The earliest thing he could remember was the book. No, that wasn't quite it, but Kenneth had difficulty recalling. He gave himself a minute, and then it came to him clearly.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkh1N4gWNl7
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwt3ztQS3d1
Kenneth remembered a building, a grand one in the middle of his home village. It was a church, the Church of the Buffalo. It was on an elevation of two-hundred feet and was five miles from the shore– hardly anything, he's come to realize. He remembered the town having abundant greenery and a gorgeous forest nearby. Of course, how could he forget the forest?329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqLrIyredgO
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Kenneth was getting distracted. He sat by a boulder and took a breath.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdRpEweGAMr
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmpZZOAE49M
He had just turned three years old. Kenneth was about thirty-two inches tall, which was considerably short for his age. Kenneth was wearing a black robe, akin to that of the priest's. He was standing next to said priest, who was giving a speech Kenneth couldn't remember. After the speech, his head was doused in warm, relaxing water, and then the attendees of the ceremony clapped. Kenneth was just officially declared a toddler. It may seem silly, but his village was small, so ceremonies for the young were held like this quite often. It was Kenneth's third birthday, he remembered. He ran over to his father and mother, and that was the first memory Kenneth could retain of them. His father looked sick, his mother looked guilty.
From this point on, Kenneth could recall it effortlessly.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAg1DjqErnf
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1FtS5hWl7H
When Kenneth returned home, he was treated to a dish of kind words and a refreshing meal. He was only three, but he had such a big appetite already. His father was away from the table. Kenneth just sat with his mom.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC0ObMMCO7W
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"Happy birthday, Kenny."329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqLLecmaNj7
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"Mm?" Kenny hummed with a slice of bread stuffed into his mouth. "Mm! Thank you!" Though it was hard to hear, her mother smiled. She was a nice lady, brown hair and green eyes. Kenneth loved her. He loved how her mother made great food. But Kenneth always thought that she looked too old to be his mom, maybe his grandmother.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2aNRrt34az
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRaPCrcNhX4
Dad came back to them. He had a glass bottle in his hand. He looked tired, but Kenneth was smiling vigorously at him. He still didn't change out of his church robes. He sat at the table, slamming his empty bottle on it. He stared at Kenneth's mother, and then at Kenneth. He burped and said, "Happy birthday boy," and passed out on the spot.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO57CerOGUq
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUa4T716D2K
Those words were a lot coming from his father. Kenneth was told to rush to bed, and he did so cheerily. He did it so.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhzSdpm0DDd
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That was his first big day, his graduation from babyhood. Kenneth remembers it fondly.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzBpXjEeaD4
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Then there was the other big day, maybe six, no, seven months later.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMjTOUo0GYX
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEW6VGWI61H
Customary to the tradition, Kenneth learned how to read and write now that he was a toddler. And he was quite good at it, he soon found. By this time, he was already writing cohesive sentences, and he read every bedtime story in the big folklore book in just a day. Kenneth loved to read, but he loved another thing more: the forest.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm2mQnkX9cz
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ86hpGboXjU
Kenneth's house was closest to the Blooming Biomes, a gorgeous forest near the village. Kenneth's room had a window placed perfectly for him to gawk at the forest. It wasn't a dense forest either, so he could see the magical plant life there too. Some of it moved, and some of it released spores, but Kenny marveled at it all the same. Kenneth loved looking at that forest so much that his dad forbade him from going to his room throughout the day. So Kenneth, the smart child that he was, went to the forest.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZtwb0zZ2nS
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhKl0pVRgxL
His mother stopped him immediately during his first attempt. He couldn't even make it ten feet out the door. Kenneth protested, but his mother explained that the forest was "dangerous and filled with wild beasts." Kenneth didn't believe her, of course. Kenneth spent all day looking at that forest, and he knew wild beasts weren't there.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRU9qklc78r
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLJ7xNc8LN2
On his second attempt, Kenneth made it past the rickety fence surrounding the house. His dad picked him up this time, and he fiercely slapped Kenneth. That was the first time that Kenneth could remember himself crying. His mother was furious, but his father apologized and hugged Kenny. Of course, Kenny was satisfied with that, but he was a smart child, and he knew he could get more out of it. So Kenneth tried to pressure his father to let him into the forest. His father almost slapped him again. Kenneth thought of it as progress.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvu2AoYoXON
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNI34OyajIb
Kenneth's third attempt was much more successful. His father caught him trying to jump out the window. Kenneth didn't account for the fall, and he plummeted with teary eyes, but his father was right there, frowning.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJyK1AgL37G
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9EK3ahjCzv
"What are you doing, you dumb brat?"329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ2sa2JK7Xc
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyVfo8WGggQ
Kenneth began to tear up again. His father sighed. "Don't try this again, Kenneth," he simply said. And Kenneth obliged. For a week.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4TC2tbOjhD
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuUvf9RsjyA
Kenneth's fourth attempt wasn't interrupted by anybody. He managed to do it, to finally do it; he was in the woods. Kenneth frolicked around and gazed at the scenery like a dumb drooling moron. He hugged the trees, tickled the flowers, and even pulled one out of its stock before he was hit with a spore that made him cough and wheeze. Kenneth decided against randomly pulling on plants. Kenneth ventured further into the forest, and he swore that it grew more and more beautiful with each step. Even the grass had a sparkly tint to it. Kenneth loved it. But something went awry.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYlfsK2hd0h
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKgVxEfBqP1
Kenneth tripped on a large root he didn't see. He scraped his knee, but Kenneth managed to suppress his tears. His father's given him worse after all. He rested against the nearby tree. Though it hurt, once he raised his head from the wound, his joy washed the pain away. The forest was that majestic.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡURzIwGXBsw
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡozcFSrAH2U
Then out came an animal. It wasn't very big. In fact, Kenneth thought it looked familiar. It was like one of the farm animals his neighbor kept around, but it had long curvy teeth coming from its mouth that pointed to the sky, and it had a lot of brown furs. It looked at Kenneth, and Kenneth smiled. And then Kenneth was forced to roll away.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmrExk5WDyG
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUEPmjgsD4B
The boar hit his snout on the tree, dazing the beast for just long enough for Kenneth to get on his feet and haul ass. But he tripped again on a different root. This time, Kenneth cried. The beast inched nearer and nearer and Kenneth's scratch grew to a disgusting flow of blood. Kenneth crawled away screaming but the beast kept approaching. Kenneth's pants became damp. But a miracle happened. The boar stepped forward and forward, and after hearing a snap of a branch, a great purple something emerged from the ground. It resembled the maw of a great dragon, but its eyes were missing and it was roughly the size of Kenneth himself. The boar stepped back in shock, but before it could make any distance, the boar's head had been bitten off. The maw retracted into the ground. Kenneth couldn't move. Ten minutes later he slowly crawled to the hole that was made. It wasn't a hole, he realized. It was a set of four large leaves, parallel and perpendicular to one another, and in the middle of these leaves were blue sparkles. Kenneth knew better than not to touch it. Kenneth smiled with glee, got up, and ran home.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzV6fuUEbmO
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO1a1DnRWnd
Two things happened that day. Kenneth discovered mana, and Kenneth discovered magical plants. He was running back home excited, but a loud ruckus coming from the home prevented him from entering the front door. It was his mother and father. They were screaming and crying. Kenneth waited until they stopped, and it did when he heard a slap. He didn't know who it was from.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1fqHYpuK5f
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The next instance Kenneth cared to remember was when he turned four. Kenneth somehow hadn't been caught sneaking out into the woods, but something of his had been found. His mother was in his room, holding a notebook in her hand that Kenneth was all too familiar with. He turned to run away but was grabbed by the back of his shirt before he could.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT6R0cI86WX
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"What is this, Kenny?"329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdP2W91GLh9
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"Umm... it's a journal. I draw the plants I see outside in it."329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg4d5l09BLE
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdl4UO89DgR
Kenneth decided to tell his mom a half-truth. Maybe he could escape a beating that way, he thought. His mother opened the book and flipped straight to the crummy illustration of the purple plant that killed the boar.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJhsNiLI24Q
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdk0JAKYx33
"What is this? Magical plant? Killed big bad boar? Kenneth, what have you been doing in your free time!?"329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5XL5KXAqrn
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiUujzLi3im
It was no use avoiding it now. Kenneth told his mother that, for the past six months, he has been going into the Blooming Biome and studying the magical plant life there. As well as a kid his age could, anyway. Though Kenny expected to be slapped, that didn't happen.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdbx8jaePlL
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZnKSuXlg38
"Christina, do you know what this means?"329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFiOac8PzKB
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His father was at the door, crossing his arms. Kenneth was even more afraid now.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr2Tl3CAUem
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"Magical plants, the brat loves this stuff."329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQFNCeYLABL
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Kenneth's mom nodded. Kenneth didn't understand what was going on, but the two of them were smiling and that had to be good.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ20oFKMPDPo
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It was.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI4I8qcg6Qv
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A week later, Kenneth's father presented him with what could best be described as a tome. Kenneth didn't ask where they got it, because he was having a hard time even lifting the thing. His father explained to him that it was a book of magical plants and alchemy. Kenneth had no idea what the second word meant but he didn't care. He just received a big new book to read.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQXyjxQOM7c
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDi2rGdDA8N
It took Kenneth a month to read the book. Another month was spent reading it again. Kenneth tried to sneak out again but his parents had been keeping an exceptionally watchful eye, so it was impossible. Kenneth didn't mind though, because this book was the greatest thing that has ever happened to him. He didn't know any of this 'alchemy' stuff, but the plants, oh the plants. He recognized the few he's seen in the woods, like the spore one, or the purple one, or the one that occasionally shoots out blazing beams of light, or the ones that make him vomit. But there were so, so many that Kenneth didn't know about, or could've even dreamt about. Most of them were at much higher elevations, but that was fine because King's Peak was easy to traverse anyway. He saw gorgeous illustrations resembling beasts more than plants, and each picture carried an ungodly amount of information. Uses, known habitats, behaviors if they had any, risks, stories of their discovery. Kenny spent all day in his room, just reading about this stuff, over and over. His parents had to take away the book for a week.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwfDsdDVDCw
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ21VzTkUmIQ
During that week though Kenny managed to sneak out of the house. It seemed that all the time he spent in his room reading made his parent's security lax. He ventured into the forest with his journal, now filled with plagiarisation from the book both text and picture, and attempted to connect each plant he saw with an illustration. Now that he was older traveling the forest was much easier, and Kenneth learned to bring a weapon with him this time. He had a small hunting knife in a sheath in his pocket. He discovered that he could also use the knife to take some of the plants he saw with him, but he made sure they didn't shoot out any spores before he did. He kept the retrieved plants in his other pocket. It was fine for a while until his pants became wet. Not from himself this time, but from the plants. He took them out and they were all leaking a clear fluid. It was clear but it was sparkly, much like the rest of the forest. Kenneth didn't have any cup with him, so he improvised and took the knife out of its sheath and used that to store the liquid. He ran home, forsaking the plants and the knife, and snuck in.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPI9mymBLS5
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1wQLNK5OHF
His parents still weren't home though. Kenneth usually wouldn't pay that any heed, but there was broken glass in the kitchen and small red liquid on the floor.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7ZISL0z2xv
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"..."329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQvVm3KPD6c
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Kenneth ran upstairs.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi56Ejwrcoc
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Kenneth spent the next week experimenting with the liquid. He relocated it to a small glass cup and tested it out. He didn't want to taste it quite yet since he knew that was dangerous, but he did touch it. It felt cold, even after being in his room for so long. It amazed Kenneth. Kenneth then spent time putting different things into the cup. Grass, food, a few of his clothes, sometimes his own urine, metal, and by some miracle, fire. Nothing ever came of it though. It satisfied Kenneth for a while, but ultimately, he thought it was a dud. He kept the glass around. It made him feel nice.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkDfbApKIv6
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbAGgYHBSxg
In a month's time, something exciting happened to Kenneth. His birthday was just a few days away but before any celebration or presents, his father sat him down outside. This had never happened before, so it made Kenny die with anticipation.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKeF9LG63JY
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"So son, I hear you're really liking those magical plants, right?"329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0PqoYkDye7
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Kenneth nodded his head rapidly.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1RUNzrnDHz
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"But you don't know anything about alchemy yet."329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ029oQEidnr
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Kenneth still didn't know what that word meant. His father puffed out his chest.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYaKrU1RQWj
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"Luckily for you, brat, I know exactly what alchemy is. But before that, I need to teach you what mana is."329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNS2LgC9Nh2
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That was when Kenneth's life began.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiO53XpDHI1
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His father taught him the basics: how mana was the essence creatures manipulated to conjure objects and tinker with the world. Fire, water, earth, and wind would all be conjured, and in the right circumstances, they could be manipulated as well. His father also explained how combinations could occur but he glossed over it. His father told him alchemy was the mana manipulation of chemicals, magical or not, and that it took a very skilled user of mana to achieve success in alchemy.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPRdUrik9lC
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1wN6H81Jn5
It was all Kenneth needed to hear before constantly nagging his dad about lessons. His fifth birthday rolled around and his father had bought him a basic alchemy kit, consisting of flasks, cylinders, syringes, and dropper bottles. Kenneth was unbelievably grateful that he practically ignored the new clothes his mother had bought for him. It was a white shirt with a grayish-blue vest, and a nice pair of gloves to go with it. It was meant for his alchemy, his mother explained. Kenneth loved his parents dearly that day.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ32c67PQ4dz
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVNLq6LS9sw
His lessons on mana manipulation were coming along steadily. Sometimes he would be beaten for failure, but Kenneth didn't care if it meant getting better. Three months passed, and after numerous bruises and fights between his parents later did Kenneth "graduate" from his father's lessons. The whole time though, Kenneth messed with alchemy, and really, he only needed his lessons for a few weeks. It mattered not though.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP2u271YeG2
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEz1Ul6MXAY
Kenneth was an auspicious child. He mastered basic alchemy like matter state manipulation and chemical changing, but to him, that was all just chemistry. No, what Kenneth really, really wanted to mess around with were the plants in the forest. His parents didn't care if he was out and about anymore, so Kenneth took advantage of it. What was probably his hundredth trip was taken with new knowledge, his new clothes, and a new passion.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNMqOvAbP97
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXoFYT2i14p
Kenneth brought bags with him, as well as a flask and a syringe. He had a belt where he could hook the flask and syringe and a cork lid to make sure the flask was shut. He put plants in the bag and any leak was put straight into the flask. He regretted only bringing one. He wanted the purest sample possible, after all. He still did have that syringe though, and since it was going to be such a small sample, he knew it had to come from a special plant.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEevamYjWsK
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Kenneth smiled. He knew that there was a special plant here, alright. He ventured further into the forest until he found four familiar leaves. The sparkles from all that time ago were gone now, but that didn't deter him. He crouched down and stuck his syringe into the middle. And all of a sudden, out popped the purple plant.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWbUSpwvOv1
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But Kenneth was ready for it. He reached for his knife holstered on his belt and cut the stem effortlessly. The maw fell to the ground, motionless, and Kenneth stuck its syringe into it. He also decided to take the head and one leaf for good measure.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8JcAv2siui
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It was a haul, and Kenneth couldn't be happier. He returned home ready to tell his parents of his discoveries. That didn't happen quite like how it should've. His mom stepped outside as he was five feet away. Kenneth opened his mouth to say hi, but she looked at him with ferocity. It was a face Kenneth never knew her mother could make.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIBa79QpI0Z
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"S-Sorry, Kenneth. I'm sorry, your dad is just..."329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpPeZFcqWS2
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Kenneth nodded and entered the home. His father was sitting at the table. His forehead was bleeding a little and his knuckles were bruised.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU58rA4oR9V
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"Hey brat, what do you have over there?"329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcvcUGo4huW
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"J-Just some plants, Dad..."329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPYCkyaUr7K
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"That's my boy. Hey, come over here."329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCpehiyBLJv
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Kenneth gulped. He let go of the bag and waddled towards his father. What he got was a soft pat on his head. Kenneth blushed in surprise.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUdmN9WubbP
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"Keep doing that stuff, kid. I'm amazed by how much you love it. Don't worry about me and your mother, alright?"329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8IJTsiez7P
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9kjgTsgw7q
Kenneth's eyes sparkled, and he nodded with a smile. His love for his parents, though still burning, felt like it had been reignited.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5qjCrjlgzX
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Kenneth went upstairs. His room was converted into a sort of miniature laboratory.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmJjfaT2HGw
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It was in that laboratory where Kenny would enhance his skills for the next two years. The time flew by fast. Astonishingly fast, but Kenneth's growth showed it. According to his father, Kenneth had already become a grade-four alchemist. Kenneth had no idea what that meant but it made him happy, and it drove him to keep improving.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXM3RzR91Qn
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWWWcdjHYYU
Usually, Kenneth would follow the book. He learned the mixtures and followed the instructions listed there, and after hours of practice, the results he received were even better than what the book described. He managed to make a fertility potion to grow the newly planted tree in an instant. He managed to create a healing potion which, according to his mother, healed a boy's broken arm instantly. He managed to even reconnect one of the cut plants he brought back to the soil, and now a spore-bloom was in his backyard. His father punched him for it and removed it, since it was making him sneeze.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsgQunbu6px
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFdrpV9xb6Q
But, after a while, Kenneth ran out of instructions to follow in the book, and he already perfected each and every recipe. He asked his parents for a new one but they claimed the books were "too expensive these days". Kenneth was upset but he didn't protest, he just thought of new things to do. A night in his laboratory made him realize just how potent his mana manipulation had become, so much so that he could do it without thinking. He thought maybe to learn proper spells, such as those related to the four core elements but decided against it. He decided on something new entirely.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC6GPupUih2
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What if, Kenny thought, he could manipulate the plants?329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡulZPuMocuh
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The next year Kenneth would learn to do just that. He mixed his alchemy and mana manipulation with the plants he would find in the wild. He made roots grow and shrivel just with mana, and he could even accelerate the growth and decay of plants. He soon learned to amplify the effects of the plants, such as how potent the spores were, or just how large and hot the light beams from the Light-Beam-Blossoms became. Ultimately though, he returned to alchemy, and that was because of one thing: the purple dragon-maw plant. He planted it back using one of his plant-revival potions but did it in a more remote location. The maw, for whatever reason, didn't react negatively to Kenneth. In fact, the maw begged for his attention. It would lick Kenneth from time to time, much like a dog did. Kenneth grew to cherish it.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoUUPTyiOJD
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The plant itself seemed to be rare, as, according to the textbook, it was an "ancient species likely to be extinct." Obviously that wasn't the case, but Kenny didn't mind. That was because there were no alchemical procedures listed with the plant. All of it was free reign, like a sandbox, and Kenny took advantage of it. He mixed and matched substances and potions with the essence of the dragon-maw plant, all to varying degrees of effects. Sadly, Kenny burned through possible combinations too quickly. He had to leave the maw for the time being; he said his goodbyes.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxFPxqSB5Y2
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWq3vPXqfIL
Kenny returned to the forest again to gather more plants. This time he ventured deeper than ever, hoping to find a species he hadn't encountered yet. It didn't happen. Instead, Kenny found another boar, but it was smaller than last time, most likely a child. Kenny left it alone, afraid that it might hurt him, and continued to go deeper into the woods. He turned back once the sun began to set. On his way back though, Kenny found an interesting sight.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2ilziBSVAZ
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdj5RReIERM
"...It's dead."329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt5g5jaQbGC
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvGh5CARM1u
The boar was lying on the ground, not in one piece, but in several. Its insides, few in quantity, were sprawled around the grass. The boar was practically hollow. All that was inside of its skin were bones. But for whatever reason, a single part of the boar was left out completely untouched: its heart.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3EOOjf2OZO
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwG0v1bfbXV
Kenny didn't know what overcame him, but he reached for that heart and put it in the bag. He ran straight to his room and took out the syringe containing the essence of the dragon-maw plant. He stuck it into the heart. Nothing happened until he used mana manipulation.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMJNZgf734s
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsTeuAH8W96
What he saw made Kenneth jump in ecstasy. The heart began to ooze the liquid, and beat.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxDhHPU8p3a
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj3a5emq7FC
A month passed and Kenneth continued to mess with the dragon-maw's substances. He inject it into other plants, even into a live pig at one point, and used varying levels of mana manipulation just to see what would happen. The pig oozed out the liquid, but was fine. As for the plants though, nothing happened. Kenneth came to the conclusion that only flesh and bone were affected by the ooze.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy52M4Us4Cu
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjxIimDTMLu
Though that month was a blur, one day did really stick out to him. It was the day his mother entered his room.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ55oO7vVge3
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfa86nLKeV9
"Huh? Hello, mother! Is something the matter?"329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPSZMwzUBsf
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE0KD9goyPY
"Oh? Not at all honey, not at all. I was just wondering what you were up to."329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRU1kpgF7nz
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzr93yYOpxO
That was the first time she ever said that. It made Kenneth happy, so he explained his process and findings, how he used the ooze and injected it into organisms. He told her of the pig, and how–329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVDnbDE7uMS
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGirhEXpHgi
**THUD**329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmcwH6RNv9I
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeaMcF6h2Ys
A fist flew right into Kenneth's stomach. He was launched to the wall and slowly slid down. He looked up at his mother, who was making a face of pure terror.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5Pu73J6Twk
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡElmEs6qfOg
"You, Kenny. Don't you ever, ever defile flesh with your crazy, stupid alchemy bullshit!"329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnlt4sGMqwW
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn6G2PaldCc
And from there on, Kenny was disallowed to use living things.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjZ1OB64TsR
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkfxZZtX2u5
Three months passed. Kenneth's focus returned to manipulating plants with mana. He quickly grew more and more efficient, to the point where hardly any nutrients from the soil were used to manipulate plants. His raw skill in mana manipulation grew, too. His father told him how splendid of a mage Kenneth could become, but Kenneth didn't care for that. Kenneth's greatest achievement was growing an entire tree in his backyard, just using his mana. The tree was nearly twice the size of any tree in the Blooming Biome, so it attracted a lot of attention from the neighbors, and Kenny got a good beating because of it. Kenny didn't care though, he was improving, he was growing better and better. But it didn't feel as fulfilling. He returned to alchemy and improved his potion-making abilities, and through connections with his father, he even managed to sell them to outsiders of the village. Having a sudden income was pleasant, but the process of making potions became repetitive.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj3STmEWPXn
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNfuHPSUBDX
Kenny had the itch to return to the dragon-maw. But it wouldn't amount to anything. After all, he had no flesh he could use.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDuPlS2UdDh
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl9k1rliAnV
That was until Kenny looked in the bathroom mirror.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX1Ri5svu1k
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhsXCrBUnWW
"..."329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzQFsAzATEe
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVCWcEs3PBQ
He almost couldn't believe it. Here in the present, recollecting, he couldn't believe he actually went through with it. He continued reminiscing.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLbkaundDhD
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNDGmqiLoXq
He used his body to test the effects. He started small of course, just a quarter of a syringe's worth of essence, and the effects were immediate. Kenny received a deal of discomfort, and his face scrunched terribly. But something worried him. Unlike the pig, the ooze never left his body.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgJ7onLY7ra
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkKmaiJOBpi
His curiosity grew. He returned home that day, hoping to continue his fiddling in his room, but when he walked through that front door, he was met with a thrashed kitchen.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS9ClihbmIU
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiohCeRaywI
His mother was on the floor, sobbing. It was so distinct to him, that sobbing. The house had disappeared. The hallway, the broken kitchen, everything was gone. All he could see was his sobbing mother.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAJiM6c17me
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXC6I3rne2w
Kenny had no idea what to do, because now he wasn't playing with his plants. Now, he was in his home, and his mother was sobbing on the floor, and his mother was sobbing on the floor and Kenny had no idea why.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTDCjjExdFF
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSSwgafK2V6
He scuttled upstairs and burst into his room. He rummaged frantically, glancing at potions and doing double-takes, making sure he would grab the right one. He eventually found a healing potion. Keny ran back down and offered it to her, wordlessly. His mother slapped it away, claiming that "she was fine" but Kenny knew it was a lie.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx2mtBCkNf7
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡezgf2oPaRU
And yet, Kenny believed it. He nodded at her assertation and simply walked back to his room. He lied down on his bed, and with a little trouble, fell asleep. Why did he do that?329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu9iyHtIGPm
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkCDju92zru
"..."329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡozTgSWvHVG
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc0JxdpV8VA
He returned to his experiments the next day. Kenneth had no interest experiencing such discomfort for results, so he changed his strategy. He drank some of the essence. It tasted like crap, so he spat it out. He tried mixing the essence with fruit and bread, but it tasted like crap so he spat it out. He was nearly out of options until his father brought home a bag of seeds. It was for the garden they were going to supposedly make. Kenneth found a new food item to try, so he injected the tiny seed with the essence– only a fraction of the syringe went in –and ate it.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZQsmkH9ztE
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0nkbBNCnhD
It tasted like nothing. He tried a few more, still, nothing. The dosage must've been too small he thought, but then he realized that didn't make sense. It didn't matter how small the dosage was, it was always going to taste the same. But he didn't taste anything, just the grimy seed.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPj90Dutgd8
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb2lzrfTgaC
Kenny thought he made progress. He ate a few more for good measure, and waited.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡay6WKZ7Dj9
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg75r6laeC3
He concluded that nothing would happen once his ninth birthday rolled around, since it was four months later. His parents didn't bring him any gifts for this one. In fact, they weren't even at the house.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4BUKfb2SGp
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBeE0laQ1iC
"..."329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4k2dMf43Sx
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ59j2j6RTFy
Kenny didn't mind. He went back to the dragon-maw plant. The plant was excited to see him and repeated the same licking routine it had been doing for a long time. Kenneth was excited to see it too, of course. It became a great close friend of his.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2aWhQHcRlH
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGToM7w4Pdi
It was while caressing the plant that Kenneth noticed something strange about himself. For whatever reason, his shirt was bulging at his chest, and he felt something cold and hard rub against his right arm. He pulled back and stared at it. He couldn't believe his eyes. He pulled back his sleeve. Still, he was shocked. He took off his shirt and now Kenneth became worried.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnUFaQJrHB3
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTbd637ilkj
A bundle of roots about as thick as his father's arm was protruding from the left side of his chest. It wrapped around Kenny's right arm and stopped right above his hand.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5pR5xYhPng
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCkq2a7lCvV
Kenny fainted.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk35KBgqsAK
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwlL7DLFUUm
Kenny woke up an hour later and the bundle of roots was still there. Kenny tried to move it with his other hand but it wouldn't budge. He tried ripping and tearing at it, but it just grew back. This tendril of wood was seemingly stuck with him now. Kenneth panicked and asked himself, "What could've caused this?" He kept asking this question to himself while flailing his arms, trying desperately to shake the wood off.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGj0JkzHHlc
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS1LoBctoNl
He thought of all the plants he'd been tinkering with until this day. Was this revenge? Was this way of getting back at him? He knew it was silly but he couldn't think of anything else. He almost fainted again until the striking image of the spore plant came to his mind, and all of a sudden, the tip of the tendril blossomed that very plant.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrJ9mLf2q3z
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHnDFW6ZnzJ
"...What in the world?"329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXlGtR3jf8W
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtmaRbANbsK
It was much smaller than the normal plant. Half the size, just about. Kenneth didn't understand how this was possible, but he kept messing with it. Next was the light beam plant, and it blossomed at half the size. Next was the dragon maw plant, then the poison one, then the one with the sparkly liquid, and all of them came out perfectly. Just at half the normal size.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzlPSW9ZHwS
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEGzh1z4Xtj
"But how do I get rid of this tendril?"329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡscKZsHl8UP
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEZYfUmkQOQ
The utterance of the sentence made the tendril swiftly retract back into his chest. Somehow he didn't get any splinters.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz6GJsWFu8q
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCzOisOxutz
"Is that it? Do I just need to say tendril?"329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡefIktR3DvF
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3nkaFA25IJ
That didn't work, so Kenneth thought about bringing the tendril forth. It came out and wrapped around his right arm without him even uttering anything.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCELiFxzaoY
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtrAnnXSXpQ
"So that's what it is..."329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaXeJuRulmX
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdI7MwIuY4J
Though Kenneth was skeptical, and frankly, disturbed, something about this was incredible. He jumped for joy and ran back home. He couldn't wait until he showed his parents.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBkS3RDhp59
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvVVjSFwbgx
Sure, they might've been out when he awoke, but they had to be back by now. Kenny did pass out after all, didn't he? He ran to the front door and slammed it open. He was so excited he could barely see in front of him. He suddenly stopped, because he realized that if he showed a wooden tendril the size of his father's arm coming out of his chest, he was sure to see the priest or something. So he tiptoed in instead.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhaI7QCFL7f
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJwdpAxybvU
He heard some noise coming from the kitchen. How exciting! Even if he wasn't going to show them his tendril, he was sure that at the very least, he would receive a present. Kenneth turned the corner and entered the kitchen.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrdKNLuZzPR
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkMWDhyZRjN
"..."329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLcHyisgCrE
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCud8SidX8d
"Haaa... How do you like that? Can't give me shit and hell looking like that now, can you?329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYSBeW1ED21
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrDywGFDDF4
"..."329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAXfuC3Iy63
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxx8jRkgIHT
Kenny was sure, for a moment, that he was still passed out, because this made no sense. Of course, that had to be it. A tendril from his chest should've been a good enough indicator, but this practically confirmed it.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYiCBSLdgzx
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOql4AhnH7U
His mother was standing there with a knife in her hand. It was wet, and the liquid was dripping onto the floor, making a great big red puddle. Kenneth looked aside, and saw his father with his head laid down, and covered in that same red liquid.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZP715ASEIp
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEkllUd9b8M
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyctyXNghuq
"...Dad–"329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwfpJkNHtoO
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6ptYWRGElU
"Huh?"329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn1HzYkXQzc
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtlPLPc8Fga
His mother turned around. When she saw Kenneth, she looked terrified. It made no sense. If she was terrified, then what was Kenneth supposed to feel?329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6MLRBIrntr
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyT9dkzh9Fg
His mother fell to the floor. She dropped the knife. She scurried away from the boy as if he was the one who killed the man she loved.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwYI7w3x7Xg
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK6zyRBpeZg
"K-Kenny! It isn't– it's not–"329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKMM6LVe2NU
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaMqcEZNs5z
"...W-Why? Mom, why?"329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIvMMb23OwT
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9JFe0H20O0
But her mother didn't respond. She began to cry, to wail. Kenny didn't understand why.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8rFwioUT7V
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx2wSKMv6Rk
Kenny just didn't understand why.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZviUPhx3Ed
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1R72OX4JOq
Kenny yelled. He didn't know what was happening but the tendril stretched and pushed his mother against the wall. Kenny kept screaming and screaming, and then he too began to cry, and he kept crying all while the tendril held up his mother. Soon, a neighbor came by. Then another.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9nlR6JnOyO
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfz9Qa1LbCf
Mother was arrested that day.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJoz96mILwv
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMI29FpV618
–
–
–
Nobody questioned Kenny's strange new limb. Nobody had the heart to. "What kind of soulless bastard would ask him that now?" Stuff like that. It made sense.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk2Rdg2566e
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAuQvzAOTog
He was back in the church. He sat alone, wearing his church garbs. It was the first time he wore something other than his mother's gift. He couldn't possibly imagine doing it now.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡto7ZNJemc8
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAoqIvd29B0
Kenny's mother was under trial. The whole town and the priest served as the jury. At one point Kenny was asked to testify but he couldn't move a muscle. He just couldn't.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVJ8vz6SCCO
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwO14WsZ3mQ
It was a pitiful trial. Kenny's mother didn't utter anything, and in the end, she was sentenced to death. Kenny was forbidden to watch the execution, but he somehow weaseled his way in as he tends to.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjxtQueBR89
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSNg6UmVdJa
His mother was hung with a rope around her neck. Kenny didn't know what to feel.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKcBiJxSLYp
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdLz5hkj7Fa
Kenneth didn't know if he could anymore.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU1V2To9jSo
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJJE0ybfu00
The trial didn't even last half the day. Her guilt was just that easy to tell. "But what did that mean for Kenny?" everyone asked. Of course, he was famous in the village. He served excellent potions and has made spectacles for the entire town to see. But nobody knew the type of person Kenny was.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡckttpTRorP
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa6AFg8wUzI
All the while, Kenny could do nothing but stare at the ground.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbo5u9o53kI
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAzSFgAFkSx
A decision was eventually reached. A family with the surname "Somber" would take custody of the boy. Kenny was asked if he would've liked to keep his old surname but he didn't say anything.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvlKXPUvpzT
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJZZSlGa3VA
Kenny was taken to their home. Kenny didn't know what became of his old residence. He was fed at his new home, and he even had a little brother now.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTRuulGPFu2
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5yr2nmAYn2
For the first month Kenny didn't leave the house. It was excused at the time but eventually, his talents were needed too much. So Kenny, who got his equipment back, returned to alchemy, potion brewing, and the selling of his potions. He did it as well as he ever did, but it was different this time. It was wrong. Sometimes now, Kenny would slip up and make faulty products, and those times he didn't receive a beating, just a scolding. Some part of him wished he did receive a beating though.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmn0tbggDb5
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFf2Tqo15UE
It went on for another month.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCow32DmDh4
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9ildO89vc9
Then another.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9VpqSJZMz9
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡszrRY9Bvf9
Then another.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8jdEJr8tqe
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiJcOpiPsMb
Kenneth couldn't get the picture out of his head.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZsRBxXHJ8m
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ0skcbFpzv
The blood. It was slathered on the knife as if she was going to apply it to bread. And she was just standing there. Kenny didn't see her face but he knew she was smiling. And then her face after. Why was she so scared? Why? Why?329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeEdSd0tPMw
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCB56svwWk3
Kenny couldn't get that image out of his mind.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4tb1vwodoT
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi65KsgOJtA
The image of his mother, of her horrified face.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ9UsX9kwP6
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDRnGNdG4eJ
Kenny didn't understand what compelled her. Why did she have to kill his father? Kenny didn't understand. He asked himself and he didn't have an answer.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLyq2Pm4zs9
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ45jYKMteni
But of course he did. Kenny was a smart kid, he knew what it was all along.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw3DkGeb6ga
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5i7f7v0EcR
They hated each other, didn't they? The "why" didn't matter, because look at what it amounted to. And all the while, Kenny was out of the house or in his room, playing with his plants like they were toys. He was at peace. They were not.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPRsl8byH5h
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3D2R7HCdDm
And Kenny reminded himself of this.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0QMJ1IPABf
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZcVJByURWh
Over and over.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxjqNReDGh3
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhR1WTDcg32
Over and over.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvsjjaDCJgh
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqZUgzkKSsl
Over and over.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7PP2snvAWL
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4hUZYdQ1BQ
Over and over.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV3LZE1BNfh
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFNurfw0qvp
Over and over.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyTi3DYdyb6
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiekGDDCF7R
Over and over.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQnhvyiczB8
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ75uu9lEy51
Over and over.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRwRHROd2C8
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNJL3Xy0V3L
Over and over.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ62k1aBqXX1
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ37TwthhDkL
He left the house. He turned ten already, somehow, he couldn't fathom how but he didn't care. He returned to the dragon-maw. It was called a Viscous plant, he recalled. But he hated that name. It was Dragon-Maw and that was final.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuSybz4yaYU
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnzDWjwB8r4
Dragon-maw was excited to see him. He licked Kenny's face and even ticked him with his snout. Kenny appreciated it but wasn't here for that. He took out his syringe and took a sample of Dragon-maw's essence.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0VPP36Rvjg
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMaxzumx3mF
–
–
–
Kenny received a present for his eleventh birthday. It was like a coat. A large puffy white one with brown outlining. But it also came with a stylish shirt and a pair of brown, skinny pants.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyJsRqQ2GT0
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhfdutnTVzB
His new mother, Anabelle, said that the coat was there to compensate for the bulge whenever his tendril came out. Kenny smiled and thanked her. It had been a while since he'd done such a thing.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOFSnZhj1wj
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqOh6lXevUc
After the pleasant event, Kenny returned to alchemy and mana manipulation. He hardly improved though. Kenny lost a lot more than his family during the incident. Kenny tried to stay in good touch with the whole village. He tried to put on smiles and talk politely, but all the words he and other spewed never sat right with Kenny. Nothing ever sat right.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhpZh3vGrR6
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrnllcwmBU0
Then there was Dragon-Maw. Kenny saw him every day. Kenny used to love the greeting he received from the plant but he's stopped being licked altogether. Today in particular, Kenny received a face akin to disgust, though it was hard to tell because the plant lacked eyes.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyP3EagILvr
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ42G9xgtHN0
"What's the matter, Dragon-Maw?"329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ66GfabwMs
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtOG0907xnH
The plant shook its head no. Kenny didn't really understand.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZkNDuqmmvX
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhUWLMtMtLd
"Come on, I know it hurts but it's only for a little bit. Just let me–"329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy0MVCbEpyi
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIDLbWTHVdI
Dragon-Maw opened his face and yelled at him. Kenny fell on his butt.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡER8SIYW6Cl
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDQqLHZgMvE
"H-Hey, what do you think you're doing?"329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuWF1hHSuN1
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQe8mXZgEIE
He was getting agitated. Still, the plant continued to flail and yell. Kenny rushed in and tried to pin it down but he was knocked away. Kenny grew annoyed and used his tendril. He wrapped it around the maw and shut it tight.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAbAD2Z8Jfh
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4yKAEH15uu
"If you keep resisting, I'll just knock you out."329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFUgOb266oy
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOA5axEf5Ox
The plant resisted anyway, and thus, Kenny did good on his words. He took a quick sample and returned home.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnVBmiQJRlO
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRCdPcTDN93
It seemed like Dragon-Maw's behavior wasn't the only strange thing today.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4Lozr4hSyt
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡadgwdK0bUy
Anabelle approached Kenny before he entered the house. She carried him inside hurriedly. She asked Kenny to sit down and he did. He waited for a few minutes before she returned with a letter. Kenny was handed it and he began to read.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqPRXcYfXEq
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJTw18ewcqZ
It was an invitation.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4ChwCZBtUZ
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCtZvfrVwaA
Somehow, a scout from a prestigious school of alchemists saw the things Kenny had been doing, and considering his incredibly young age, thought it fit to enroll him there. Apparently, tuition was free, but the school was an extensive journey away. It would take four months on a carriage.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmRLfn6vVxU
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTDDssbUsnQ
Kenny did not know how to react, nor did he know what to say. He politely told Anabelle that he'd consider it and returned to his room. He continued doing his regular alchemy business but the invitation continued to nag him. He sighed and put down the flask.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEJWiiMqKBO
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKrEmHV7yRh
"What am I supposed to do?"329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjh4zCYLMVW
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2R9FNiYpeY
It was a tempting offer. Kenny did love his plants, after all. Alchemy was profitable and enjoyable, and he was very skilled at mana manipulation. The selling of his potions probably caught the eye of the university. But why should he go? He was already exceptional in his field. He was fine here, wasn't he?329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyZC50LaCJF
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyBA9xOfVLS
"..."329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3tiT3n93Kc
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXbDtui5GT0
How long had it been since he did any experimenting? How long had it been since he went back to the Blooming Biome?329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1oX1o9k7Oi
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqWfELXMeZJ
All of a sudden, Kenny's mind began to hurt. This is something he'd typically avoid thinking about. He sighed, thinking it was time to clear the haze in his mind.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkcemEflFaS
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuWNRBhP2O6
–
–
–
Dragon-Maw went missing.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqIFBBRY2Hj
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvLwMZxlZhT
The stationary plant went missing.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDZTiGXTf68
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP0dnHX1hjt
He had no way of making a new one. The one in his tendril would simply produce blood– it was something he discovered months ago.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI1UZPKZzQc
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZhImgjrfws
"..."329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFLsaN75YiF
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5F0JGCk6SB
Dragon-Maw went missing.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMmw75Uahs5
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuCXqO892jg
Kenny asked, though he already knew. He fell to his knees.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSCwsgWFEsa
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNdi1SThI64
"...Why?"329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7JBigjcBqx
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeuX7y63MNU
Didn't he see his face? That terrified face of disgust?329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGt7ugqWonl
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRCSEYK5rVd
And still, Kenny took his essence.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrj1rf95ZNw
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz2yGQsFz45
Of course he would leave.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY38IpZ7Wzl
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxLqmRC5UsV
And Kenny wouldn't let himself forget that.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzng3dGQWcJ
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi5cPzkY6fa
–
–
–
Seven months passed since Dragon-Maw went missing. Kenny didn't move much since then. He grew a little bit of belly fat. It relieved him.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYuWrJoegE5
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOzV11oXUrr
Kenny was still doing what he did best, brewing potions for the village. That's all he ever did, people say, just stay holed up in his room and do alchemy. It wasn't a lie, but sometimes, Kenny felt like he wasn't even doing that–329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXmAusXcgUx
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSvjQ6gwIIL
**Knock knock**
A sudden noise. It was likely Anabelle. She usually visited to bring him food.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡapflabyaaU
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUVlTmfqrzp
"Kenny. Come out here."329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmmTgf87YLr
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡslspbxFMWM
But that was a man's voice who just spoke. He stood up and begrudgingly opened the door. His wrist was taken and he was pulled.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJcWqc7OIac
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLQnMLdDCwv
"W-Woah!"329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIek2BW70cv
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR5f2r6jUFd
"Come on, this is no way for an eleven-year-old to behave!"329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrSY7Ff0Bjj
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWXJL0iwYCi
Kenny couldn't resist. The pull jangled his body to the point of nearly fainting.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPCWhgSSjbq
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYhFLAmoUl2
"Just look at you. Sheesh, I'm surprised you at least have your normal haircut."329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPMz1JAqOre
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqn3UNDyujP
Shortcut red hair. And yellow eyes. Kenny remembered how distinct it was from his mother.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDfZbLvxx7o
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaRPbJ33Au5
"Now go out, you dumb kid!"329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6fVmx8nneo
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu4YYATCw0r
And then Kenny was shoved out of the house. He slowly rubbed his head and got up.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ27JyKf6uvO
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0yrVLzcZsY
The sun was bright outside. Kenny had a hard time seeing so he covered his eyes. He tried to re-enter the building but his turning of the doorknob was met with a kick at the door. He'd rather not get hurt, so he decided to just roam the village.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3B7oOv1bmh
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMlXxBojsRK
It was... strange though. Not because something truly strange was happening, but because the mood was different. People were out and about, doing their work, and children were playing and having fun.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRI7N7iieFp
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZkeSXn8nvb
Kenny didn't get it.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9ymRfof1lu
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY66ZajMZIw
Don't they understand that it had only been a year since an incident? Why were they all so cheery?329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTPS8rYwMyA
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgOS40SNsvs
"Ah, Kenny! Look at you!" A random woman said with a gleeful smile on her face, "You're finally outside, about damn time you recluse! Hahaha!"329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhbku4tbQrU
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnbUTN3KoDW
"I... whaa?"329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgmlVtJ5lkv
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ03IYkc8AS7
Kenny couldn't formulate a sentence. The woman just waved at him and went away. Kenny didn't understand. Why was she so... rude to him? Didn't she understand that his parents died? That his plant was gone and that he was all alone?329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuGprPs9e3T
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsp11YeWvbn
"..."329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJTeEjfDL2g
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWH2VcgVnx2
Something truly was strange. In the seven months that he stayed indoors, this town had changed.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFEIYBb4edS
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQUkrbKrVKF
He didn't like that. But still he kept wandering. He didn't know what else to do. He watched as the kids played and as the adults chattered about this and that. Kenny was confused. He didn't understand it at all.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYcEmHs61cs
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2DAJbRo7NA
"Ah, it's Uncle Kenny!"329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMrKibbF6ck
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBeL039JLPQ
Uncle? Kenny turned around and a little girl was there grinning ear to ear. Kenny was much taller than her, she was probably something like six–329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnqSHkQ3dtX
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0ajZgEMQPs
"Huh?"329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIu0d0kwL0W
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNrLhMnNnu8
Kenny suddenly felt her arms wrap around his back. Her cheeks were against Kenny's belly.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG6hEeP4qLn
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5h8dA8O5xL
"I'm so glad you're finally out. We all missed you."329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyXj4zD2RGp
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIGe4QRXKM7
The girl let go. Kenny couldn't speak.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD1gmt196qx
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJKLNz9W7Y1
"Oh, and um, thank you so much for making that one potion for Mommy! She's so much better now!"329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsvSlMlQCn7
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAwxsT56UWM
"Uh... sure?"329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVdErwWVT1O
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE1ceB8ClJo
The girl bowed and ran away, and kept playing games with the other kids.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8All7Pr3mK
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQBhi5T42RT
"..."329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkitldhfV87
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9wGkw2lDCb
No, Kenny couldn't still.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbhOljSr7Jf
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz5a7QX9VK3
He still didn't know what was going on.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvAzHolIEO9
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFjSrAlCbwA
So he kept wandering. The same sight as before, but this time, someone he knew stopped him.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUED5jmNJgJ
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhnNWGa690t
"...Big Brother."329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGkQ2MvVQ6g
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡULNwwj47zJ
It was the kid, Jackson. The kid that was supposed to be Kenny's new little brother.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpbDHzyk9ht
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ43FpoHm6lR
The kid looked upset. Of course, that's the look. That's the look that I should be getting, Kenny thought. They're still dead, and the plant is gone, and he's still alive, and nobody should ever forget that, Kenny thought.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdLZBtxWKws
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiuXdoahOxb
But then he smiled.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzDnEuUHrrO
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmEfBqwhCFi
"Look at you. You finally moved on?"329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt1NgU52PaK
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa6QK1EYpxl
Jackson reached out a hand. Kenny didn't understand at all. So he just swiped it away.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTQUPoxoeqA
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZeMt5ExKev
"N-No, move on? Move on? What the hell are you talking about, 'move on?'"329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡljYnR2w5Mt
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDAGaPVhGY4
Jackson just sighed, but Kenny didn't stop.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHVreSVc5As
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwOGb2vcrfc
"D-Don't you get it? Does nobody else get it? My parents died! I drove my plant away! Am I– am I the only one who cares? And– and its–"329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0Ob7TrxnEd
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxwvcGnUQdH
"Listen, Kenny, I don't want to hurt your feelings, but it's been a long time now, hasn't it?"329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjspg4Nh7lj
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVpRFTWkiIm
A year and a half, right? Is that really long?329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxXUXPbKiJs
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeNspWPEn7J
"I get it, it hurts. And I'm not saying you should be all cheery. But for a whole seven months, you stayed indoors, and it was the plant that drove you that far?"329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEEtUH3KULI
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoT9BIj6hcJ
"W-What? Huh?"329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwsYB17aGGE
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7XgBrbqW50
Kenny didn't understand. No, this made no sense.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8yohA1pOYL
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwRhEWypOPS
This was insulting.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhURcbpzQkR
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7wn67kxp9R
This was just insulting now.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBRS7z3nLQv
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2iqYBc3NOq
But Kenny didn't have a chance to accuse Jackson of that.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYyQsNNjKuI
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi9z3XACxhv
"What in the world is going on inside your head to make you so hung up over it?"329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCyFRApcpsx
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ0HTw0hRJL
"..."329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJyFGaN7F5V
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0u7cVD9gFe
And then something shattered in him.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAwn07Oc729
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTTJGeuLOdt
What was making him so hung up?329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPtTuQ0PMvb
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4DxcUIeviH
Why, that's obvious, isn't it? It's so obvious that Kenny didn't feel the need to say it out loud. But Jackson was looking at him like he needed to say something. Kenny couldn't though, because Kenny knew that it was too obvious. Yet Jackon kept that gaze up, and kept pestering him with that look, and–
**SLAM!**329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTUwG0Xqo8I
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeMzARI62kU
"...Huh?"329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGNnbVAS4fL
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡos1bFW458C
And then Kenny was smacked on the head. But it wasn't like the other times. This one was soft.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsRb80WI6pb
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbkiNldhtlP
"L-Listen, Kenny..."329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ30v73RbpDl
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqtm8ure1ir
He looked up. Jackson was looking sad.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡug6HGOZ1Ux
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk5igso9DLC
"Don't tell me that you think... you're to blame, right?"329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRvx8QgwCUI
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2RbDltq9oW
"..."329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzEKvpc1zfK
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1LDt7EvR9P
It was the first time Kenny cried since the incident.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2xhvVSGHGd
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYRIcLPjUcH
–
–
–
He had a talk, to say the least. Kenny grew better. He had a difficult time talking to others, and despite the discussion, his feelings for the incident and himself didn't go away entirely.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxRQNblSRQ4
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ1LXEWNe9A
But Kenny was fine. He turned twelve, and he was about to board a carriage. Yes, he accepted that offer. Transportation wasn't free, and despite Kenny's insistence on paying for it himself, a carriage was in front of him while his coin sack was completely full.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0lSxc5We0l
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAsn1AoDPqH
Kenny turned to those saying goodbye. It was practically the whole village, but Anabelle and Jackson were at the front. Kenny swore he was going to cry again, but he held himself back. He was wearing the clothes Anabelle gifted him. His snow white jacket with brown buttons and outlining, his complementary light-brown pants. It did make the environment a bit toasty though.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl6NBh8GrjN
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCMTKhBGGAb
None of that was important. What was important right now was that he was hugging Anabelle and Jackson. What was important right now was that he was boarding the carriage and waving goodbye to his village. His home.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz320lGvhlx
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ18qUXlPMlS
He was going to ascend King's Peak. It sounded a little crazy to him, but it was really happening. Kenny brought the tome and his equipment with him. He couldn't believe that a simple set of gifts got him this far.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgazHsNvBzc
329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7YzLF4MzTU
He wasn't perfect, no, but now he was ready. He was ready to go somewhere new and finally make some progress.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV1jNsWWkT7
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Kenneth Buffalo Chambers. That's who he was.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZNDD1Iuaqn
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That's what he remembered. All of that. Not all of his questions were answered, but he was glad he remembered that much. He got up from the rock and scratched his head. He wished that he remembered how exactly it came to this, though. Kenny was in a rocky field. His carriage was totaled, the horses were missing, and his driver was dead on the ground.
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