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.435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4sUUrAYCDB
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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?”
435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS7h19QShML
435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYgor4zke29
Alyson: “So you’re awake.”
435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡefCiZJpiRv
!435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKJEI1hXng7
435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2v62YW5AtX
I struggle through the pain and look to my right to see Alyson by my bed.
435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvnjN9hXTlW
435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZNtqVU516L
Nao: “What are you doing here.”
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Alyson: “Is that a problem?”
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435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVtCPFm3RY4
Nao: “No, I’m just surprised.”
435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6NGoGDzN10
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Alyson: “…”
435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoZs4pj26KM
435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy09XVZ4cBQ
Nao: “…”
435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMhqPiTOfyq
435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJcr18gTvXW
Alyson: “So, explain yourself.”
435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN7T1iybXpC
435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3LMnXDZf6G
Nao: “Is it not obvious, Trevor beat me up.”
435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8K21VsoTn3
435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8yMsHzeRDp
Alyson: “…I mean before all of that.”
435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOojz6gTcIV
435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZaA7VpYjbd
Nao: “I did the right thing, any humane person would do it.”
435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjapsYKhOiP
435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkrHZnk8zqX
Alyson: “Those eyes didn’t look human to me.”
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435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3GtZJCxZTT
Nao: “…”
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Nao: “Maybe not, but I couldn’t sit by and let them beat up my friends like that. If I…have to become a monster-”
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435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0BRzdNI3Fs
Alyson: “Don’t finish that. You don’t have to do that.”
435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxzUY7zcrO8
435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbAbbIzA6LH
I begin to retort but something is happening. Alyson’s general seriousness begins to crumble before my eyes.
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435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsCsKszF9Xe
Nao: “What’s with you?”
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Alyson: “That’s my question!”
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435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7BWRegws61
Nao: “!”
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435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPj1jKXT1ZH
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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435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV9ET9c4uv7
Nao: “…”
435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1yFZjz3T8H
Alyson: “I…don’t want to lose you too.”435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgARm8OrVd1
435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlYccD84qBm
Tch.435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3esoFmR6eI
435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYsYybWwztz
Nao: “What do you want from me!?”
435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNSqpShyaYE
435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYuyaOC2Ngr
Alyson: “!!”
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435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUEhlU9UuqA
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.”
435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl92EBnApuG
435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgxjXfoSr7j
Alyson: “…Nell and I won’t watch you burn up in the sun. Goodbye, Nao.”
435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡObdtFoFFCE
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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435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ03syRn5Fym
Nao: “It’s too late to back out now.”
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*Sigh*
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Nao: “ So this is the cost of being the main character. I’ll know when this ends if the price was worth it.”435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGheIgIh5VB
435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSFQ0XlbOYl
Arc?435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv5nlcY0gEe
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Arc: “Yes?”
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How’s my body?
435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4NRlIjFjoL
435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcB5mj4mi9p
Arc: “Healing well enough. Speaking of healing…”
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*Ding*435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ33bTTGNqJi
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Points: 6435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOqIZ7594Mm
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Arc: “You did well over 10 spells today.”
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435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiQRKwHAKQt
Good, I need those points if I’m going to beat the King next time.
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435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5cGcoozylp
*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!”
435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3IhiB8lQwV
435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9oiuTkPNcb
Nao: “I’m okay, mom. Sorry they had to call you from work.”
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435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7ry1XpxPnh
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.
435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4PuvZ1TyyZ
435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkX4bw7oLiE
Nell: “You promised…”
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Nao: “Mom I-”
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435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlxZruK7epO
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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435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgisHNzk8dz
Nell: “You broke your promise and got into fights. Even Alyson seems shaken by what she saw you do.”
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435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWgxB1OQ8qw
Nao: “But-”
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Nell: “Nao, you’ve been suspended from school for a month.”
435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG8OVSYLAat
435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSjeNEbHjFT
Nao: “!”
435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2DoHhgLtHo
435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeDIXI13xbI
Nao: “What about those bullies?! Don’t tell me they get to go free!”
435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡysdtP4RXtB
435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW93hzrsWm7
Nell: “Nao, you beat one of them so bad that they might not make it.”
435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsAsMj3FEMT
435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq48fHpN2BM
Nao: “!!”
435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu1zUp8Wz8s
435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNcvRKsOxuc
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.”
435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD6ZUX8okdQ
435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKvGzlDXQAT
Nell: “Why didn’t you tell me…we could have done something….anything but this...”
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435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZCIJwmd8cz
I couldn’t say anything…she’s right. I already killed 3 people and now this….
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435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn0nFvhlLYV
What am I becoming?
435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Qc0Ml1waK
435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoAjHjN17Zc
Arc: “What’s necessary.”
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435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhBAYTho7xP
W-What?
435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWFuwc1NcYN
435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1kIbeNfdxR
Nell: “Nao, despite everything you’ve done I forgive you for breaking that promise.”
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435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6FProCp0PY
Nao: “R-Really?”
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435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtqV3s7NTno
Nell: “Yes, because I also kept something from you. Our…living situation is not the best.”
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435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlxBws03BXn
Nao: “What do you mean?”
435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4UrFIHm6Da
435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfo8cSRLwwL
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.”
435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7ofFfXprRW
435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTm8SbZDkSU
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.”
435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkmECepO0xz
435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIIqI5AIpmV
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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435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0iXIVJxjMg
Nao: “*Nod*”
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435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwOxvZLqwtZ
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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435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPpUxHpAnX0
Mom bows her head and I try desperately to stop her but she insisted.
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435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGIKZYMA3f8
Nell: “I’m sorry for keeping this from you.”
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435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBtClBTCPBW
Nao: “Mom I…”
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I bow myself. As best I can in my situation.
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435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvtoZiLKstL
Nao: “I’m sorry too, for everything I’ve done and kept secret.”
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435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZOn1o1SSck
We both bought our heads back and accepted the other’s apology.
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435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlXHwMNcYOJ
Nell: “No matter what happens, we’ll be truthful and rely on each other more from now on. Promise me.”
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435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCgenBO43NJ
Nao: “I-”
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435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqtA4MayH5m
Nell: “Promise me.”
435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2xq7pNzvq4
435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgERagpIHvE
Nao: “…Okay. I’ll tell you everything.”
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435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFs9mf3qRuL
Arc: “What are you doing?”
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435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHIZ4CR4P0C
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.
435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBzk3qlQG6E
435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC8v0PE9x04
Arc: “I don’t thin-”
435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7WEPs14iqL
435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡohQxP7cuoW
Nao: “Mom, I have something to show you. Can you draw the curtain?”
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435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOGcAjfwqsE
Nell: “O-Okay.”
435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrIapsRcs46
435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Co91VaHId
*Curtains close*
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435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs7qlR1rVqv
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.
435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ94pXSSQr4q
435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc0ZHOFnWQj
Nao: “Mom, I’m a mage.”
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435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOX0OHLS6My
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.
435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡioLyxj0CdB
435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqzvxBRPmLs
Nell: “I…need some time.”
435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8TQUkCQV5N
435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcHmHFZTc3F
Mom leaves through the curtain and leaves me truly alone.
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435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1D1CajJ4Of
Arc: “I tried to warn you. Now with your damaged mental state, you’ll be weaker going forward.”
435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZFSPRbQLXC
435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXj63YHfjfy
I tuned Arc out and sunk deeper into my bed. The harsh light bare down on me, burning away any comfort left.
435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2h6oyMH29d
435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpILeLps9t3
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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435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnjx66Qm54j
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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435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡol9hIHaeke
I just wanted to sleep it all away.
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*Ring*435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOkg9TN2aSt
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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.
435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTRE95huXAg
435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmoJ3g9Ngcm
I sigh and transform my head into Alphon.
435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUYiI46AGnL
435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡChq2sZh4UV
Alyson: “Hey Alphon, I know this is sudden but would you like to come over?”
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435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRFdUSbaIOn
…Are you serious?
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435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBZVPiCgbdm
Nao: “S-Sure, what’s wrong?”
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435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwYE0fTsZrG
Alyson: “I just…need some company. A lot happened today.”
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435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx1cExOPRwH
I can understand that, I suppose this can take my mind off of everything.
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435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNjdjKZK5Ll
Nao: “Happy to help
435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMOqEhDCUlL
435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBluQJ0emwr
Alyson: “Thanks, I’ll send over my address. Knock and I’ll come get you.”
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435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwQItfNZAxx
Nao: “Cool, I’ll be there in 20 minutes.”
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435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzKYwFRNgMN
Alyson: “Thanks…it’s nice to know your voice.”
435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ21UJhmRXI5
435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1g1hnAKnAp
Nao: “…Same.”
435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqBhCRMVV7y
435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwGOe033Lzr
I hang up and prepare myself for Alyson. Transforming, clothes, washing up, healing wounds, and mental prep.
435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzTyDDfDjz4
435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPqG8gD4zlZ
20 minutes from now, we’ll use each other to forget our problems. I have no problem with that.435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0otEmoxciz
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