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.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfqb13u7H7i
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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?”
505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEycF9m4A64
505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2r0kUbkeFC
Alyson: “So you’re awake.”
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!505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKnksV7M1io
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I struggle through the pain and look to my right to see Alyson by my bed.
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Nao: “What are you doing here.”
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Alyson: “Is that a problem?”
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Nao: “No, I’m just surprised.”
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Alyson: “…”
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Nao: “…”
505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEh9Z9tmne1
505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJhBXM9hHhH
Alyson: “So, explain yourself.”
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505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYCMax0asuQ
Nao: “Is it not obvious, Trevor beat me up.”
505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw5V94MvENE
505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmozaFA3Q04
Alyson: “…I mean before all of that.”
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505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhVApzExOSc
Nao: “I did the right thing, any humane person would do it.”
505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA1tRUJoHjz
505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJY5IJhRkgL
Alyson: “Those eyes didn’t look human to me.”
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505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDRkAqc9Dbp
Nao: “…”
505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3JSGnQFif9
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Nao: “Maybe not, but I couldn’t sit by and let them beat up my friends like that. If I…have to become a monster-”
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505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwciD5uo5xD
Alyson: “Don’t finish that. You don’t have to do that.”
505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzeD94ms4Tq
505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNfeGPdrIQP
I begin to retort but something is happening. Alyson’s general seriousness begins to crumble before my eyes.
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505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEHMktPxKFI
Nao: “What’s with you?”
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Alyson: “That’s my question!”
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Nao: “!”
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505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLztykTZhD5
Alyson: “Don’t you realize that if you keep doing this you’ll get yourself killed! Stop trying to do things beyond your ability!”
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505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaRgqqMhAxR
Nao: “…”
505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvZcqy2z5T2
Alyson: “I…don’t want to lose you too.”505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡchegkXaVpB
505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ28L3GEavBQ
Tch.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyNe0N7ntbJ
505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXuoIza7khY
Nao: “What do you want from me!?”
505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6bgxxRsKCh
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Alyson: “!!”
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505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCmkHpCwcuT
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.”
505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLihjdVDbwL
505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1VfgQrwr9F
Alyson: “…Nell and I won’t watch you burn up in the sun. Goodbye, Nao.”
505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtBFXM2thyt
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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505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhnZsOG8iJd
Nao: “It’s too late to back out now.”
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505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLmelSS8RIG
*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.”505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ9L0rQERpL
505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ35xZ1gi6cY
Arc?505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ18fd3KXjiC
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Arc: “Yes?”
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How’s my body?
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Arc: “Healing well enough. Speaking of healing…”
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*Ding*505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcc5IqGkaQW
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Points: 6505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZx0CuAEyFA
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Arc: “You did well over 10 spells today.”
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505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCTR1chOhs4
Good, I need those points if I’m going to beat the King next time.
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*Door open*
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I look to the door and rushing to my side is the person I didn’t want to see. Not after what I almost did?
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Nell: “Nao, are you okay!”
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505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Wl7tj7Vk4
Nao: “I’m okay, mom. Sorry they had to call you from work.”
505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcMFawYER9T
505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJaQLIT2Otd
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.
505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmE4O93cR9H
505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMXV0QTpa4P
Nell: “You promised…”
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Nao: “Mom I-”
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505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMGDEPCElDb
Before I could say anything she flicked my forehead hard enough to push my head back some. Knowing my mom, this is as bad as a slap.
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505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcfzCu0kZ8t
Nell: “You broke your promise and got into fights. Even Alyson seems shaken by what she saw you do.”
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Nao: “But-”
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Nell: “Nao, you’ve been suspended from school for a month.”
505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoQq8329Bji
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Nao: “!”
505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFtQqENaT2Q
505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVGkoJAAfpV
Nao: “What about those bullies?! Don’t tell me they get to go free!”
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505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuMcFpKY6Jm
Nell: “Nao, you beat one of them so bad that they might not make it.”
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505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8h0fPf30gS
Nao: “!!”
505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIJAf8yCQhp
505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwAGXbhKkvx
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.”
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505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSKK3B0hD2v
Nell: “Why didn’t you tell me…we could have done something….anything but this...”
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505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkLlIrltxo2
I couldn’t say anything…she’s right. I already killed 3 people and now this….
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505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzmngrJ4Ke4
What am I becoming?
505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc6t4POU8Wc
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Arc: “What’s necessary.”
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W-What?
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505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBivBjPgek2
Nell: “Nao, despite everything you’ve done I forgive you for breaking that promise.”
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505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEuAW09WsJ1
Nao: “R-Really?”
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505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzCWmrdPGiW
Nell: “Yes, because I also kept something from you. Our…living situation is not the best.”
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505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQyljMIvJI3
Nao: “What do you mean?”
505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrAm5OMfSR1
505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3UfraMhtRy
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.”
505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAK3Wxg4PRT
505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvCxc99hsZw
Nao: “Mom! Why didn’t you tell me? I could have helped or lessened your burden in some way. I would never have been as lazy as I was before if I knew.”
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505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ11fiXF2sey
Nell: “I didn’t want to further burden you. I assume that’s the same reason why you didn’t tell me.”
505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxbkyWX0u0S
505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdWfqKwTWqn
Nao: “*Nod*”
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505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSAOvcvvZdx
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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505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe3akgwXNKD
Mom bows her head and I try desperately to stop her but she insisted.
505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN6z6a6jOMU
505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeiWHROkEXF
Nell: “I’m sorry for keeping this from you.”
505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMDDnmNrl0C
505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI5idyoEnST
Nao: “Mom I…”
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I bow myself. As best I can in my situation.
505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUWqshhjYJG
505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡObjrV9mnpE
Nao: “I’m sorry too, for everything I’ve done and kept secret.”
505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjOdJtaQi7Q
505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgvdb01iW3o
We both bought our heads back and accepted the other’s apology.
505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡchL3GLh1IO
505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVcjtxF36FX
Nell: “No matter what happens, we’ll be truthful and rely on each other more from now on. Promise me.”
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505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1vRxD5sqrW
Nao: “I-”
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505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwxCLkwhAf2
Nell: “Promise me.”
505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYNFtOFKA28
505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl2WKrlbG37
Nao: “…Okay. I’ll tell you everything.”
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505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwIGUerq7Aw
Arc: “What are you doing?”
505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiCM35jId8B
505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH0UOl35pHj
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.
505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkq6JbVqOrf
505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡURcQ0TVyWK
Arc: “I don’t thin-”
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505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYVzXBspSiH
Nao: “Mom, I have something to show you. Can you draw the curtain?”
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505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCsuxwzJdPI
Nell: “O-Okay.”
505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnLX4wStZO3
505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH4QYLc3yan
*Curtains close*
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505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7wctx6Dsly
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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505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKXL2vkrVoR
Nao: “Mom, I’m a mage.”
505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ04pRktUDuX
505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡstBX1iALXS
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.
505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb6NBm6Dqyu
505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0S4RPDztAG
Nell: “I…need some time.”
505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD7K5fdZmAL
505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjtnqXUNrWg
Mom leaves through the curtain and leaves me truly alone.
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505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSRRpsFFQoe
Arc: “I tried to warn you. Now with your damaged mental state, you’ll be weaker going forward.”
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505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiohrGeeD3z
I tuned Arc out and sunk deeper into my bed. The harsh light bare down on me, burning away any comfort left.
505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHXvjAV7Ora
505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuFu4SHXb8y
Time moved fast after that. After I was healed enough I was taken back home by mom. I assume the others went home in a similar way. When I got back home, it was colder. No one said a word as they went into their room.
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505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUyyojJkLN7
In my own room, I just laid in bed staring at my ceiling. I was too bruised, tired, and depressed to work. Despite Arc’s protests, I refused to meditate or work out.
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505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoUydwTWLyG
I just wanted to sleep it all away.
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*Ring*505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvvXWJ8YOm7
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I turn my head to my phone on the desk. I consider ignoring it but I remember that there’s only 1 person that would call me.
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505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeIp9ZX66TR
I sigh and transform my head into Alphon.
505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8DViog7bMn
505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxHAUg5mfCb
Alyson: “Hey Alphon, I know this is sudden but would you like to come over?”
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…Are you serious?
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Nao: “S-Sure, what’s wrong?”
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505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwmJNFnZSgv
Alyson: “I just…need some company. A lot happened today.”
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505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNR4FOwYOPr
I can understand that, I suppose this can take my mind off of everything.
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Nao: “Happy to help
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Alyson: “Thanks, I’ll send over my address. Knock and I’ll come get you.”
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Nao: “Cool, I’ll be there in 20 minutes.”
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505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3qAVFTxHae
Alyson: “Thanks…it’s nice to know your voice.”
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Nao: “…Same.”
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505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRL910Gkasy
I hang up and prepare myself for Alyson. Transforming, clothes, washing up, healing wounds, and mental prep.
505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNszUy5BBMx
505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHugGfMnkM8
20 minutes from now, we’ll use each other to forget our problems. I have no problem with that.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgHnQZTN81t
然後按「加至主畫面」