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Arms crossed, staring out at the large fields of flowers, I leaned against the ship. The day was pleasantly warm, with the Yetherian sun beating down on us and the aromatic scent of the large flowers swimming in the air.
The week to get ourselves together had come and past and now it was time for our departure. The day after talking to Ingel and seeing Teelah one last time, I had brought all of us together and had a heart to heart with them. I laid down my plans and told them exactly how I felt. I wasn't trying to be any of their friends at this moment, but we needed to all come together and unite as one for this common purpose. We may have problems within our group, but united we would stand and divided we would fall, so I needed everyone to push their differences aside and get on board because the time to act was now. We couldn't wait around any longer and try to mend broken bridges, we needed to get the Orb of Tranquility back and save Terra from total demise.
With hurt shining in their eyes at my clear apathy at fixing relationships, yet resolve guiding their attitudes, they had all whole-heartedly agreed with me. For the next couple of days, under Alem's watch, all of us had begun sparing against the warriors. Ike had pointed out that it may not be a given we would be able to use our powers once we landed, so learning how to defend ourselves without any weapons on hand was must.
Since we had all been fighting with the warriors on and off since we had arrived, most of the sparring was merely brush-ups on what we already knew. I was pleasantly surprise to see that Mist could take a punch to the face and not bawl her eyes out. What surprised me even more was that Aeon and Nydale were both on the same level as Ike when it came to fighting. It had never occurred to me that Ike's left and right hand men were equally as equipped to defend themselves as he was. Once I thought about it, of course, it made sense but their expertise in combat was something I still had not expected from them.
Between our sparring and packing we had tried to brainstorm ways to infiltrate the Dynaot's headquarters but had fallen short each time. There was only six of us and there were too many "what ifs". Despite the flaws in our plan though, we all knew that we wouldn't get anywhere playing it safe. We needed to take risks and we needed to start doing it fast. While I had told everyone about Ingel's talk (excluding me telling him about what has happened on Yetheria between me and them) and explained how Terra was currently in a cease-fire type of state, that conclusion was not good enough for any of us. We all knew Terra was in a very fragile state right now and anything could go wrong at any second.
Now a week later, here we all were, where it had all begun for us in Yetheria- in the large flower fields. Except instead of running for our lives with only us to save one another, we were surrounded by warriors who were seeing us off for our departure.
Alem, Ivy, and a few stood in the center each giving their goodbyes to my friends. Chewing on my lip, reminiscing on memories, I tensed as arms wrapped around me. Turning around to face the person, my body relaxed seeing Ivy.
A storm swirled in her silvery gaze as she looked at me trying to blink away tears that sparkled in her eyes. "I'm going to miss you Avril."
Feeling the burn of emotions that I was really getting tired of feeling, I swung my arms around her and squeezed being cautious of her wings which I knew were extremely sensitive. "I'm going to miss you too Ivy. Honestly, I'm going to miss you so much."
Stepping back, her cheeks glimmered as a wobbly smile crawled along her face. Her hand gently came up to my cheek as she leaned her forehead against mine. Whispered words in a thick accented language I had never heard Ivy speak to me was uttered, before she pulled back once more.
"What was that?"
"Me praying for you to forgive, have strength when times get hard, and for you to bring back what you need for your homeland to prosper once more."
Softly, I gazed at Ivy. "Thank you." I whispered to her, uttering words that had so much meaning. It wasn't just a thank you for praying for me not but for being there when no else had been and for being my rock throughout everything. I probably would not have made it out like I did without here.
"Loyalty." Ivy voiced softly. "I will forever be loyal to Avril. If you need me, if I can help. I will be there."
Eyes watering, despite telling myself I was done crying, I took a deep, shaky breath. I blinked back the tears. "You will always be under my wing Ivy. If I can do anything for you, I will." At a loss for words, I had no idea how to utter all that I wanted to say.
Nodding as if she understood the words that I didn't say, she stepped back...into the arms of Azule. My eyes widened momentarily to see the infatuated expression on her face as she bit her lip and gazed up at him. My attention turned to the dark eyes of Azule, only to see he was staring directly at me. Lips turning up into a tiny smile, he nodded respectfully at me and I turned back to Ivy only for her to shrug in a what-can-you-do type of way.
I knew the repercussions of Ivy following love instead of power, but there was something so beautiful about the two of them. It was that new type of kindled love, that lacked any taint of hurt, pain, lies, or betrayal. It was like the first snow of winter that was white pure and had not yet been ruined by the world around it. Bitterness chewed at my tongue as I gazed at the couple who connected eyes and smiled like they were lost in each other's eyes. Would Ike and I ever truly get to that point again? Where there wouldn't be such a push and pull between us?
I hope Azule always made Ivy smile like that. For what she gave up, he better not ever hurt or so help me...I'll find the quickest route to this forsaken planet and ruin him.
Alem slowly fluttered between the two couple, eyes disapprovingly staring at Ivy, who stepped slightly away from Azule to Azule's chagrin and bowed her head. The discomfort and slight shame that reflected in her eyes before she dropped them to the ground was clear.
Seeing the change in her posture, I frowned and turned my eyes to Alem, slight fire dancing behind my eyes at the fact that he ruined their moment and caused Ivy to act like that.
"She knows better." He simply said, sounding like a father who just discovered that his squeaky-clean daughter had just started dating the school's bad boy. "She knows what's good for her, yet she still does this." He muttered low enough so only him and I could hear.
"The heart wants what it wants." I replied, in a slightly defiant tone. I moved to go to Ivy to comfort her, but Azule beat me to the punch stepping closer to her and gently wrapping an arm around her. She lifted her head to look at him and he placed a chaste kiss on her forehead. A shimmery teal glow flared around her at his touch, before it vanished the next second. However, that lovesick expression was back.
Witnessing the whole thing, Alem shook his head. "The heart can be idiotic." With a small snort, he changed the subject. "So this is our final good bye Miss. Elements of life"
Bittersweetly, I smirked at Alem seeing the small amusement in his eyes at his gentle teasing. "That it is." I nodded not knowing what else to say. A large part of me would miss Alem and Ivy especially. I took a glance at Ivy only to see that in the sunshine's light, her eyes were shimmering with a mix of emotion. Quickly turning back to Alem, already missing Ivy, I kept my face neutral.
Orange eyes staring at me, a thankful closed-lip smile appeared on his face. "I would just like to thank you Avril and all your friends for what you all have did for us. Because of you all, we now have a reusable water source and because of you, the threat of other warrior attacks have been decreased. You have all helped us and for that we will be forever grateful."
My head snapped to the warriors, men and women, as they cheered with agreement at his words.
"I can proudly say; you have all gained an ally. We will all be praying for your safe landing and pray that you succeed."
Once again the warriors cheered.
Off to the side, my friends and Ike stood next to the ship graciously nodding and accepting their cheers.
"I'm not a fairy of many words, so I feel that is all I need to say. After all of this over, I would just like you all to know that Yetheria is a safe haven for you."
"Thank you." Ike spoke coming to stand beside me. "We will for sure keep that in mind." He spoke sounding so diplomatic. The years of training for him to become king became apparent of that. Feeling me studying him, his eyes turned to me questioning and heat rushed through me at our eye contact. Slowly, I looked away feeling his intoxicating warm seep into me. With him so close, the small aching at leaving Ivy behind was smothered.
We spent maybe twenty more minutes talking to everyone before saying our last goodbyes before we began boarding the ship. Following Ike, I was the last one.
"Avril wait!" Ivy's voice cut through the gentle silence, feeling happiness radiate through me, I turned around and like it was the first day we were meeting, she was racing towards me.
In a black dress that for once wasn't daunting or overwhelming, but instead was fitted and showed some of her slight curves, her wings glimmered a striking light blue. Letting out a bittersweet mix of a hiccup-sob and a laugh, I bounded down the ship's steps and we met halfway.
My arms wrapped around her and hers wrapped around me as her long, kinky coily hair blew around us as it gleamed purple in the sun's rays. Tears burning behind my closed eyelids, I held her tighter to me, hearing sniffling in my ear.
"I can't believe you were going to leave me with that horrible goodbye." She muttered
"I know, I know, It would have been so fucking suckish." I chuckled, us both slowly easing away from each other.
Cheeks sparkling with the residue from her tears, she stared at me. "Don't you forget about me Avril Bright."
Smiling softly, I gently shook my head. "How could I forgot about you, fairy Ivy. You're one in a billion."
Her nose crinkled, before she bashfully glanced at her bare feet. "Don't spoil me with compliments Avril."
"It's true." I replied instantly. Smiling dropping, I got serious. "Whatever you do Ivy, go with your heart. Remember that."
Our eyes connected once more as she brought her attention back to my face before she nodded understandingly. "I already am." She made a subtle nod to behind her, indicating Azule who looked fidgety at seeing Ivy's tears. I could see him repressing the urge now to come to her and make everything better. My heart melted at that fact before Ivy continued. "I already am following my heart, and I'll never doubt it again. But you Avril, your journey lies in forgiveness."
I stilled hearing her words, before I slowly nodded. "I know, I know it does." Softly, the words left my reluctant lips. "It's hard."
A small understanding smile lit her face before she placed her hand on my cheek followed by a cooling sensation that seemed to wipe away my doubt momentarily. My eyes widened at the fact that Ivy was showing me a part of her powers since the fairies were very secretive about all that they were capable of. "I never said it would be easy Avril, but it will be worth in the end. We all know the people closest to you can hurt the most. It is up to you to figure if this temporary pain is worth the future happiness. Pain hurts, but it is your best teacher."
Her words resonated with me and the bond even as the perseverance side of me fought tooth and nail against it.
"What is it trying to teach me?"
Her eyebrows furrowed hearing the sting in my tone, but understanding swirled in her eyes realizing that under my anger was pain that had not quite gone away. "That's for you to figure out Avril."
I didn't say anything, instead I broke our stare and looked at the ground.
"Promise me you'll forgive Avril Bright, for yourself and not anyone's else benefit." She spoke lowly, so low that I knew only the other fairies with super senses could hear what we were saying.
Mouth shut, I didn't say anything at first and just like Ivy, being Ivy, she waited patiently.
Letting out a huff, I nodded slowly. "I'll try my best, but I'm not promising anything."
Ivy looked like she wanted to say more, but understood I hated being backed into a corner with no way out. "Then that's all I'll ask."
Letting out a breath, I nodded slowly.
"So this is our real goodbye now?" Ivy asked and slowly glancing behind me to see Ike and my friends propped against the ship's door waiting patiently, I replied. "I guess so."
"You'll come back and visit?" She asked softly, looking like she was about to cry again.
Feeling my own pinch of emotions, I took a deep breath. "Yes, what would I do without Ivy telling me what path is the best to follow?"
We both chuckled, the bittersweet feeling rushed back into me and with another hug, I boarded the ship.
Staring out the oval side window on the side of the ship, I watched everyone wave us off and reluctantly waved back wishing for the familiar feeling of her friendship still not exactly ready to mend bridges. Turning to scope everything out and watching everyone talked determinedly, I knew though, that mending bridges and forgiving was something I needed to do to move forward successfully.
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The ambiance in the space ship was a mixture of anxiousness and fear of the unknown. Letting out a frustrated sigh, my chin dropped into the palm of my head as I stared out at the black abyss in front of me.
"I wish it was as easy as the first time?" Mist sighed longingly, sitting in the pilot's chair and rechecking the system to make sure the ship was running smoothly.
"Yeah, having Zeal make us invisible to go undetected was such a luxury." Kaiya replied, running her tired hands in between her curls and leaning back against Aeon's arm as they sat on a small sofa. I eyed the exchange for a moment until I brushed off my questions realizing that more important matters needed to be discussed.
Nydale joined in. "I already know that they know we're coming. They'll probably be on high defense in the headquarters." Nydale added, hunched over with his elbows on his knees.
"Then I guess the plan of just going is the only thing we got." I stated evenly, leaning back in the chair next to hers.
"It's the only thing we really have at this point. At least if we can land undetected then we'll be able to make camp for a couple days, scout out their perimeters and figure out a more in depth route of doing this. It's a death sentence though at all trying to attack the main headquarters without some type of knowledge on them." Ike added, hand interlaced with mine. "News have traveled across the galaxies that Dynoats have not only abducted Nobellians, but other creature from other planets too. For all we know, they could have a whole army of different aliens at their beck and call."
My hand was slack in his as he spoke, but it didn't deter him. I found myself being hot and cold with him most of the time. Some days all I wanted to do was roll up beside him and hold him to me forever, while other times I couldn't stand to be around him. Right now, I was in between. I didn't necessarily want him touching me, but I loved holding his hand and feeling the warmth that came with it. The fact that it soothed the ever-increasing impatience of the bond was a bonus. A part of me realized that I was being stubborn and unmoving when it came to progress, but the other part didn't care.
Moodily, my eyes slid to Ike feeling like he had to explain the plan back to everyone again (like we hadn't talked about numerous times over the week) because they all didn't believe I was capable of coming up with a good enough plan.
"No one thinks your idea is crazy, Avril." Nydale spoke up seeming to read my thoughts.
I turned to him and said nothing, but cocked my head to let him know I was listening.
"You've been right about everything else so far...so uh, you should take the lead this time." Kaiya mused, arms crossed and stretching her legs. "No one's doubting you." Her words weren't said in a reassurance type of way, but more in a matter of fact type of tone.
And although I didn't say it or show it, I liked the fact that for once they weren't doubting me. Sitting up a little straighter, I took a deep breath and allowed my teeth to show slightly in a wiry smile. "Good." I said simply, not knowing how to handle being in charge and so sure of myself like I did before. It was like I relearning everything over again. A small part of me crumbled at the fact that I allowed things to get so bad, but a bigger part of me was even more determined to fight through this and overcome this roadblock.
Turning my head to Mist, whose eyes stayed focused on the controls, I spoke. "How far away are we?"
"About twenty minutes." She replied easily.
Ike's hand squeezed mine and I turned to him to him grinning slightly at my take charge attitude. I didn't smile back, but did smirk slightly back.
------
"No! No! No! With each yell, Mist fist's slammed down onto the control panels of the ship while we stood around her perplexed and anxious.
"What the hell is going on Mist?" Kaiya's voice warily asked, as she looked at Mist with her eyebrows furrowed.
Mist didn't reply and for a few moments, she frantically pushed at buttons and Ike moved his way to the front and scanned the panel.
We had just broken through the last layer of the Deteria's atmosphere when emergency lights began flickering on in the ship. While no freaked out externally, the panic was clear on everyone's faces as we watched Mist rapidly press buttons on the ship control panel while Ike maneuvered the ship. The landing was actually smooth, but by the exhausted expression on Ike's face, it was clear that it had not been easy handling the ship no matter how easy he made it look.
As Mist briskly worked over the buttons, Ike stood rigid, face pensive and eyes narrowed on the buttons before he let out a soft curse and turned to us all. Our eyes connected briefly before he flickered his attention to everyone. "The ship is down."
Aeon threw his hands in the air. "Ya got to be kidding me!"
"How could the ship be down?" Nydale questioned.
"This didn't happen last time we landed on the Dynoats planet."
Ike sighed, crossing his arms. "Well this isn't last time, this is right now and like we've talked about before, the Dynoats could have easily advanced their security. The Dynoats attacked our planet and that's basically a call for war. Of course, they would have defenses against us in some type of way. Our ship is out; it can't fly anymore. We're lucky, the ship didn't cut off while we were still in the sky and instead decided to turn to utter shit after we landed...."
His words muted into the background as I looked out across the expansion of the land through the wide window screen of the ship.
Dead.
Everything still paralleled what we saw last time we were here. Matter of fact, it looked slightly worst. The ground- a mix of dull reds and browns was barren, with barely any shrubbery and spare clusters of grass. Arid gray trees stretched towards the lifeless blue sky. A shiver raked down my back thinking of the clear contrast between Earth's blue sky, and this blue sky. Unlike Earth, this blue sky lacked any vitality. I remember days when I would lay on my back with Simon and Lilly and we would talk endlessly looking at the blue sky back on Earth. That sky, you could get lost in, this sky, I wanted to run away from because it looked like it had given up the fight to live a long time ago. The light blueness of it lacked luster, and the few green clouds floating in its atmosphere only added to the crestfallen feeling that fell over you when you looked at it. As I looked around, the entire environment looked like it had given up the fight to prosper a long time ago.
"....last time we were here, we could see the Dynoats headquarters just in the horizon, I can only imagine how long it's going to take us to reach there now." Mist was saying as I blinked out of my reverie and turned towards the rest of the group, brushing away the foreboding feeling the landscape gave me.
They were all in a circle, all looking like the world was on their shoulders. I could feel the pressure too, nearly suffocating me for the need to succeed in this mission.
Kaiya sighed, frustration was beginning to shine in her eyes like a brewing storm as she frowned. "It was so easy last time."
"Which the Dynoats probably know, so they upped the challenge." Nydale rebutted.
"Yeah after you blow a building to a ground and release tens or hundreds of prisoners that's what typically happens." Aeon slowly added in, blue eyes darting to me before he looked to the ground scuffing his foot against it as if he could feel my hard stare and was expecting a punch to the shoulder. Ahh, good times.
Ignoring the urge to do exactly that, I instead walked to the small storage area, grabbed a backpack full of food and walked to the exit. Pressing a hand down onto the button to open the ship's door, it slid open. For a few seconds the ship was silent as they watched me and I waited, wondering if there would be some odd gas in the atmosphere that would affect us negatively like it did last time. But after a few moments, realizing that the potential danger wasn't there, I secured my backpack even tighter and walked out the door. "If we have a long way ahead of us, I suggest we start walking now. Nothing is easy past this point and we probably should get a move on. Who knows if the Dynoats are tracking this ship as we speak." I threw over my shoulder, eyes stealthily watching the barren surroundings around me.
The sound of backpacks quickly being picked up sounded behind me and I couldn't help but smirk slightly seeing that they were following my directions without a rebuttal.
I am queen, hear me roar.
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The silence in nature was something I wasn't used to after spending weeks on Yetheria. I remember walking to the cliff ledge or the open field each day and always being surrounded and even comforted by the vivacious noise of life around me, yet as we walked in a group, bodies on alert, the deathly silence of the forest made me wary and slightly sad. Trees were scattered around us, yet the forest wasn't very full and using it as cover to hide if we needed was impossible because it was so thinly veiled. Loneliness and desolation filled the ambience of the forest like a heavy fog slithering in-between the group like an unmovable force.
"Nydale, you can talk to nature, right? You can hear it, right?" I asked Nydale who was in front of us. My voice echoed throughout the stillness of the forest. Ike and I took of up the back, a non-verbal way of saying the prince and princess had our people's back I realized, while everyone else walked in front of us. Aeon and Kaiya walked in front while Nydale and Mist walked behind them and in front of us.
Turning slightly to me, Nydale's brown eyes connected with mine, yet there was something swirling in his dark depths that made me frown- a certain sadness, that I rarely ever saw past Nydale's stoic outer piece. Even though, Nydale and I weren't on the best footing we could be on these days, seeing him in this mood did pique my interest. Despite my urge to cheer him up though, I bit back the desire and got back to business.
"Yeah." He simply said.
"So what is nature telling you now. Maybe it can point us in the right direction." I supplied, realizing Nydale wasn't going to say much more without me pushing for it. Typical Nydale.
"Nothing." His voice was so low that it was nearly carried away in the silence of the barren forest we were walking through.
Mutely, my eyes connected with Ike's only to see he was just confused as me by the way his eyebrows furrowed "What do you mean, nothing?"
"The forest, nature, nothing is talking to me." His voice sounded pained. "It's static. All I'm hearing is static silence. Nature here is literally on its last limb and I can practically hear it slowly giving up and perishing." My attention turned to his balled fist. "How could you be so self-centered to allow yourself and others ruin the quiet beauty of the environment you live in."
"You can't hear anything?" Aeon asked, like the rest of us still reeling from the shock of that. "Like at all? No sighs or huffs and shit like what you talked about before with the grass screaming and the trees groaning and-"
"No, nothing." Nydale cut off Aeon's rant, while Aeon continued to walk staring at Nydale with his bottom jaw damn near scuffing the ground.
"So we'll be getting no help or guidance from nature." Kaiya's voice was meant to come off hard, but the disappointment and slight sorrow at Nydale's words that cemented what we already knew paralyzed everyone.
For everyone else, the elements and nature was a fundamental part of their existence. They believed in harmony and treating nature as good as they possibly could, while for me I had grew up on Earth. Up until I got on Terra, the statement ignorance is bliss was sadly my motto. It was easy to ignore things such as deforestation, mass animal extinction, pollution, and things like the great Pacific garbage patch when it wasn't directly affecting me; however, after being on Terra and seeing how much effort and sincerity was put into maintaining the environment, I realized the errors of my ways as I watched nature unbothered, flourish around me. Now that I saw the greatness of what nature could be when you allowed it to, I no longer understood why anyone would allow it be destroyed for power and money. When it was all said and done, you couldn't breathe money and power, you couldn't eat money and power, and you couldn't drink money and power.
"None at all, if the silence around me is saying anything. "With a sigh, Nydale eyed the environment in a mix of indignation and disgust.
"Well, I'm about seventy-five percent sure we're going in the right direction." A nervous chuckled left Mist's lips, her eyes staring at the gray tall trees warily.
"Really hope the twenty-five percent isn't this way." Kaiya muttered, once again lighting the fire for Mist and her to butt heads.
Mist scowled at Kaiya, but chose not to douse the fire and for that I was glad for. I didn't feel like hearing them go back and forth like they normally did. For one, we were in an unknown environment. One wrong step or one second of not being aware could ruin us.
"Do you guys wanna play a game?" Aeon suddenly asked after ten minutes of walking in silence. The cover of the trees has only got slightly thicker, yet the large gaps in the treetop and the way trees were visible from quite a long distance alerted to me that traveling through the trees was not the best cover for us.
Collective sighs filled the air and Aeon sucked his teeth. "Oh come on! You guys really want to walk in silence in this drabby, spooky ass forest and not direct your minds to something more pleasant such as a game. It can't be only me can it?" Wide eyes, snapped at us disbelievingly. "Can it?"
"I think maybe it would be good to be silent so we can stay alert." Ike tried to reason, but like the little the man-child he was, Aeon began to pout until one of us finally gave in (Kaiya) and appeased him.
"Okay, okay, let's play I-spy!" He blurted excitedly.
"Okay." Kaiya grounded, while we watched on. Amusement floating through the group at him trying to find the silver lining in this bad situation despite's Ike's darkening mood at his warning not be listened to.
"Okay, I-spy something gray and-"
"Is it a tree?" Kaiya cut him off.
He snickered. "Yes, but what tree?"
"Aeon that's not how it works!" Kaiya blurted, scoffing at him.
He turned to her, annoyed. "Yes, it is!"
Nydale laughed. "You're always trying to put a new spin on a game."
"No I'm not!" Aeon defended. "You guys are always picking on me!"
I took a glance at Ike only to see him shaking his head at our bickering. I didn't know if he was amused or annoyed by his blank expression. "Can't even lie Aeon, you're a cheater when it comes to games." I added, choosing to ignore Ike's mood.
"And women." Mist gave her two-cents in a sing-song voice followed by an amused laugh as color drained from Aeon's face and his eyes flickered to Kaiya. Attention, surreptitiously turning to her, her face was neutral and she appeared as if she was watching the banter without a care in the world.
But if you knew Kaiya like I did you knew that most of the time anger and indifference for her were only masks for some deeper emotion. Based off the tense walk and the way she began tugging at the past-shoulder-length curls on her head, I could tell she was anything but indifferent. In fact, the more I studied her, the more she appeared to be bothered and even slightly hurt at Mist's statement about Aeon.
I wanted to get to the bottom of this, but chose not to realizing this wasn't the right time.
So, lost in my thoughts, I was suddenly knocked out of them hard when Ike unexpectedly grasped my arm and tugged me into him. Roughly stumbling into his side, only for his arms to protectively wrap around me and pull me closer into him, I was about to furiously question him on his actions when his facial expression caught my attention.
Eyes shifting into purple, alarm cutting across his face with his mouth slightly gape, I could only watch, body getting tense realizing something was about to happen.
"Ike what-"
"There's something, I can feel it." Ike spoke slowly, powers honing in, as he mumbled to himself.
"Ike, what's-"
"Stop! Everyone stop!" Ike roared, but his words came too late.
Everything happened so fast, there was no correct way any of us could have reacted.
One minute Kaiya was walking lost in her thoughts and the next her body was somersaulting into the air before the gray trunk of a tree stopped her propulsion as she slammed into it. Body crumbling into it, she thudded to the ground face first into the dirt, motionless.
The color drained from Aeon's face just as my eyes locked onto what had did it feeling my blood go cold.
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If you guy's felt like this was too short, don't worry I'll be uploading again before this week over to make up for the 2 week gap!
Once again thank you all for being patient with me. Life has been extremely busy, and I'm slowly counting down for the semester to be over. Anyways, thank you guys for reading and supporting!