gascoigne was setting the table for breakfast. Tanya, having not even changed out of her borrowed nightgown, walked sleepily down the stairs. 285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbQyyTx3LGQ
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Gascoigne smiled. "Good morning sleepyhead. You sleep well?"285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQP7eIs7eYY
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Tanya looked from the stairs out the floor to ceiling windows. The windows offered a brilliant view of the city of Berun. Gascoigne noticed what Tanya was looking at.  "Its a beautiful view, isn't it?" he commented. "You can see the Emperors Palace from here."285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡINSI9ZglPf
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Tanya pondered for a second. "I hear that the Emperor is a good man," Tany started. "He could be a great man, but after all that, I still hate him. I hate him because I want to be him. I don't like being stomped on." It was not until after this statement that Tanya realized the irony in what she said. In a previous life, she had once been a man working in HR for a major company. Tanya had been ruthless and remorseless in her quest to get to the top of the corporate ladder. Everything was going well until one of the people that he was responsible for firing pushed him in front of a moving train. After that, "he" was reborn as "she" with powers. Unfortunately, Tanya had decided that it was a good idea to have a giant pissing match with God, and when it looked like God was not going to win fairly, God cheated and basically made her start over in that timeline, except without any powers. 285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe05NzYlCK2
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The ironic part wass that the Emperor was a good man, while Tanya was much worse. Tanya thought on this for some time and eventually came to the conclusion of, by hating the Emperor for what she was more guilty, the person she truly hated was actually herself. 285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtASBPA3XP2
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"I don't deserve this kindness," Tanya said to herself, grabbing onto her nightgown. Her eyes began to water, her vision blurred, and her nose began to run. Never before in Tanya's existence has she actually felt the tiniest bit guilty for the suffering she caused. It was not until she got herself put in this position of utter powerlessness that she could genuinely appreciate the suffering that she had caused. Tanya was stuck in a week and tiny body. She was malnourished and impoverished. Tanya knew what it was like to be truly hungry, and now, after that, she started to feel the guilt of all three of her lives pile on her shoulder like a ten ton boulder. The guilt was unbearable, and for the first time ever Tanya actually questioned whether she really deserved to live.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVyPOgZNwkD
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"Hello? Earth to Tanya. You still here?" Gascoigne asked.  "If you don't come back down soon your pancakes will get cold."285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMzESndRJQB
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Tanya broke out of her depressing line of thought and sat down to eat. After all, Gascoigne had already gone through the trouble of making them.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLjcDU2eXZ3
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After breakfast Tanya offered to wash the dishes. Gascoigne didn't want her to do it, but after she insisted he gave in. After all, Tanya thought, it's the least I can do after all the kindness he has done for me.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0UCQITPwqa
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Once Tanya had finished up the dishes she started to walk out the door. She had only opened the door about halfway before Gascoigne stopped her. "Where are you going?"285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡacKO581XRS
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Tanya felt a tiny bit guilty for not even thinking of saying goodbye before she left. After all of the kindness he showed her, that would have been the least she could have done. "Back to the gutter," Tanya said.  "I do not deserve your hospitality."285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzCbMf5Ot3N
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Tanya's statement seamed to amuse Gascoigne, because he was looking at her as if she had lobsters crawling out of her ears. "Whoever said you were the only one benefiting from this arrangement? I know you don't want to impose, but in all truthfulness I enjoy the company," he smiled. "I enjoy having someone intelligent to talk to, and you really do remind me of Annabelle."285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx4IaUq3KXt
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Tanya realized the point Gascoigne was making, but she still had not completely decided if she had any right being a drain on his resources. Tanya let out a deep breath. "If I am going to stay, then there must be something I can do to make myself more useful around here. I don't just want to be a drain on your resources." 285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU7GFVLNXJE
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At this Gascoigne smiled, as if he had an idea. "Then how about this. If you want to feel helpful, then just help out around the house," he suggested. "Help with the chores, and on occasion take out the trash." 285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPig15w7T0a
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Tanya was utterly speechless. Here she was, about to go from living on the street to having an actual home. She was about to live in a home with someone who cared for her. 285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGyeoI9PLTN
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Unfortunately, nothing lasts forever, no matter how much we want it to. 285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeNUUtQGgOq
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