update from sparkleup
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<p>“Check…” Ey shook eir head. “Why would you care about our well-being? You just sent an assassin to our house.”</p>
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<p>“Check…” Ey shook eir head. “Why would you care about our well-being? You just sent an assassin to our house.”</p>
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<p>“Only to tidy up loose ends,” he said, leaning back in the chair again and using the well-shined toe of his shoe to knock a bit of snow off the railing of the balcony. “I trust you’ve stashed your skunks away somewhere safe?”</p>
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<p>“Only to tidy up loose ends,” he said, leaning back in the chair again and using the well-shined toe of his shoe to knock a bit of snow off the railing of the balcony. “I trust you’ve stashed your skunks away somewhere safe?”</p>
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<p>“‘My skunks’?” All of the stress of the last forty-five minutes that ey’d been holding back around May, all that had been obscured by eir need to get from point A to point B as quickly as possible, all of it came crashing down on em at once. “<em>‘My skunks’?</em>” ey shouted. “Jonas, what the fuck? You sent a fucking assassin after True Name, sent him over to our house so he could hound May. What the hell are you even talking about? Of course I’m going to keep my fucking partner and friend safe if you’re going to try killing them! Fucking…<em>‘my skunks’</em>. Good Lord.”</p>
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<p>“‘My skunks’?” All of the stress of the last forty-five minutes that ey’d been holding back around May, all that had been obscured by eir need to get from point A to point B as quickly as possible, all of it came crashing down on em at once. “<em>‘My skunks’?</em>” ey shouted. “Jonas, what the fuck? You sent a fucking assassin after True Name, sent him over to our house so he could hound May. What the hell are you even talking about? Of course I’m going to keep my fucking partner and friend safe if you’re going to try killing them! Fucking…<em>‘my skunks’</em>. Good Lord.”</p>
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<p>Once ey’d finished and was left panting again, Jonas sat up in the chair and grinned widely, clapping his hands. “Mx. Ioan Bălan, such language! I didn’t know you had it in you! Bravo.”</p>
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<p>Once ey’d finished and was left panting, Jonas sat up in the chair and grinned widely, clapping his hands. “Mx. Ioan Bălan, such language! I didn’t know you had it in you! Bravo.”</p>
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<p>“Fuck you too.”</p>
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<p>“Fuck you too.”</p>
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<p>That grin lingered as Jonas gave a hint of a bow. “Very well, Ioan. To your concerns, the bit with May Then My Name was unintentional. Our plan kicked off early and one of True Name said that she was with you. While I was pretty sure that meant your little coffee shop, I figured I’d stop by just to make sure. Guōweī got a little excited when he saw May Then My Name, thinking it might be his target. She’s quite good at fighting, your girl. You have my most abject apologies. We should’ve just waited.”</p>
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<p>That grin lingered as Jonas gave a hint of a bow. “Very well, Ioan. To your concerns, the bit with May Then My Name was unintentional. Our plan kicked off early and one of True Name said that she was with you. While I was pretty sure that meant your little coffee shop, I figured I’d stop by just to make sure. Guōweī got a little excited when he saw May Then My Name, thinking it might be his target. She’s quite good at fighting, your girl. You have my most abject apologies. We should’ve just waited.”</p>
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<p>“And True Name?”</p>
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<p>“And True Name?”</p>
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<p>“And why should I believe you on that?”</p>
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<p>“And why should I believe you on that?”</p>
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<p>He shrugged. “You don’t have to, but I am telling the truth, Ioan. If you and True Name don’t show at the very least, you’d better plan on not leaving home or wherever you’re staying ever again. Just because I <em>didn’t</em> mix up some syringes for you doesn’t mean I <em>can’t</em>.”</p>
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<p>He shrugged. “You don’t have to, but I am telling the truth, Ioan. If you and True Name don’t show at the very least, you’d better plan on not leaving home or wherever you’re staying ever again. Just because I <em>didn’t</em> mix up some syringes for you doesn’t mean I <em>can’t</em>.”</p>
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<p>“That’s pretty dramatic.”</p>
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<p>“That’s pretty dramatic.”</p>
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<p>“I don’t have the training your pretty little skunks have,” he shot back. “Just try and get everyone together and we can get this over with. There’s no huge rush. Sometime within the year, okay?”</p>
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<p>“I don’t have the training your pretty little skunks have,” he shot back. There was something vaguely feverish about him, running a little too hot. “Just try and get everyone together and we can get this over with. There’s no huge rush. Sometime within the year, okay?”</p>
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<p>“Why?” Ey shook eir head. “Why do you need to talk with her and why do you need an amanuensis? You have to give me something, here.”</p>
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<p>“Why?” Ey shook eir head. “Why do you need to talk with her and why do you need an amanuensis? You have to give me something, here.”</p>
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<p>“No, Ioan, I don’t,” he said. “Just tell True Name that I’m waiting. You can ask her all the questions you want.”</p>
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<p>“No, Ioan, I don’t,” he said. “Just tell True Name that I’m waiting. You can ask her all the questions you want.”</p>
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<p>“Alright, fine,” ey growled. “Anything else?”</p>
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<p>“Alright, fine,” ey growled. “Anything else?”</p>
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<p>“And they just listen and watch?”</p>
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<p>“And they just listen and watch?”</p>
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<p>“Creepy, is it not? I probably should have been more proactive about when I first moved in, but I did not think either of us interesting enough.”</p>
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<p>“Creepy, is it not? I probably should have been more proactive about when I first moved in, but I did not think either of us interesting enough.”</p>
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<p>“Very creepy,” ey muttered. All of their talks, all of their discussions and jokes and arguments, all of their pleasant silences and moments of intimacy, all being watched. “What a nightmare.”</p>
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<p>“Very creepy,” ey muttered. All of their talks, all of their discussions and jokes and arguments, all of their pleasant silences and moments of intimacy, all being watched. “What a nightmare.”</p>
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<p>She nodded. “I am sorry, my dear. If it is of any consolation, I assure you that we really are quite boring. We have only had a few conversations of note over the last twenty-seven years, and the rest must have been excruciating to sit through.”</p>
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<p>She nodded. “I am sorry, my dear. If it is of any consolation, they may not have been there the entire time, and I assure you that we really are quite boring. We have only had a few conversations of note over the last twenty-seven years, and the rest must have been excruciating to sit through.”</p>
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<p>“Or incredibly awkward.”</p>
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<p>“Or incredibly awkward.”</p>
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<p>The skunk gave em a quizzical look, then laughed. “Gross, Ioan.”</p>
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<p>The skunk gave em a quizzical look, then laughed. “Gross, Ioan.”</p>
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<p>“Not me! Them!”</p>
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<p>“Not me! Them!”</p>
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<p>Watching nervously, Ioan fiddled with the hem of eir vest. So much had happened in the last hour and a half, and now this exchange between eir partner and her cocladist was enough to start that anxiety rising within em again. With True Name trying her best not to cry openly and May clutching tightly at eir arm, both of them interacting with each other was a different sort of stress than the assassination attempt, but no less intense.</p>
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<p>Watching nervously, Ioan fiddled with the hem of eir vest. So much had happened in the last hour and a half, and now this exchange between eir partner and her cocladist was enough to start that anxiety rising within em again. With True Name trying her best not to cry openly and May clutching tightly at eir arm, both of them interacting with each other was a different sort of stress than the assassination attempt, but no less intense.</p>
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<p>“True Name,” ey said carefully. “There’s no rush, but Jonas was there at the house. We can talk about it later, but I figured I’d give you a heads up.”</p>
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<p>“True Name,” ey said carefully. “There’s no rush, but Jonas was there at the house. We can talk about it later, but I figured I’d give you a heads up.”</p>
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<p>The skunk gave up on maintaining her expression and hid her face in her paws, nodding. “Thank you,” she croaked.</p>
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<p>The skunk gave up on maintaining her expression and hid her face in her paws, nodding. “Thank you,” she croaked.</p>
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<p>Once she’d washed her face and calmed down enough to speak, the three of them set to work deciding what the next steps were. May suggested they stay at the lake for the night, explaining that they’d need time to sort out a living situation for True Name and that she wanted to go over their place with a fine-toothed comb before spending the night there again, anyway. After hearing about Jonas, she was quick to agree. </p>
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<p>Once she’d washed her face and calmed down enough to speak, the three of them set to work deciding what the next steps were. May suggested they stay at the lake for the night, explaining that they’d need time to sort out a living situation for True Name and that she wanted to go over their place with a fine-toothed comb before spending the night there again, anyway. </p>
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<p>True Name merely nodded. “Is there a place here that I can stay?” she asked.</p>
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<p>True Name merely nodded. “Is there a place here that I can stay?” she asked.</p>
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<p>May winced and shook her head. “It would be camping. We can make that work for tonight if we can scrounge up some gear, but a long-term solution is not feasible. This is not our sim and we do not have ACLs to build here or remove any unwanted visitors.”</p>
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<p>May winced and shook her head. “It would be camping. We can make that work for tonight if we can scrounge up some gear, but a long-term solution is not feasible. This is not our sim and we do not have ACLs to build here or remove any unwanted visitors.”</p>
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<p>She nodded. “I understand. I will dig–“</p>
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<p>She nodded. “I understand. I will dig–“</p>
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<p>May nodded in turn. After a moment’s silence, she turned to Ioan and said, “My dear, can you see if End Waking can help us out with some camping supplies? I do not trust our place enough to go back and create obvious camping goods.”</p>
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<p>May nodded in turn. After a moment’s silence, she turned to Ioan and said, “My dear, can you see if End Waking can help us out with some camping supplies? I do not trust our place enough to go back and create obvious camping goods.”</p>
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<p>“Me?”</p>
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<p>“Me?”</p>
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<p>“Please.” She sighed. “I do not think I have the wherewithal to do so, myself. I do not want to go and cry in front of someone else. I do not want to feel like I am begging, even if help comes willingly.”</p>
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<p>“Please.” She sighed. “I do not think I have the wherewithal to do so, myself. I do not want to go and cry in front of someone else. I do not want to feel like I am begging, even if help comes willingly.”</p>
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<p>Ey hesitated, nodded, and sent End Waking a sensorium ping, requesting a meeting, which was quickly acknowledged. “Alright,” ey said, forking off a new instance. “Back in a few.”</p>
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<p>Ey hesitated, nodded, and sent End Waking a sensorium ping requesting a meeting, which was quickly acknowledged. “Alright,” ey said, forking off a new instance. “Back in a few.”</p>
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<p>End Waking and Debarre were waiting for em at the new entry point to his sim.</p>
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<p>End Waking and Debarre were waiting for em at the new entry point to his sim.</p>
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<p>“Hey, sorry for the short notice.”</p>
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<p>“Hey, sorry for the short notice.”</p>
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<p>End Waking bowed. “It is no trouble, Ioan.”</p>
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<p>End Waking bowed. “It is no trouble, Ioan.”</p>
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<p>Ioan sighed, nodded. “Thank you, End Waking. We’ll, uh…we’ll need three sets, though.”</p>
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<p>Ioan sighed, nodded. “Thank you, End Waking. We’ll, uh…we’ll need three sets, though.”</p>
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<p>He paused in the act of bending down to lift one of the cot-and-bedroll combos. “You will need three?”</p>
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<p>He paused in the act of bending down to lift one of the cot-and-bedroll combos. “You will need three?”</p>
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<p>“And two tents.”</p>
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<p>“And two tents.”</p>
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<p>Apparently unable to hold back anymore, Debarre spoke up. “Ioan, I’m going to go crazy if you don’t give me at least something, here.”</p>
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<p>Apparently unable to hold back any longer, Debarre spoke up. “Ioan, I’m gonna go crazy if you don’t give me at least something, here.”</p>
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<p>“As am I,” End Waking said.</p>
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<p>“As am I,” End Waking said.</p>
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<p>“Right. Well, sorry in advance for the stress.” Ey paused to collect eir thoughts. Adrenaline seemed to have burned through much of eir energy reserves. Not yet 14:00 and ey was feeling exhausted. “Jonas tried to assassinate True Name and made her think it was about some ‘reactionary elements’ or something. He got all but her root instance, and that only because we were out for coffee at the time. He and his assassin also paid our home a visit and they were going after May in the confusion, so we’re hiding at Arrowhead for the night.”</p>
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<p>“Right. Well, sorry in advance for the stress.” Ey paused to collect eir thoughts. Adrenaline seemed to have burned through much of eir energy reserves. Not yet 14:00 and ey was feeling exhausted. “Jonas tried to assassinate True Name and made her think it was about some ‘reactionary elements’ or something. He got all but her root instance, and that only because we were out for coffee at the time. He and his assassin also paid our home a visit and they were going after May in the confusion, so we’re hiding at Arrowhead for the night.”</p>
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<p>Silence. Silence but for the sound of a nearby waterfall and a few far-off birds.</p>
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<p>Silence. Silence but for the sound of a nearby waterfall and a few far-off birds.</p>
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<p>When the skunk had left, ey quit and merged back down to eir root instance.</p>
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<p>When the skunk had left, ey quit and merged back down to eir root instance.</p>
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<p>“Well, that’s us settled for the night, I guess,” ey said. “We’ve got stuff for sandwiches, if you’re hungry.”</p>
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<p>“Well, that’s us settled for the night, I guess,” ey said. “We’ve got stuff for sandwiches, if you’re hungry.”</p>
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<p>Both skunks shook their heads.</p>
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<p>Both skunks shook their heads.</p>
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<p>“Alright,” ey said. Ey wasn’t hungry either, ey realized. The tail end of eir anxiety just had em jittery, wanting to keep moving. Once ey set that aside, ey realized just how exhausted ey was.</p>
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<p>“Alright,” ey said. Ey wasn’t either, ey realized. The tail end of eir anxiety just had em jittery, wanting to keep moving. Once ey set that aside, ey realized just how exhausted ey was.</p>
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<p>They sat in quiet well into the evening, instead, each of them trying to digest the day in their own way.</p>
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<p>They sat in quiet well into the evening, instead, each of them trying to digest the day in their own way.</p>
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</article>
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<footer>
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<footer>
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<p>Page generated on 2022-09-06</p>
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<p>Page generated on 2022-09-13</p>
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